Amber HollingsworthRecovery Conversation Simulator, Amber's Recovery Practice Lab · Interactive learning tool trained on Amber methodoloy

Addiction Relapse Damage Control

1 Nov 2023 · 1 min

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0:32

A short advice segment from Amber Hollingsworth on handling a partner’s slip/relapse after about four months of rehab. Amber says the primary role of the partner is "damage control": stay calm, prevent both people from spiraling, reassure the person that this need not be a permanent setback, and immediately resume the existing recovery plan (re-establish contact/contract and continue supports).

Chapters

My husband had a slip after four months of rehab. What is my role, if anything? Your role is to damage control. I have a really good video on this channel. I know it was one of the live videos. It was a slightly longer one about what to do if there's a slip. So what you want to do is you want to not freak out. You want to help that person not freak out. You want to say, listen, you've done really good. This doesn't have to be a setback. So level number one is damage control. It if you freak and you say, oh, my gosh, why would you do this? You're both going to spiral. So you're just going to be cool and you're going to keep working the same plan. You're going to get right back contract.