Relapse + Prevention (Week 11)

Question 1

Relapse

Answer 1

• “Falling off the wagon”
• When one returns to a previous undesirable behaviour after a period of implement or recovery.
• NOT an indication of failure.
• Seen as a form of self-medication.

Question 2

Causes of Relapse

Answer 2

• Negative emotional states
• Interpersonal conflict (partner, family, etc).
• Social pressure (peer groups, isolation, etc).
• Poor treatment

Question 3

Relapse Prevention

Answer 3

Any intervention that decreases the likelihood and severity of relapse following treatment.

• Identify and stop unhealthy habits before they become a bigger problem.
• Build awareness and healthy coping skills.
• Creating a healthy lifestyle.

Question 4

Cravings

Answer 4

• A large cause of relapse.
• Subjective experience of wanting to use a drug.
• Belief that the drug will increase mood or decrease negative feelings/withdrawal symptoms.

Question 5

The Craving Cycle

Answer 5

Step 1: Trigger

• An experience triggers a thought or emotion related to the behaviour.

Step 2: Obsessive Thinking

• Mind locks onto the behaviour.

Step 3: Craving

• Emotional and physical craving leads to activation of stress response.
• Becomes very difficult to resist the urge.

Stage 4: Action

• Individual engages in behaviour.

Question 6

Mindfulness

Answer 6

Accepting your current state without judgement.

• Allowing thoughts and feelings to exist without allowing them to drive your behaviour.
• Let your behaviour be driven by what truly matters.

Question 7

Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention

Answer 7

• Develop awareness and acceptance of thoughts, sensations, and emotional states.
• Employs principles of mindfulness mediation.
• Learn to RESPOND, rather than to react.
• Self-compassion.

Question 8

Prevention VS. Treatment

Answer 8

• Prevention is KEY!
• Treatment is hard for everyone involved, expensive, and doesn’t always work.
• Therefore, preventing an addiction from starting is a better object.

Question 9

Primary Prevention

Answer 9

Directed at those who have had little to no personal experience with drugs.

GOAL: prevent drugs use and abuse from starting.

• Broad strategies that will reach individuals BEFORE they develop an addictive behaviour.

Question 10

Secondary Prevention

Answer 10

• Minimize the damage in a population that always has had some experience with drugs.
• Used at an EARLY stage of addiction to intervene before significant issues develop.

GOAL: limit extent of abuse, prevent drugs from spreading to other substances, and stress healthy and responsible lifestyles.

Question 11

Tertiary Prevention

Answer 11

• Aimed at those who are already heavy drug users.
• Used to prevent FURTHER development of addictive behaviour.
• Goal: to MINIMIZE serious health and psychosocial consequences.

Question 12

Universal Prevention

Answer 12

Programs that are designed to preclude the development of drug use and abuse and are delivered to the general population.

• Ex. a national media campaign to discourage tobacco use.

Question 13

Selective Prevention

Answer 13

Prevention programs targeted to individuals of the general population who are thought to be at higher risk of developing dependence due to biological, psychological, social, or environmental factors.

• ex. students doing poorly in school

Question 14

Indicated Prevention

Answer 14

Prevention programs for individuals who show early danger signs of abuse but have not yet been diagnosed with drug addiction.

• ex. children who start drinking alcohol at a young age.