What I learned in Rehab/AA/SMART etc

[believer]

Hi All.

Last spring, I sent myself to Rehab. It was scary at first, but ultimately, a very good experience. It was based on CBT and it helped me stay AF for three months. I relapsed, but mostly because I stopped following what I had learned. This time around, I want to keep reminding myself, and practicing every day. One of the things I am trying to do is learn from the positives that others have discovered ("best practice" as they call it in my business).

I saw one post that I wanted to copy into my journal (it ran something like: I wanted to be social, and I lost my friends; I wanted to be happy, and I ended up sad...) Anyway, I couldn't find it when I looked again. I thought it might be useful to have a thread where we could all come to learn from the good things that others have done.

I realize there is the tool kit, but I thought this one could also include quotes and thoughts etc. Anyway, it would be a repository where (at least I) could find the positives I'm looking for!

Thanks for sharing :thanks:

[believer]

What I learned in Rehab/AA/SMART etc

So...one of the things I learned in Rehab is that there are a number of stages of change. The theory was published in a book called "Changing for Good", and was based on the experiences of people who had changed their own behaviour (usually on their own without "professional" intervention).

The stages of change are:
Pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action and maintenance. Depending on where anyone is along the scale, they need different "tools" to keep them going. This explains why tools seem to work for some of us but not for others (or, at some times in our recovery, and not in others).

(BTW, Anyone at MWO is at least in the contemplation stage, because we are here!)

Also, you can "loop back" to an earlier stage (we would call it relasping, but it is common in all forms of behaviour change). Then you need to go back to the previous tools to move yourself forward again.

I think my book is in storage, (I moved this past summer) so I will buy another one so I can post the various tools for the various stages.

B

[patrice]

What I learned in Rehab/AA/SMART etc

Believer,

I also think in term of stages and it makes sense that different tools are needed for different points along that continuim.
I'd be really interested in hearing more

Thanks
Patrice

[windy]

What I learned in Rehab/AA/SMART etc

Believer, Please share some more. I too am very interested in this. I think I might be at the Action stage still after 100 + days. It seems like we don't talk much about maintenance here at MWO. Is there more that one stage of "Action"?

[Cinders]

What I learned in Rehab/AA/SMART etc

Since so many here are already in the "action" phase, this may be moot, but for those who are still in the contemplation phase, my last rehab, a non-12 Step program, taught us that we need to find something(s) in our lives that is more important than drinking.

Something that gives us a reason to live and stay sober while be happy doing it.

Cindi