ASSISTED RECOVERY’S

PSYCHOSOCIAL

TOOLBOX

CBT / REBT

• Assisted Recovery utilizes many of the tools of modern Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT or REBT) to address the Psychological and Social components of Alcohol Dependence.

CBT / REBT

• These tools are designed to help individuals to help themselves in their Recovery, and must be learned in advance so that they are ready for use when the urge to drink arises. (No, Naltrexone will not prevent ANYONE from thinking about drinking.)

CBT / REBT

THEY INCLUDE:

1.) Enhancing motivation to quit drinking, and to remain abstinent.

Risks/Rewards Analysis (Costs/Benefits of Drinking/Quitting).

CBT / REBT

THEY INCLUDE:

1.) Enhancing motivation to quit drinking, and to remain abstinent.

Setting SMART* goals and working towards achieving them.

(*Sensible, Measurable, Achievable, Reasonable, and Timed)

CBT / REBT

THEY INCLUDE:

2.) Learning how to refuse to act on urges to use when they arise.

Understanding triggers and where they come from. (Urge log)

CBT / REBT

THEY INCLUDE:

2.) Learning how to refuse to act on urges to use when they arise.

Rehearsing slippery social situations (role playing).

CBT / REBT

THEY INCLUDE:

3.) Managing life's problems in a sensible and effective way.

Using the A-B-C’s to identify your Irrational Beliefs.

CBT / REBT

THEY INCLUDE:

3.) Managing life's problems in a sensible and effective way.

Unconditional Self-Acceptance and Other-Acceptance.

CBT / REBT

THEY INCLUDE:

(and) 4.) Developing a positive, balanced and healthy lifestyle.

Importance of Exercise and Nutrition in Recovery.

CBT / REBT

THEY INCLUDE:

(and) 4.) Developing a positive, balanced and healthy lifestyle.

Replacing destructive habits with constructive habits.

(And avoiding replacing one bad habit with another bad habit.)

COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS

BENEFITS/REWARDS OF DRINKING:

• Quick and easy way to relieve stress.

• Feel more relaxed in a social situation.

• Like the taste, like the “buzz”.

• Helps me to forget about my problems.

• Loss of inhibitions, more courage.

• Etc.

COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS

COSTS/RISKS OF DRINKING:

• Trouble with the law, DUI’s etc.

• Loss of jobs, employment problems.

• Relationship problems, loss of trust.

• Damage to health, improper nutrition

• Loss of ambition, and self-respect.

• Etc.

COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS

REWARDS/BENEFITS OF QUITTING:

• Better health.

• More money in the pocket.

• Better self-control.

• No more fear of Police, & Judges.

• Peace of mind, optomism.

• Etc.

COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS

RISKS/REWARDS OF QUITTING:

• Loss of friendships.

• Having to face reality.

• People will think I can’t handle it.

• Lose “my best friend” - alcohol.

• What if I fail? I’ll be worse off than before.

• Etc.

COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS

The advantage to writing it down on a single sheet of paper, is that most people can quickly and clearly see, that in spite of the fact that there are some benefits to drinking, it clearly does not justify all the costs and risks that are involved.

GOAL SETTING

Setting and working towards achieving goals is the single most important thing a person in early recovery can do. Not only does it keep them moving in a positive direction towards finding true happiness in life, but it’s also provides the answer to the question:

“OK, I’m sober. Now what?”

GOAL SETTING

SOME CATEGORIES FOR GOALS:

• Health & Nutrition

• Family & Social Relationships

• Career & Financial

• Public Service

• Education

• Pleasure - Learning how to have fun.

DEALING WITH URGES

• Understanding triggers, where they come from and how to deal with them. How to use an Urge Log to identify triggers, and how to learn from it.

• “You can’t stop a bird from pooping on your head, but you don’t have to let it build it’s nest in your hair.”

DOING THE ABC’S

• Activating Event: What happened?

• Beliefs about A: What you thought about it.

• Consequences of B: How you feel after B.

• Dispute any irrational beliefs at B.

• Effective new thinking resulting from D.

• New Feelings resulting from E.

• Goals - How would you handle it in future?

RELAPSE PREVENTION

• Most of the work we do is aimed at preventing a lapse (that first drink, or a brief slip.) But just in case one does happen, we help the client to prepare a personalized Relapse Prevention Plan. This is what you do if when wake up the morning after a slip, in order to prevent a lapse from turning into a full-blown relapse.

HAVE MORE FUN

• Much of what we do at Assisted Recovery is aimed at teaching clients that life without alcohol doesn’t have to be boring. Encouraging people to get out and have fun, sober, is one of the best ways if ensuring happiness and long-term sobriety.

NO STEPS?

• Every client is initially interviewed according to BRENDA guidelines, and an Individualized Treatment Program is developed in a collaborative process between the client and counselor. The Treatment Program is formally reviewed every 90 days, and/or adjusted as necessary.

NO STEPS?

• Although we are NOT a 12-Step-Program, we are most emphatically NOT ANTI-AA. We simply believe that individuals should have a variety of options from which to choose, and found that CBT techniques worked well in combination with Naltrexone. We do not, however, see any reason why Naltrexone use would not be compatible with 12-Step-Programs.

IN CONCLUSION

At Assisted Recovery,

we have found Naltrexone

to be a useful new tool

in the battle against

Alcohol Dependence.

IN CONCLUSION

We look forward to the future,

when new scientific research

and other new medications

will help Treatment Providers

enhance treatment outcomes for

other types of addiction problems.

IN CONCLUSION

In particular,

we’d like to thank

Dr. Joseph Volpicellifor his groundbreaking work

and his generous assistance, which

helped make our program possible.