Substance Abuse - 4 - Condition & Symptoms

Goal: Find a new way individual can improve mood without addictive substances - abstain from all addictive substances, be more active, do something fun, join a community group with a valued cause, medication/treatment adherence, or have contact with positive people outside of family.

Possible Action Steps

Find out if there is something in particular the individual wants to talk about today. If not, suggest a conversation about improving mood without addictive substances.
Elicit individual's concerns, questions and ideas related to better managing their addiction.
Jointly problem-solve, plan and try one new approach to mitigate troubling health/emotional symptoms or deal with relapse.
Discuss the importance of having fun, having contact with positive people outside of family, relaxing, learning stress management techniques, and acknowledging accomplishments with a small self-reward (that does not include consuming addictive substances).
Work with individual to not feel the need to solve the big problems all at once - break into smaller steps and move forward with "baby steps."
Provide individual with praise for participating in today's health coaching session today and provide an interesting supporting resource.

Possible Action Steps

Find out if there is something in particular that the individual wants to talk about today.
Find out if the individual believes that they can positively influence their mood through certain behaviors. Does an elevated mood make it easier to maintain recovery?
Discuss what happened the last time the individual tried to make a change in a health/mood related behavior. Were they successful? Did they relapse?
Together, make a short list of health/mood related behaviors the individual would like to try to make. Ask him/her to notice connection between new behavior and ease/difficulty maintaining recovery.
What would cause the individual to relapse? How can that be avoided?
Provide individual with praise for participating in today's health coaching session today and provide an interesting supporting resource.

Possible Action Steps

Find out what the individual would like to talk about today. Learn what is bothering them right now.
Discuss why it is often difficult to adhere to the doctor's prescribed medication and/or psychotherapy or exercise/activity schedule.
Have individual identify ways that are likely to throw them off-track in managing desire for addictive substances. Can those things be better avoided?
Discuss relapse as a very real fear and affirm that it happens to everyone. Recovery is always possible after relapse.
Ask individual to identify a few steps they could take to get back to a state of recovery.
Provide individual with praise for participating in today's health coaching session today and provide an interesting supporting resource.

Possible Action Steps

Find out if the individual has any questions for you today.
Find out what addiction treatment plan the individual has been given by their doctor, sponsor or significant other.
With an open mind, discuss complimentary and alternative medical therapies that are of interest to the individual. Find out what alternative treatments they have used or are currently using. Has anything worked to bring about or maintain recovery?
Ask individual to always consult a physician or trusted sponsor before moving forward with any new therapy.
Review the need to call 9-1-1 or the doctor if thoughts of suicide and/or death occur.
Provide individual with praise for participating in today's health coaching session today and provide an interesting supporting resource.