Porter-Starke Addictions Councilor, Leo Smith, conducted a seminar yesterday on relapse in the recovery process.
Leo Smith tells us the first thing necessary to prevent relapse.
“It’s all about self awareness,” replied Smith. “It’s about understanding what my stresses are, what my tension level is and it’s about understanding what my triggers are. We use the word triggers a lot. Triggers are what cues my brain to say that I’d like to drink today or smoke a joint. What are some of the triggers that set us up to do that and what are some of the external things that go on? What are my surroundings? What positions do I put myself into?’
Smith was asked why some people can handle alcohol and some can’t.
“That’s the million dollar question. If I had that answer I’d quit playing the Powerball because I’d be a very rich man. It comes down to genetic and brain makeup. We don’t have the gene or the DNA to tell how it’s going to happen, but what we do know is that there’s just a percentage of people that once they take the drink, or take the drug, they can not predict what their behavior is going to be, what the outcome is going to be, or what the amount is going to be. That’s where the difficulty lies. It’s not ‘How did I get it?’ when we’re talking about addiction. It’s more like, ‘I’ve got it, now what do I do?'”
If you are suffering from alcohol or drug addiction, Leo Smith invites you to avail yourself of the services at Porter-Starke Services. Call 772-4040 for more information or an appointment.
