Chapter 12

What makes something high risk? The definition of high risk is "likely to result in failure, harm, or injury." This chapter will be using the resources given to me in residential to bring attention to things that are high risk. 1. High risk people, places, or things: You may have people, places, or things in your life that remind you of your old behaviors or that tempt you in other ways. Even if you care about these people, places, or things, they can pose a risk if you are not prepared to handle the risk or temptation. 2. High risk thinking: Risky thoughts and attitudes can start a path toward relapse. Be careful if you notice yourself blaming others, thinking you're better than others, or making excuses for your behavior. These can be clues you're headed toward relapse. 3. High risk feelings: Everyone experiences a range of emotions, some pleasant, some uncomfortable. Feelings that can put you at risk for relapse can be anywhere in this range. Watch out for feelings that put you at risk for going back to old behaviors. 4. Lack of support: Recovery and behavior change don't happen in isolation. As you continue your efforts toward changing problem behaviors, you will likely find that the support of other people in your life will increase your opportunities for success. And finally 5. Unstructured free time: Having unstructured free time can lead to feelings of boredom. When you experience boredom, you may be more likely to make choices that lead you back to the behaviors you have worked to change. The next chapter will be another vent chapter/a chapter for anyone who has been through what I'm going to talk about or something similar to discuss it with me or others and how to deal with it in the comments.Thank you for reading My Journey Through Mental Health, Going Through it Together. Please remember to collect and comment on or review this book.