Relapse prevention: Trigger homework sheet

[Aysha]

I was seriously on relapse level yesterday. Out of nowhere I got a call from a dealer. I did call that number a few days ago and no one answered. And I was glad. I also left it at that and didnt continue the search. But that call came back and bit me in the ass. After that call I got real sick and anxious. I was almost positive I was going to get high. But I stopped long enough to think about it and weigh the options. I thought long and hard about where this was going. And with the help of my friends here. I made it. This is a worksheet from SMART. I just did it today. I just wanted to share.

RELAPSE PREVENTION: TRIGGER HOMEWORK SHEET

1. What was the trigger? A phone call from the dealer

2. How were you feeling just before you felt like drinking or drugging? I felt fine. Maybe a little bored and wanting to have a little excitement in life.

3. What were you telling yourself just before you started to drink or drug? (Look for additional, hidden thoughts.) I didnt use

4. What did you do? I came to SR and asked for help. I went outside with the lil cousins. I went to my aunts for dinner. I pretty much rode the feeling until it passed.

5. Which thoughts led to which addictive feelings and behaviors? Curiosity of whats goin on in the city. SDo I wanted to go see what was happening. Like I already dont know. I wanted to get high from being bored.

6. What was the chain of thoughts, feelings, and actions? Got the call. Got feeling sick and anxious. Sat on the fence for a long time whether I should go or not. Thought about what will happen if I did go. Then tried to rationalize that its been awhile so it wont be a big deal. Then thought again what it was like the last time.

7. What could you have told yourself? I could have not made it an option to begin with.

8. What could you have done? I could have done thins worksheet sooner. Possibly done another CBA or ABC. I could have let someone close to me f2f know how I was feeling.

9. What emotions could you have pushed yourself to feel? Regret, guilt, disappointment. I could have felt all those feelings that always follow using.

10. How do you feel now about what happened? I didnt use. So I feel better. I feel like I won that battle. But at the same time. I still have the what if I didnt make it. I would have failed again. But I didnt. So I cant feel anything but relief.

[keithj]

Nice! It's not my personal toolkit, but it's a toolkit that has perfectly usable tools in it.

[Zencat]

Thanks for sharing how you used the 'Relapse prevention: Trigger homework sheet.'

[Aysha]

There also was an article that newbegining posted in a thread yesterday. It made alot of sense to me and the SOBER exercise really helped alot. Hers the thread about it...

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-cravings.html (How do you deal with your cravings?)

[SugarScars]

Chiynita,

I don't know you very well yet, but I have to say that your post scares me ... simply because I can relate. I think it's amazing and admirable that you did NOT use. Good job! Also, great work on the trigger homework sheet! It's crucial that we keep touching base with ourselves and make "plans of actions" for dealing with triggers.

One of my best plans of actions is NO ACTION. I'm nervous by nature and often NOT self-aware. Once I've been triggered, I sometimes UNCONSCIOUSLY start drug-seeking behavior, even though I tell myself, "I'm just going for a walk and maybe I'll take my cell phone with me, just in case" ... and I end up calling one of my dealers and meeting them somewhere, spur of the moment.

So, I JUST DO NOT MOVE. This can FEEL awful. However, feelings are not facts and feelings WILL pass. For me, this is what I, personally, need to do because I know myself and I know how deep my addiction lies.

However, for you, the solution could be entirely different. I commend you for making a great choice and taking positive action!

What I also do to keep me sober and clean, is NOT give my cell number to anyone ... and I changed my number right away when I got clean.

Correction: I gave my phone to a trusted person and have THEM change the number because I didn't trust myself to really do it!!!

Is there anyway that you could get your number changed so that dealers can't call you?

Girl, I gotta say that if a dealer called me while I was feeling bored, I would not be sober and clean anymore. I think it's wonderful that you made it through the dark side this time, but the more you can maybe do away with temptation, the more you increase your likelihood of success.

Since I hate preaching, I'm just going to say that I'm just trying to help ... I'm not trying to be on a soapbox here.

The odds are really against us ... that's why I'm offering this advice. The odds say that we will get high again. We need to FIGHT those odds with every tool that we've got!

Personally, I refuse to be a statistic ... and I hope that you do, too.

Sugar xo