Forgetting how bad it got Waiting to take recovery seriously “I function better when I use” Isolating instead of talking “This is the last time” Hiding use from loved ones Comparing myself to others in treatment Using because I’m bored Choosing people who enable me Avoiding asking for help Telling myself I’ll deal with it later Thinking I’m protecting others from the truth Using because I feel lonely Planning to use but telling myself I’ll stop early Half- listening in group “I need this to get through the day” Avoiding feelings instead of coping with them “I’m not as bad as other people here” Pushing feelings down “It’s just how I am” Skipping group or arriving late Thinking I can control it this time Thinking I already know this stuff Using because I earned it Ignoring warning signs Doing homework “in my head” Telling myself they wouldn’t understand Using after a “good week” Minimizing past consequences Using to sleep Assuming consequences won’t happen again Telling myself “nothing bad happened last time” Not being honest with staff Thinking feelings will pass on their own Cutting people off instead of setting boundaries Lying to avoid conflict Telling myself I don’t need this level of care Blaming stress, people, or circumstances Using to manage anxiety or depression “I’ll start recovery after ___” Using “just to take the edge off” Forgetting how bad it got Waiting to take recovery seriously “I function better when I use” Isolating instead of talking “This is the last time” Hiding use from loved ones Comparing myself to others in treatment Using because I’m bored Choosing people who enable me Avoiding asking for help Telling myself I’ll deal with it later Thinking I’m protecting others from the truth Using because I feel lonely Planning to use but telling myself I’ll stop early Half- listening in group “I need this to get through the day” Avoiding feelings instead of coping with them “I’m not as bad as other people here” Pushing feelings down “It’s just how I am” Skipping group or arriving late Thinking I can control it this time Thinking I already know this stuff Using because I earned it Ignoring warning signs Doing homework “in my head” Telling myself they wouldn’t understand Using after a “good week” Minimizing past consequences Using to sleep Assuming consequences won’t happen again Telling myself “nothing bad happened last time” Not being honest with staff Thinking feelings will pass on their own Cutting people off instead of setting boundaries Lying to avoid conflict Telling myself I don’t need this level of care Blaming stress, people, or circumstances Using to manage anxiety or depression “I’ll start recovery after ___” Using “just to take the edge off”
(Print)
Forgetting how bad it got
Waiting to take recovery seriously
“I function better when I use”
Isolating instead of talking
“This is the last time”
Hiding use from loved ones
Comparing myself to others in treatment
Using because I’m bored
Choosing people who enable me
Avoiding asking for help
Telling myself I’ll deal with it later
Thinking I’m protecting others from the truth
Using because I feel lonely
Planning to use but telling myself I’ll stop early
Half-listening in group
“I need this to get through the day”
Avoiding feelings instead of coping with them
“I’m not as bad as other people here”
Pushing feelings down
“It’s just how I am”
Skipping group or arriving late
Thinking I can control it this time
Thinking I already know this stuff
Using because I earned it
Ignoring warning signs
Doing homework “in my head”
Telling myself they wouldn’t understand
Using after a “good week”
Minimizing past consequences
Using to sleep
Assuming consequences won’t happen again
Telling myself “nothing bad happened last time”
Not being honest with staff
Thinking feelings will pass on their own
Cutting people off instead of setting boundaries
Lying to avoid conflict
Telling myself I don’t need this level of care
Blaming stress, people, or circumstances
Using to manage anxiety or depression
“I’ll start recovery after ___”
Using “just to take the edge off”
