Place an “X” in front of the signs and symptoms of relapse you have experienced in the past and/or imagine what will be red flags in your own recovery.
PHASE 1 DENIAL
_______ “I don’t know if I can make it.”
_______ “No big deal, I’m just fine.”
_______ “What if I have a slip?
PHASE 2 AVOIDANCE
_______ “I’ll never use again.”
_______ “As long as I stay clean, that’s all that matters.”
_______ “ I don’t need meeting anymore.”
_______ “I’m doing great, why can’t other people get it together?”
_______ “I don’t feel like talking about my problems.”
_______ “I don’t need anymore help.”
_______ “I don’t need to call or be in touch with AA/NA people as much.”
PHASE 3 CRISIS BUILDING
_______ “It’s OK if I miss a meeting or two.”
_______ “If this doesn’t work out, I don’t know what I’ll do.”
_______ “Life is a drag.”
_______ “There's are no alternatives left.”
_______ “If things could only be the way I want them to be, life would be great.”
_______ “Reality sucks!”
PHASE 4 STUCK
_______ “If only.....”
_______ “The program isn’t working.”
_______ “Life is all messed up.”
_______ “It will never get any better.”
_______ “I think God or somebody ought to do something about this situation.”
PHASE 5 CONFUSION AND OVERREACTION
_______ “I’m confused.”
_______ “It’s not my fault.”
_______ “This pisses me off.”
_______ “You’re screwing everything up!”
PHASE 6 DEPRESSION
_______ “Who cares?”
_______ “So what.”
_______ “It doesn’t matter.”
_______ “No big deal if I’m not eating or sleeping right.”
PHASE 7 LOSS OF CONTROL OVER BEHAVIOR
_______ “I can skip a meeting tonight.”
_______ “I don’t care.”
_______ “Don’t help me.”
_______ “I can’t get it together.”
PHASE 8 RECOGNIZE LOSS OF CONTROL
_______ Self- Pity
_______ Fantasize about using
_______ Lying
_______ Lose self-confidence
PHASE 9 NO WAY OUT
_______ Anger
_______ Stop meetings completely
_______ Loneliness
_______ Frustration
_______ Resentment
_______ Start hanging out with people who use drugs
PHASE 10 LOSE CONTROL
_______ School, family, relationships, car, home job, etc ....... fall apart
_______ Use drugs
_______ Suicide
_______ Death “natural cause”
reprinted with permission from the North Carolina PRN CLIENT NEWSLETTER