Cost/benefit analysis - The meeting after the meeting
Reach Out and Touch Faith
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: On a Sailboat
Posts: 3,871
Cost/benefit analysis - The meeting after the meeting
COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS
Four Questions About My Addiction
1.What do I enjoy about my addiction, what does it do for me (be specific)?
List as many things as you can that you liked about whatever you are/were addicted to. a. Where possible, find alternative ways of achieving the same goals.
b. Recognize positive thinking about the addiction as a potential relapse warning sign.
c. Realize that there are some things you liked about the addiction you will have to learn to live without.
d. List what you enjoy about your addiction so you can ask yourself if it is really worth the price. e. Realize that you aren't stupid; you did get something from your addiction. It just may not be working on your behalf anymore.
2. What do I hate about my addiction, what does it do to me (give specific examples)?
List as many of the bad, undesirable results of your addiction as you can. Here it is extremely important that you use specific examples. Specific examples have much greater emotional impact and motivational force!
a. Ask yourself honestly "If my addiction was a used car, would I pay this much for it?"
b. Review this list often, especially if you are having a lot of positive, happy thoughts about all the great things your addiction did for you.
3. What do I think I will like about giving up my addiction?
List what good things you think/fantasize will happen when you stop your addiction.
a. This provides you with a list of goals to achieve and things to look forward to as a result of your new addiction free lifestyle.
b. This list also helps you to reality test your expectations. If they are unrealistic, they can lead to a disappointment based relapse.
4. What do I think I won't like about giving up my addiction?
List what you think you are going to hate, dread or merely dislike about living without your addiction.
a. This list tells you what kinds of new coping skills, behaviors and lifestyle changes you need to develop in order to stay addiction free.
b. It also serves as another relapse warning list. If all you think about is how much life sucks now that you are not doing your addiction, you are in a relapse thought pattern that is just as dangerous as only focusing on what you liked about your addiction.
This is not a do once and forget about it exercise. It is an ongoing project. Most people simply can't remember all of the positive and negative aspects of addiction and recovery at any one time. Furthermore, seeing all the negative consequences of addiction listed in one place is very powerful. On the positive side, no one really knows what they like or don't like about living free of their addiction until they have done so for some time.
Four Questions About My Addiction
1.What do I enjoy about my addiction, what does it do for me (be specific)?
List as many things as you can that you liked about whatever you are/were addicted to. a. Where possible, find alternative ways of achieving the same goals.
b. Recognize positive thinking about the addiction as a potential relapse warning sign.
c. Realize that there are some things you liked about the addiction you will have to learn to live without.
d. List what you enjoy about your addiction so you can ask yourself if it is really worth the price. e. Realize that you aren't stupid; you did get something from your addiction. It just may not be working on your behalf anymore.
2. What do I hate about my addiction, what does it do to me (give specific examples)?
List as many of the bad, undesirable results of your addiction as you can. Here it is extremely important that you use specific examples. Specific examples have much greater emotional impact and motivational force!
a. Ask yourself honestly "If my addiction was a used car, would I pay this much for it?"
b. Review this list often, especially if you are having a lot of positive, happy thoughts about all the great things your addiction did for you.
3. What do I think I will like about giving up my addiction?
List what good things you think/fantasize will happen when you stop your addiction.
a. This provides you with a list of goals to achieve and things to look forward to as a result of your new addiction free lifestyle.
b. This list also helps you to reality test your expectations. If they are unrealistic, they can lead to a disappointment based relapse.
4. What do I think I won't like about giving up my addiction?
List what you think you are going to hate, dread or merely dislike about living without your addiction.
a. This list tells you what kinds of new coping skills, behaviors and lifestyle changes you need to develop in order to stay addiction free.
b. It also serves as another relapse warning list. If all you think about is how much life sucks now that you are not doing your addiction, you are in a relapse thought pattern that is just as dangerous as only focusing on what you liked about your addiction.
This is not a do once and forget about it exercise. It is an ongoing project. Most people simply can't remember all of the positive and negative aspects of addiction and recovery at any one time. Furthermore, seeing all the negative consequences of addiction listed in one place is very powerful. On the positive side, no one really knows what they like or don't like about living free of their addiction until they have done so for some time.
Reach Out and Touch Faith
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: On a Sailboat
Posts: 3,871
Here is a great CBA Worksheet from Smart Recovery.
http://www.smartrecovery.org/resourc..._Worksheet.pdf
Transfer over what you have discussed in the meeting here...add to it during the week. Discuss it here!
http://www.smartrecovery.org/resourc..._Worksheet.pdf
Transfer over what you have discussed in the meeting here...add to it during the week. Discuss it here!
Resident
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 4,150
This was a very well run and productive meeting you ran Alera. I am sure most of us got a lot out of it.
I have a chart completed and will post it a little later. I probably won't use the pdf form though since I need to download some program ( adobe reader or something) and my old computer (circa 1990 I think) is already amazingly slow.
Sometimes that is good as it gives me a chance to think before I post.
I have a chart completed and will post it a little later. I probably won't use the pdf form though since I need to download some program ( adobe reader or something) and my old computer (circa 1990 I think) is already amazingly slow.
Sometimes that is good as it gives me a chance to think before I post.
lunarlovelunar
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 674
Question #1
1.What do I enjoy about my addiction, what does it do for me (be specific)?
List as many things as you can that you liked about whatever you are/were addicted to. a. Where possible, find alternative ways of achieving the same goals.
b. Recognize positive thinking about the addiction as a potential relapse warning sign.
c. Realize that there are some things you liked about the addiction you will have to learn to live without.
d. List what you enjoy about your addiction so you can ask yourself if it is really worth the price. e. Realize that you aren't stupid; you did get something from your addiction. It just may not be working on your behalf anymore.
List as many things as you can that you liked about whatever you are/were addicted to. a. Where possible, find alternative ways of achieving the same goals.
b. Recognize positive thinking about the addiction as a potential relapse warning sign.
c. Realize that there are some things you liked about the addiction you will have to learn to live without.
d. List what you enjoy about your addiction so you can ask yourself if it is really worth the price. e. Realize that you aren't stupid; you did get something from your addiction. It just may not be working on your behalf anymore.
~I enjoyed the fact that my addiction gave me an excuse to isolate myself from my huzzy. He didnt like being around me when I drank/smoked cigs so the more I did it the more time alone I got.
NOW~When I need time alone, and I do regularly, I take it, but I now do constructive things instead of sit on the porch and get sideways.
~I enjoyed the fact that drinking gave me the excuse to stop going anywhere. I wanted to drink every night so of course I couldnt go back to school or get another job away from home. This kept me from having to deal with my fear concerning these things..fear of failure.
NOW~I am still nervous about school and finding a fulfilling job but I plow ahead anyway...I have alot of support and I dont just feel fear about my life now, I am excited to try something different.
~I enjoyed the routine.
NOW~ I am making other routines, routines that dont tear apart my life and make me sick.
~I enjoyed the fact that it made me feel more loose so when I met new people I wasnt as scared to be myself.
NOW~ I havent really met any new people since being sober...but I suppose I should have a plan..like picturing them naked or something...lol
~I enjoyed being numb sometimes. I could block out the world..all my problems and pain.
NOW~I deal with stuff as it comes..sober..like an adult (sometimes lol)..and when I wanna check out I watch a movie or I spend time alone going for a walk or I meditate (try anyway).
~ I enjoyed the fact that it calmed my nerves. After the first few I would feel..more content..less anxious..etc
NOW~I actually had a script for anxiety meds but have ran out and havent got it refilled. I dont want to be on anything. I try not to let things build up so they dont overtake me when Im not lookin. Ive been trying to drink non-caffeinated tea as a relaxer.
Im sure there are more but thats all I can think of right now....I hope others share..it would be great to here others experiences....
Ill do the other questions later this week...
Thanks so much for this thread..... :ghug3
Reach Out and Touch Faith
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: On a Sailboat
Posts: 3,871
Thanks for sharing the first part of your CBA with us vividserenity. Looking forward to the input from others when you finish it.
BTW, I am going through my things to try to find my early CBA to share with all of you.
BTW, I am going through my things to try to find my early CBA to share with all of you.
lunarlovelunar
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 674
Question #2
2. What do I hate about my addiction, what does it do to me (give specific examples)?
List as many of the bad, undesirable results of your addiction as you can. Here it is extremely important that you use specific examples. Specific examples have much greater emotional impact and motivational force!
a. Ask yourself honestly "If my addiction was a used car, would I pay this much for it?"
b. Review this list often, especially if you are having a lot of positive, happy thoughts about all the great things your addiction did for you.
List as many of the bad, undesirable results of your addiction as you can. Here it is extremely important that you use specific examples. Specific examples have much greater emotional impact and motivational force!
a. Ask yourself honestly "If my addiction was a used car, would I pay this much for it?"
b. Review this list often, especially if you are having a lot of positive, happy thoughts about all the great things your addiction did for you.
What I hated about my addiction.....What it did to me....
~I became emotionally unavailable for my family
~I would miss or be late for work because I was hung over in the morning
~I gained 75 lbs over 3 years
~I had black out fights with my huzzy, could remember why I started the fight by the time we got to the end of it
~I scared my in laws
~I was preachy to a lot of people about how they should live their lives when I couldnt even manage mine
~I lost my sense of humor
~I was desperate for someone to drink with me everyday so I wouldn't have to do it alone
~I started dry heaving when I would start each evening towards the end
~I stopped helping much around the house, felt guilty
~I would put off spending time with my family because I wanted to be sure to get home so I could drink
~When I would drink more than usual I would wake up in the middle of the night sick to my stomach....cold sweats
~I smoked like a chimney
~I felt sick alot
~I would forget to take my meds alot so my body was all out of wack
~I would drive drunk..putting myself and others in danger (so disgusting)
I could go on and on.....
I have 60 days now and these things are still right there in the front of my mind. Its not hard for me to remember how miserable I was in my addiction.
Resident
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 4,150
I have been tardy posting my homework. 
but here goes.
Advantages drinking Disadvantages drinking
- more social (ST) -hangovers (ST)
- relieves boredom (ST) -wife will kick me out (LT)
-more fun with friends (ST) -will be alone (ST)
-going to bars (ST) -will have less money (LT)
-more conversational (ST) -will be miserable (ST)
Advantages not using Disadvantages not drinking
-better home life (LT) -less friends (LT)
-better health (LT) -might be bored although not so far
-lower blood pressure (LT) thanks to SR
-more respect from SO and kids (LT) -will have less fun (ST)
-more sex (sorry) (LT)
-more money (LT)
If drinking was a used car I would not buy it as it is definitely not worth the price.
but here goes.Advantages drinking Disadvantages drinking
- more social (ST) -hangovers (ST)
- relieves boredom (ST) -wife will kick me out (LT)
-more fun with friends (ST) -will be alone (ST)
-going to bars (ST) -will have less money (LT)
-more conversational (ST) -will be miserable (ST)
Advantages not using Disadvantages not drinking
-better home life (LT) -less friends (LT)
-better health (LT) -might be bored although not so far
-lower blood pressure (LT) thanks to SR
-more respect from SO and kids (LT) -will have less fun (ST)
-more sex (sorry) (LT)
-more money (LT)
If drinking was a used car I would not buy it as it is definitely not worth the price.
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