RECOVERY BOUND CHECKLIST

Recovery Bound

__ Honest, realistic about self and problems
__Socializes with others
__Listens, accepts input from others
__Asks for help, accepts help from others
__Positive attitudes
__Focusing on personal recovery
__Trusting, sharing with others
__Harmonious relationships
__Turns will over to higher power
__Stable lifestyle
__Takes full responsibility for own behavior
__Appears, warm, friendly, caring about others
__Attends plenty of 12-Step group meetings
__Has close working relationship with sponsor
__Reasonable expectations of self and others
__Shares thoughts and feelings openly
__Considerate, displays humility
__Has an attitude of gratitude for blessings of life
__ Acts mature
__Actively working with 12 Steps of recovery or other self-help program
__Fully accepts need for abstinence
__Understands-accepts disease concept of addiction
__Open and sharing about recovery process
__Openly shares about personal addiction experience
__Appears peaceful, comfortable with self
__Takes personal responsibility for solutions
__Acts cheerful, outgoing
__Actively helpful and supportive of others
__Discuss spiritual aspects of recovery

Relapse Bound

__Minimizing and distorting circumstances
__Isolated, avoids others
__Will not ask for help
__Negative attitudes
__Too many concerns outside of recovery
__Suspicious, distrustful
__Conflicts with others
__Depends on personal willpower
__Unstable lifestyle
__Blaming, resentful, feels “victimized”
__Appears hostile
__Not attending 12 Step or other group meetings
__Has no sponsor
__Pities self, focuses on what is missing
__Acts immature
__Not working on the 12 Steps of recovery
__Does not accept the need for abstinence
__Rejects reality of associated health and personal risks
__Hides, unwilling to discuss recovery
__Appears angry, agitated
__Looks for “magic solutions” to problems
__Acts depressed, withdrawn
__Unwilling to be helpful, supportive
__No evidence of spiritual growth
__Returns to old relationships associated with substance use
__Returns to old substance using environment
__Beginning to think “just using once will not be a problem”
__Lack of self-care
__Quits practicing newly learned skills

Recovery Tools

  • Reading The Big Book and/or The Basic Text of NA.
  • Reading daily devotions – either once in the morning or morning and at night.
  • Doing recovery-related homework (worksheets)
  • Doing NA 12 Step worksheets.
  • Doing daily and weekly scheduling (keeping busy).
  • Attending AA/NA/CR meetings (3-5x a week).
  • Calling into an AA/NA meeting, either a live call or a recorded meeting. Journal afterwards).
  • Going to church (consider going twice a week - Sat & Sun or on a Wed and a Sun).
  • Attending a Bible Study (even 2 a week if needed).
  • Read the Bible (consider getting the Life Recovery Bible or the Celebrate Recovery Bible).
  • Volunteer work (like at church or a soup kitchen).
  • Read other people’s testimonies of getting clean and/or sober.
  • Reading positive affirmations.
  • Seeing your counselor on a regular basis.
  • Attending treatment groups.
  • Exercising.
  • Being around positive people.
  • Journaling.
  • Gratitude journal (focuses on the positives).
  • Diary journal (writing important things down).
  • “Dumping journal” (writing whatever comes to mind).
  • Spiritual/faith journal (writing about one’s faith, writing prayers).
  • Health journal (writing about how to improve health, eating, what you ate, etc.).
  • Recovery journal (writing about all aspects of your recovery, what’s working, not working, etc.)
  • Meal planning.
  • Praying (can be writing in a prayer journal, reading prayer books, spontaneous, or using ACTS).
  • A = Adoration (adoring/praising God), C = Confession, T = Thanksgiving, S = Supplication (praying for your needs)
  • Meditation (breathing exercises, the mind-body scan).
  • Drawing and/or painting/coloring (this is a form of relaxation and a way of expressing feelings).
  • Develop a support network (counselor, dr, family members, non-using friends, sponsors, NA members, neighbors, etc.).
  • Regular night sleep (going to bed at the same time at night).
  • Vocational training or computer training through Goodwill or the St. Vincent de Paul.
  • Study about addiction (all aspects in how it affects you emotionally, psychologically, socially, etc.).
  • Furthering your education (working on your GED or possible college courses at BCCC).
  • Re-read your group handouts.