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RISK-REWARD ANALYSIS
FOR ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS
To drink or not to drink. To use or not to use. What will break the
log-jam of conflicting thoughts? Let's start by getting the pro's and
con's of quitting down on paper. All the things that terrorize us about
stopping are Risks of quitting.
While the Risks of using are the reality of problems that probably have
come up. These two categories involve the more immediate aspects of the
situation.
I couldn't cope without my dope vs What in the hell have I
done now?
Also there must have been Rewards for using or we wouldn't have kept it up
so long. Then to complete the picture there are surely to be Rewards for
quitting. These latter two categories involve the longer perspective.
In SMART RecoveryŽ we want you to act reasonably and responsibly about
your future involvement with intoxicants any bad habit. First there are a
few ground rules to consider. You are a normal human being. You got
started in this by seeking pleasure
or relaxation, and also perhaps to avoid some perceived distress. That was
OK thinking. You are not defective! It's just that certain substances or
behaviors can lose their luster and eventually become a real problem for
some people.
This Risk-Reward Analysis is a powerful instrument that enables you to see
what you are doing to yourself and others, and importantly to give you a
glimpse ahead of yourself after you have won the race. One great effort in
SMART RecoveryŽ is guiding you to balance long-term satisfactions against
short-term satisfactions. Comparing them may help motivate you to change
your life-style and habits.
This exercise is an important stage in the contemplation of quitting. But
it will also have value as you become master over the addiction you are
quitting. There may also be urges to deal with
later and going back to this material will be an anchor for you to refresh
your memory on your reasons for quitting. Picture this diagram:
the Risks of using vs. the Rewards of using
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the Risks of quitting vs. the Rewards of quitting
Anyone can begin with a blank paper and use this form to record and
organize a better understanding of their own personal situation. On the
following pages there are a few examples from having explored this
exercise in group settings. There were many more entries that there is not
space for here. But there will be enough of them to prompt your thinking
and get you started on your own document.
We believe this is where the real work starts, and that you're worth it!
Risks of using
Here's a partial list of what people thought were important.
DUI or multiple DUI's, Trouble with the law,
Problems with employment, Financial difficulties,
Relationship problems, Loss of self-respect and from others,
Health considerations, Loss of ambition,
Fear of the future, Fear of AIDS
Loss of custody of a child or children
Like the others in this series, these are things that people have brought
up in group meetings. This is the area that people are the most aware of.
Perhaps there has been some critical event or
accumulation of circumstances currently that brings these items into a
dramatic focus. You will have some things to highlight or add to this for
your own inventory. Be as honest as you can, you can keep this to
yourself. Although there may be dramatic events presently that compel you
to quit, if you stop there, you only partially deal with the real problem.
Look into the bigger picture and try to truly understand what addiction
is, how you got that way, and be prepared with a strategy when you are
tempted in the future.
A good definition of addiction is the condition of finding yourself
continuing in a behavior when you know it is against your better judgment.
You find that you have been "hooked" so to speak. That's probably why you
let things get to this stage. In SMART RecoveryŽ we are interested first
in having a clear picture of the problem. This page is a very good place
to start!
Risks of Quitting
Once again a partial list that people have expressed.
No more getting stoned, People will think I'm different.
People will think I can't handle it, Won't be able to resist temptation
I'll be on unfamiliar turf, I'll lose my secret best friend
I'll get the shakes (fear of withdrawal) I won't have the "liquid courage"
I'll begin to see my real self I'll have to be a goody-goody
If I fail, I'Il be worse off than before.
I'll have an empty place inside and nothing to fill it
I'll have to stay away from usual friends and contacts
I'll have to face the uncomfortable things that cause me to drink
Can't think of how and where to find anything else better to do.
. . . . Once again highlight and add things to make this personal.
These examples are enough to get an idea of things to think about or worry
about when you consider quitting. It is important to make your list as
fair as you can and face the issues, rather than avoid them. Otherwise
they will come back and bite you in the ass
later. Also remember that many of these fears are based on faulty thinking
that you may have been using to justify your behavior. And some of them
are from your notorious "addictive voice" that wants you to keep using.
(That's something else to learn about.)
Rewards of Using
more things that have been brought up in groups.
Getting stoned, Feeling a rush, feeling a buzz,
Weight management or loss. Social aspect, "let the good times roll"
Like the taste of it. Relaxation
Mask guilt feelings Drowning sorrow
Loss of inhibition Escape from problems, reality, people
And especially . . . .avoiding withdrawal. You have to think about this
one.
It is often the strongest "pull" to go for a drink or a hit! As your
addiction to the substance progresses, once you think of "something" and
sense an urge, it flashes through your mind that not to have it would be
painful. Right?
So note that some of the "rewards" are actually of a reverse nature.
Drowning sorrow or avoiding the discomfort of withdrawal might be thought
of as reasons or excuses to use or drink. But they belong in this group
because when we look into the rewards of quitting next, we will compare
things that are likely to be greatly preferred. We emphasize again that to
seek pleasure and to avoid pain are healthy, normal, even smart things to
do. It is when the use of the substance or behavior takes over your better
judgment, that you need to reassess the pro's and con's of continuing what
has gone from being a habit to becoming a harmful habit.
If you want to end the addiction, there are modern scientific ways to
change your life-style with the least complications and best prospects.
Establishing new alternative rewards is an important objective in SMART
RecoveryŽ. This project is a very graphic step in putting those things in
perspective.
Rewards of quitting are valuable assets and long lasting benefits
Better physical and mental health Custody of child or children
More control over myself No more fear of a DUI
Keep the judge happy Increased self awareness
Peace of mind Better job security
Improved relationships New friends and interest
Feel optimistic Feel self growing up inside
Not feel guilty all the time
Once again these advantages were suggested in a group. Highlight ones that
may apply to you and add any others of your own. They all have to do with
a healthy and positive life-style, which is a major goal here in SMART
RecoveryŽ. How attractive are these things? This is the time to clearly
see the fork in the road. It's what you decide. Can there be any question
in your mind about which list in this series is most desirable for your
life.
If this comparison of pro's and con's helps you see that, it is a useful
and effective promoter of change. Make it yours personally, think about it
privately, see what's best for you, keep it and then believe it, it's what
you really think! Now put it somewhere that you remember. Someday you are
going to be tempted to forget the bad stuff and think about lapsing. This
will remind you about the advantages of long term satisfactions over short
term satisfactions!
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