Helpful hints to use the Simple
Relapse Prevention workbook for other Addictions.
Beating any addiction requires a person make a choice and decision that they will stand by no matter what it cost or how difficult it may be. No way out, No back doors, No acceptable reason for returning to the addiction No matter what. Not even death, divorce, grief or injury.
Please do not let the simplicity of “The Simple Relapse Prevention Workbook” disenchant you. Its Simplicity allows versatility. It can be used in what ever creative manner is needed to succeed.
FOR EXAMPLE:
Using “The Simple Relapse Prevention Workbook” to maintain recovery from Nicotine dependence. Addiction to Nicotine is re-enforced multiple times each day. A smoker re-enforces the addiction approximately every eight seconds for the duration of time required to smoke a single cigarette or cigar; multiply that by the number of times they light one through out the day. You could be re-enforcing the addiction hundreds and thousands of times a day.
A strong recovery approach to this could focus on re-enforcing and strengthening Your recovery just as often as we used to re-enforce the addiction those hundred or a thousand times a day. This can be done with simple refusal skills like “Not right now, maybe later” and then don’t use. When later comes do it again. You could tell yourself this in many ways. One of my favorite’s is no thanks I’ve had enough already. The smoker has been re-enforcing the addiction for many years. Nicotine dependence is often just as difficult to quit as heroin addiction.
I don’t know how some people just put them down and walk away, but some do. They also run a risk of relapse because it is easy to think I quit once without any trouble, I can quit anytime I want to. This irrational belief makes it to easy to use again. The next attempt to stop make take a lot more work.
What about Nicotine patches and gums? Keep in mind that we do not offer alcoholics, meth, cocaine, or heroin addicts a transdermal patch to taper off with. Sure we use other things to cut cravings, they are medications not the drug. They are generally only used very early in recovery as the addict stops the use of the drug, but the majority of withdrawals are over within a week all except some pharmaceuticals. When was the last time you heard of someone dying because of the actual biological and physical effects of nicotine withdrawal? They are Rare and generally are more associated with the anxiety and self destructive behaviors and choices.
Patches and gums do make sense if the person is having sever anxiety or physical problems due to the biological withdrawal. Use of anti depressants and anti anxiety medications when deemed medically appropriate to manage stress, anxiety and depression do have their place . If you are having trouble see your doctor and then taper off the medications with the doctors help as soon as you can maintain your recovery without them . Do not become reliant or dependent on them.
Sooner or later you will have to figure out how to do life on life’s terms with all the emotional baggage and stay drug free.
The human body is primarily over the biological withdrawal symptoms from nicotine in the first week. At three days of total abstinence the lungs actually start to loose the gray tones and start taking on the pinkish color associated with good blood flow, oxygen exchange and circulation.
The remainder of the symptoms tend to be more emotional, stress, tension, anxiety, habit or psychological in nature. This is a result of learning to do life without our drug of choice. It is to be expected and dealt with in a positive fashion without ever using.
If you relapse, get honest and stop using no excuses , it is what it is. The good news is, a little anxiety will not kill you, you are going to live. Don’t use (smoke, dip, chew). Do practice relapse prevention.
