In this exercise you will evaluate how well you learned the
skills needed to recognize and manage your denial. Learning to identify and manage your denial is not easy, but
it is a necessary first step in learning how to recover from serious alcohol and
drug problems. Learning to manage
your denial will require hard work and a willingness to use each exercise in
this workbook as a tool for self-examination and self-change.
It will also require you to apply the skills while looking at the
problems that forced you into treatment, examining your life and addiction
history, and evaluating the addiction symptoms that you have experienced. You
can recover. Learning how
to manage your denial will help.
The ultimate test of whether you have benefited from this
training will be your ability to identify and stop your denial and start
identifying and solving your problems. This
evaluation will help you to identify your areas of strength and weakness so you
will be able to improve your overall skill at managing your denial.
I’m going to ask you a series of questions to help you to
evaluate your level of skill before completing these exercises and your current
level of skill after completing these exercises.
1.
What did you want from completing these exercises?
2.
Did you get what you wanted? Please
explain your answer:
3.
What are the most important things that you learned about yourself by
completing this workbook?
4.
What will you do differently as a result of completing this workbook?
5.
The following questions will help you to rate your skills at managing
denial.
Skill
#1:
Understanding Denial As A Part Of The Human Condition:
I am able to explain why denial is a normal part of the human condition <DMC
Exercise #1>
Skill
#2:
Understanding The Principles Of Denial Management:
I am able to explain the basic principles of denial management
<DMC Exercise #2>
Skill
#3:
Recognizing Your Denial: I know the denial patterns that I tend
use most frequently and can recognize when these denial patterns get turned on.
<DMC Exercise #3>
Skill
#4:
Managing Your Denial: I
can stop my denial quickly when it occurs and focus on identifying and solving
my problems.
<DMC Exercise #4>
Skill
#5:
Stopping Denial As You Think About
Your Problems: I can stop
using denial as I think about the problems that caused me to get help, how those
problems are related to alcohol and other drug use, and what will probably
happen if I keep using alcohol or other drugs.
<DMC Exercise #5>
Skill
#6:
Stopping Denial As You Think About Your Life History: I can stop
using denial as I think my history of significant life events and how my use of
alcohol or other drugs is related to those events.
Skill
#7:
Stopping Denial As You Think About Your Addiction Symptoms:
I am able to stop denial as I review the symptoms of addiction
that apply to me.
<DMC Exercise #7>
Skill
#8:
Stopping Denial As You Decide What To Do Next:
I can stop using denial as I think about what I need to do next
to deal with my alcohol and drug problems.
<DMC Exercise #8>
Skill
#9: Overall Skill At Managing High Risk Situations:
How would you
rate the changes in your overall ability to recognize and stop denial quickly
and refocusing upon identifying and solving your problems?
Why did you rate your changes in skill levels this way?