ABSTINENCE Voluntary refraining from an action or practice such as eating certain foods, drinking alcoholic beverages, and/or using drugs.
ACCEPTANCE To willingly receive, where one stops fighting the addiction/dependency.
ADDICTION A need for any process, substance or drug in order to function normally. It becomes a priority, taking time and attention away from other priorities, and creating harmful consequences.
ADDICTED RELATIONSHIPS Relationships which exist between a “love addict” and any other addict that create intensity (often mistaken for romance or love) and avoid real intimacy.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS Anonymous fellowships which provide gathering places for chemically dependent persons (AA, CA, NA), their families and friends (Al-Anon, Ala-Teen, Nar-Anon), and any individuals in need of a supportive 12-Step based recovery program.
ANOREXIA An eating disorder marked by a pathological fear of weight gain leading to faulty eating patterns, malnutrition and extensive weight loss.
BIG BOOK An affectionate name for the book Alcoholics Anonymous, written in 1939. This book was written by recovering alcoholics and is still recognized as the basic text for AA.
BINGE Uncontrollable overeating, drinking or using over a period of time.
BLACKOUT A chemically-induced amnesia. The person appears to be functioning but will not remember the loss of time.
BODY IMAGE The way we view our physical body.
CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY A chronic, progressive, fatal disease in which the addict/alcoholic loses the capacity to predict when chemical use will stop once he/she starts.
COMPLIANCE When one is cooperating, or conforming during the treatment process.
COMPULSIVITY An irresistible, uncontrolled impulse. A repetitive behavior that may result in negative consequences.
CONFRONTATION I tell you what I see you doing, or how I perceive your emotional state, then describe my perception of your behavior and tell you my feelings about that behavior.
CONTINUING CARE Continuation of the recovery process begun in treatment for the chemically dependent and family. Family members may be involved in a variety of continuing care programs such as Al-Anon, Ala-teen, growth groups, family groups and peer groups. Chemically Dependents may be involved with outpatient treatment, sober living, alumni groups and 12-Step based fellowships.
CONTROLLING Needing to control others’ behaviors in order to feel better about one’s reactions to that person; needing others to act and feel in certain ways in order to avoid facing reality and feeling pain about it.
DEFENSES Specific behaviors used to keep others away, to keep having to feel or from letting others know what we feel. Broad categories: blaming, placating, intellectualizing, avoiding and/or silence.
DENIAL Refusal to recognize some anxiety-provoking event or piece of information.
DETOXIFICATION To free from an intoxicating or addictive substance or from dependence on it.
DRUG ABUSE Pathological use of a prescribed or unprescribed chemical substance.
DRY DRUNK A non-using chemically dependent person’s behavior which seems the same as when the person was using. Sometimes referred to as “in their disease” or “not working the program”.
EATING DISORDER An obsessive-compulsive preoccupation with food and/or weight in which the body image is distorted. Symptoms may include overeating, anorexia, bulimia, or a combination of these conditions.
ENABLING Allowing irresponsible and destructive behavior patterns to continue by taking responsibility for others, not allowing them to face the consequences of their own actions. (also called fixing, placating, ignoring and rescuing).
FEEDBACK Residents give each other feedback when they tell you what they see, feel, hear or relate to, as you do in group therapy. This is done without giving opinions or advice. If you feel a need to respond, the response is simply “Thank You”.
FEELING One word that explains one’s basic emotional states, e.g. mad, glad, sad, angry, hurt, happy, etc. If it takes more than one word, it is a thought or a perception, not a feeling.
GRIEF WORK The process where one deals with the feelings about loss of a relationship, significant other, job, lifestyle, status, etc.
INTERVENTION Carefully planned meeting in which those closest to a chemically dependent person, having recognized signs of the disease, present data about the dependent’s behavior to him, state their concern for his welfare, and encourage the person to seek help.
JUDGMENTAL Forming an evaluation or assessment that is too critical of others, while not looking honestly at your own behaviors.
LEVELING Patient shares accurately to another what they feel.
LOVE ADDICTION A process of obsession and compulsion whereby a person assigns too much time, attention and value above himself to any person he/she is in relationship with, coupled with having unrealistic expectations for unconditional positive regard from that person, to the exclusion of self-care and self-valuing.
OPEN Someone who is willing and able to respond to change, suggestions and direction.
RELAPSE To slip, to fall back into dangerous behavior, to resume using drugs and drinking, a recurrence of an active addiction.
RESENTMENT A feeling or annoyance with someone or something that is unexpressed that will block one’s happiness.
RISK Allowing yourself to share with another honestly and openly.
SABOTAGE To destroy a person’s recovery, healing, treatment process.
SELF WORTH Sensing your own inner value.
SERENITY Having a sense of calmness, clearness, and peacefulness.
SEX ADDICTION Obsessive, compulsive sexual behavior in the face of harmful consequences. These obsessions can take the form of fantasy or overt acting out, performed alone or with others.
SOBER LIVING Residence for those who need daily support as they restructure their lives as chemically-free members of society.
SPIRITUALITY The expression of being in a relationship with a power external to and greater than self, which provides guidance, solace and serenity.
TREATMENT PLAN A guideline based on your personal, clinical issues and needs which specifies services rendered to you and goals to complete while in treatment at Lionrock Recovery .
TRIGGERS Sights, sounds, smells, tastes, colors, etc., which connect with the subconscious and produce a memory or a response one is not aware of.
WHOLENESS Feeling free to be oneself, having high self-worth, taking responsibility for oneself and letting others do the same. A process which begins inside and involves recognizing and developing one’s physical, mental, social, emotional, spiritual and willpower.
