Understanding Cross Addiction To Prevent Relapse
by Peggy L. Ferguson Ph.D., LADC, LMFT

A simple guide for professional and the general information seeker.
This relapse prevention guide specific to cross addiction issues
covers explanations of the nature of addiction
and cross addiction, examples of how cross addiction
leads to relapse, and includes a worksheet to assist in
relapse prevention.

PDF file format. $9.95

To access the articles, just click on the title of the article. It will open in a separate word document that can be saved to your computer and/or printed off.  All articles are copyrighted.  We welcome you to use them for your own information and to share them with others as long as you cite my authorship, provide website information/link, and do not edit them.

 

Understanding Cross Addiction to Prevent Relapse 

By Peggy L. Ferguson, Ph.D.

Table of Contents

 

Chapter One - Understanding the Nature of Addiction to Understand Cross   Addiction

                        Introduction

                        The Character of Addiction

                        The Nature of Mood Altering Drugs

                        Selection of a Drug of Choice

                        Changing Drugs is Chasing An Illusion of Control

Chapter Two – Cross Addiction and Relapse

                        Cross Addiction Leads to Relapse

                       Cross Addiction as Camouflage

                        Cross Addiction as Mediation of Withdrawal

                        Cross Addiction as Response to Changing Effects of the Chemical

                        Cross Addiction as an Attempt to Take Control of Addiction

                        Cross Addiction As A Step in The Relapse Process

                        Cross Addiction As Multiple Drugs for Different Purposes

                        Cross Tolerance

                        Cross Addiction Sets up Return to Old Drugs of Choice

                        Drug Substitution is Not Recovery

                        Other Caveats

Chapter Three – How to Prevent Cross Addiction Relapse

Chapter Four – Into Action:  Using the Cross Addiction Worksheet to Gain Insight   and Strengthen Your Recovery

The “Cross Addiction Worksheet”

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Addiction Relapse Prevention - Using the Cross Addiction Worksheet to Reduce Odds of Relapse

By Peggy Ferguson, Ph.D.

Many recovering people who begin the process of becoming clean and sober, harbor the notion that they can continue to hang on to some remnants of an old drinking/using lifestyle. They often initially believe that specific drugs are The Problem.  Initially alcoholics/addicts may not consider use of other drugs (including alcohol) as problematic. When the idea of being addicted to all mood altering drugs does come up, the idea is often dismissed as not being applicable. With the help of a little denial and other mechanisms, old "drugs of choice" seem unimportant.  When addicts compare the impact of the most recent drug of choice on their lives with other drug episodes, the other drugs probably pale in comparison.

These comparisons often fail to take into account the impact of "progression of the disease". Progression is the increasingly harmful course that addiction takes over time. Progression typically involves tolerance. Progression of the disease is not only marked by an increase in the use of the chemical, but is marked by a pile-up of negative consequences. These negative consequences tend to get bigger and more frequent. Progression of the disease is summed up succinctly by an old proverb that goes like this: "A man takes a drink. The drink takes a drink. The drink takes the man."  To read the rest of this article follow this link:  Cross Addiction Worksheet

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Cross Addiction -

Chasing the Illusion of Control

By Peggy L. Ferguson, Ph.D.

When transitioning into addiction recovery, one's first efforts involve attempts to interrupt the momentum of the addiction by abstaining from the chemical. Early attempts to quit drinking/using is often hampered not only by a lack of abstinence skills by also by limited awareness of the impact of their drug use on their lives over time. They often do not fully understand the nature of addiction and rudimentary elements crucial to recovery. Many people attempt to halt their addiction by using a "trial and error" process. Addicts, in trying to regain control over their using, often try to make the least amount of change to their lives overall, while eliminating negative consequences.

Many people attempt to regain control of use of drugs before trying to quit altogether.  They try changing their drugs of choice. They may believe that oxycontin is causing major problems in their lives, and that when they were "only" drinking, that life was more manageable. Addicts, whose spouses are threatening to leave them over the last DUI, continuing fights, blackouts, and broken promises, may be motivated to quit drinking, but can easily maintain the defense that their cannabis smoking has not caused these negative consequences. The spouse may even believe it. To read the rest of this article, follow this link:  Cross Addiction -Chasing The Illusion of Control

 

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Examples of Cross Addiction Relapse

By Peggy Ferguson, Ph.D.

Cross addiction is one of the leading causes of relapse in early recovery. Essentially what cross-addiction means, is that if you are alcoholic or addicted to other mood altering drugs, you a potentially addicted to all mood altering drugs.  

The following are illustrations of cross addiction.    

1. Some people become cross-addicted in their efforts to camouflage their addiction. Alcoholics may change to a different drug of choice to hide the smell, or the obvious tell-tale signs of consumption.   

2. Cross addiction can occur while trying to "soften" the effects of withdrawal.  This is where you use a different drug to avoid or reduce the symptoms of withdrawal.   

3.   The effects of a drug may change over time and cross addiction can be a response to these changing effects of the drug on his/her body. To read the rest of this article, follow this link: Examples of Cross Addiction Relapse

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Understanding the Nature of Addiction to Understand Cross Addiction 

By Peggy Ferguson, Ph.D.

Early addiction recovery is a fragile thing. One of the most frequent contributing factors in relapse is something we call "cross-addiction". Essentially what cross-addiction means, is that if you are alcoholic or addicted to other mood altering drugs, you a potentially addicted to all mood altering drugs.  

To truly understand cross-addiction, you must appreciate the character of addiction and the nature of mood/mind altering drugs.  

Addiction is a disease. It is frequently described as a primary, chronic, progressive, and relapsing disease.  Research in the last decade tells us that addiction is a brain disease.   To read the rest of this article, follow this link: Understanding the Nature of Addiction to Understand Cross Addiction .

The Cross Addiction Worksheet (This is a brief version of the Cross Addiction Worksheet.  The full version is included in the "Understanding Cross Addiction To Prevent Relapse" Ebook.  

Other addiction articles and information on this site that you might find helpful:

http://www.peggyferguson.com/AddictionArticles.en.html

http://www.peggyferguson.com/FamilyDynamicsofAddictionandRecoveryArticles.en.html

http://www.peggyferguson.com/RecoverySolutionsforFamiliesWithAddictionArticles.en.html

http://www.peggyferguson.com/AddictionRecoveryWorksheets.en.html

http://www.peggyferguson.com/RelationshipsInRecovery.en.html

http://www.peggyferguson.com/GettingHelpArticles.en.html

http://www.peggyferguson.com/SkillsBuildingArticles.en.html

http://www.peggyferguson.com/RecommendedReading.en.html

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