As best you can, fill out the Managing Thoughts sheet at those times when you notice you are feeling depressed, negative, unhappy, bored etc. and when you feel like a drink/other drugs. Write down your thoughts as if you were speaking them out loud. Then go through the steps in managing these thoughts.
Practice Mindful Walking, Mindful Breathing and mindfulness with other routines each day and write these times down on the Activity Log (you may also like to plan ahead when you will practice this exercise).
Practice your 3-minute Breathing Space 3 times each day as planned on your Activity Log.
Try to fill out the Activity Log one day ahead, and plan time for at least 1 pleasant and 1 achievement activity to take place on each day.
As best you can, continue to change your drinking/using over the next week. Try out the “Coping with Cravings” activities to see which ones work best for you. Add any extra activities that help you deal with your cravings.
Finally, have a go at filling out your “Alternative View” form. Remember, you are trying to collect every little bit of proof for your “Alternative, Balanced Belief” (no matter how small you think it is).
You may also like blank copies of the “Core Beliefs” form, the “Testing My Core Beliefs” form, and the “Alternative View” form to use with other sorts of negative thoughts and feelings that come up through the week, either to do with depression or cravings. Just use the example you worked through in today’s session
Remember, these activities will be easier to do, and will take less time to complete, if you take a few minutes each day to do them – rather than wait until the end of the week and try to remember what has gone on.
Remember to check in with the person who is supervising you in this program before you go today.
