A Recovery Check-Up: A Handy Self-Assessment Tool

This Recovery Check-Up consists of 25 questions that should be answered on a Scale of 1 to 5, as follows.

1.????Strongly Disagree, 2. Disagree, 3. Neither Agree nor Disagree, 4. Agree, 5. Strongly Agree.

?Question 1. I do my best to minimize my exposure to relapse triggers.

Question 2. I have identified at least three alcohol or drug free activities that engage my interest and fill up my free time.

Question 3. I have discovered friends and associates who support my recovering lifestyle and I spend time with them.

Question 4. I have a strategy or plan for dealing with my alcohol or drug use cravings. This plan includes people I can call for help, places that I can go to for help, and things that I can do to distract myself from thoughts of using.

Question 5. I have identified sources of support that I can access or utilize when I need to. I can name at least three people, places, or things that can be accessed or utilized to help me to remain free from active addiction.

Question 6. I have written down, or can articulate, all of the reasons why I want to remain free from active addiction. I keep my list of reasons handy and remind myself of those reasons on a regular basis.

Question 7. I have learned to celebrate small victories and give myself credit for the progress I have made so far.

Question 8. I am learning how to become comfortable with my new identity as someone who no longer drinks or uses drugs.

Question 9. I am learning how to handle people and subcultures that don’t support my recovery, and I have developed a strategy for managing or avoiding them.

Question 10. I understand that my employment, benefits, housing, relationships, custody of my children, probationary status, visitation rights, and/or personal freedom may be jeopardized, or may even be contingent on my ability to remain free from active addiction. I have learned how to take time to weigh the consequences of using and think things through before giving into my impulses to pick up a drug or a drink.

Question 11. I am becoming a member of my community in a way that affirms my recovery.

Question 12. I understand that my emotional states and my internal dialogue can either support or undermine my recovery efforts. When I feel myself gradually building up to a potential relapse, I reach out for help, rather than isolating myself, bottling up my feelings, or trying to power through my difficulties all on my own.

Question 13. I have established some goals related to improving my financial or living situation, or perhaps I want to complete my education, learn some new vocational skills, or take up a new hobby. I am now taking small achievable, observable, measurable, and realistic steps towards reaching those goals, One Day at a Time.

Question 14. I have identified soothing, pleasurable, or enjoyable activities that I can resort to when I am feeling stressed, emotionally upset, bored, or tempted to use alcohol or drugs.

Question 15. I set positive achievable goals for myself, and have realistic expectations about how long it may take for me to reach those goals.

Question 16. I have identified community based mutual or self-help support groups that seem to offer a viable pathway to recovery. I attend at least one of these groups, at least once a week.

Question 17. I spend leisure time with other people in recovery.

Question 18. I called or visited with someone in recovery at least once this week.

Question 19. I get plenty of rest, and try to eat a balanced diet. I avoid eating too many sugary snacks, and try not to drink too much coffee or drink too many caffeinated beverages.

Question 20. I am physically active, and avoid a sedentary lifestyle.

Question 21. I take time to engage in spiritual practices such as going to a church, a temple, or a mosque, or I practice certain rituals, such as spending time in nature, praying, meditating, or practicing deep breathing, yoga, or relaxation exercises. I take time to calm my spirit, quiet my mind, and create a sense of greater connectedness to God, a Higher Power, or the Universe.

Question 22. I attempt to maintain a balanced lifestyle, and avoid overloading myself with more tasks that I can reasonably accomplish. I leave time in my busy work schedule for family, friends, recreation, and relaxation.

Question 23. I read recovery related literature, or participate in recovery related activities on the internet, when it is difficult for me to get to support group meetings.

Question 24. I try to improve my relationships with those who are close to me, and have a contingency plan in place for dealing with these relationships when I feel that someone close to me is pushing my buttons.

Question 25. I have found a sponsor, or some trusted friends in recovery, that I can rely on for guidance and support.

?Scoring 25 to 75 = Ambivalent About Change, Looking to Identify Areas for Improvement

Scoring 75 to 100 = Room for Growth, Starting to Adopt a Recovery Centered Lifestyle.

Scoring 100 to 125 = On the Right Track, Making a Conscious Effort to Adopt a Recovery Centered Life Style

?Name three areas for improvement, and some steps you can take to improve in those areas.

1.

?

?

2.

?

?

3.

?

Steps towards improvement

?

1.

?

?

2.

?

?

3.