High-Risk Situations in Recovery from Addiction
High-risk situations are those times that involve the people, places, and things that trigger an individuals craving for alcohol or drugs. The counselor discusses situational triggers with the person and helps the person to avoid these if possible or learn to cope by developing the alternative responses necessary to deal with these situations without “using”. This is a review of what the person has learned about people, places, and things in general with an emphasis on the actual situations that occur in the person’s own life and trigger a craving for the drug. Learning how to avoid these times or to develop alternative responses to whatever triggers the desire for the drug is central to recovery from addiction and bears regular repeating.
The counselor reviews with the person actual and potential “high-risk” situations that might occur and what can be done to avoid them. Examples of high-risk situations are being offered drugs, being around a drug-using friend, or attending a social function where drugs are available. The counselor will rehearse with the person alternative responses to exposure to these situations. Identifying such situations well in advance and rehearsing how one could deal with such exposure will provide a better chance of avoiding a relapse from such exposure.
After the person identifies his or her particular high-risk situations, the counselor will work together to develop strategies for avoiding these situations. Other potential high-risk situations also will be considered. The counselor will offer reasonable alternative responses to unavoidable high-risk situations, such as calling a friend or talking to a family member. The person should be encouraged to use the support of drug-free or recovering friends, family members, and AA and NA acquaintances.
We at Vince Carter Sanctuary are strong advocates of this process in addiction recovery. As an adjunct to this therapy, we utilize state of the art addiction treatment interventions such as Virtual Reality. Give us a try…..we are able to help.
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