Chapter 3. Summary of risks

Identifying the reasons why you drink, use drugs or gamble can be a powerful tool for understanding the motivations behind these behaviors. By identifying and summarizing the reasons why you use drugs or gamble, you can gain a deeper understanding of the underlying factors that contribute to your addiction.

To get a comprehensive overview, it may be helpful to go back to the tasks from Part 1 of treatment. Consider the pros and cons of your substance use or gambling habits, as well as the situations, thoughts, feelings and behaviors that often trigger these behaviors.

In addition to these tasks, it may be helpful to examine the functions that substance use or gambling serve in your life. For example, you may use alcohol to deal with stress or anxiety, or gamble to escape feelings of boredom or loneliness.

Once you have identified the reasons for your substance use or gambling, you can begin to develop alternative strategies to address these underlying issues. This may include seeking professional help, building a support network of friends and family, and finding healthy ways to manage stress and emotions.


Ultimately, identifying the reasons for your addiction can help you take control of your behavior and get on the road to a healthier, more fulfilling life.

Here are some additional tips for identifying the reasons for your addiction:
   

• Be honest with yourself about your motivations for substance use or gambling.

• Examine the functions that substance use or gambling serve in your life.
     
• Seek professional help if you find it difficult to deal with your addiction on your own.
   
• Build a support network of friends and family.
     
• Find healthy ways to manage stress and emotions.
  

Recovery from addiction is possible. By working hard and committing to your recovery, you can live a healthier, more fulfilling life.

Risky situations

• What events or situations can make you want to take drugs, drink or gamble?

When my money arrived.

When im alone.

Risky thoughts

• What do you think about when you feel the urge to use or gamble?

1 time can do no harm.

Nobody is bothered by it.

Risky feelings

• What feeling or mood do you often have when you feel the urge to use or gamble? Are you tense or relaxed? Angry, frightened, sad or happy?

Good mood.

Satisfied with myself.

Lonely.

Risky behaviour

• What do you do that causes you to start or continue using or gambling?

Worrying.

Doing nothing.

Using the computer.

Im staying at home.

We know globally when, from what and why I feel the urge to use a substance.

And what happens before you make the decision to use or gamble? You could work on using less or gambling less. Or even stop.

Drinking, using or gambling seems to happen automatically, your body and brain seem to be programmed to do it. Sometimes it feels like you don't have a choice. That's how addiction works.

The old behaviour can be a trap for a long time. You have to learn to make a choice instead of reacting the way you are used to.

Now that you know how it works, it seems that using or gambling doesn't happen by itself. It's an automatic way that you have to be more aware of. You make more choices to do it differently. Making different choices and learning new habits. Learning a new habit takes time, energy and lots of practice.

There will be ups and downs. That's part of it.

You can compare it to a road. With addiction, it's a kind of highway to the reward centre of the brain. This is the highway of drugs, alcohol and gambling. If you want to learn a new habit, you have to get off this highway. Try a different route. Be careful, the highway of addiction is tempting, stay alert!