CADC Relapse Prevention and Recovery Support 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is an example of a 'cognitive distortion' that a CADC should address in relapse prevention work?
- A client acknowledging that cravings pass over time
- A client believing that using 'just once' will not lead to loss of control (Correct answer)
- A client recognizing their personal high-risk situations
- A client practicing refusal skills with the counselor
Correct answer: A client believing that using 'just once' will not lead to loss of control
The belief that one can use 'just once' without consequences is a cognitive distortion known as 'apparently irrelevant decisions' or permission-giving thinking that increases relapse risk.
Question 2: A client reports feeling an intense urge to use but has not used. The MOST appropriate immediate coping skill a CADC would teach is:
- Calling their drug dealer to confront the urge
- Urge surfing — observing the craving without acting on it until it passes (Correct answer)
- Increasing the dose of medication to reduce the craving
- Immediately entering an inpatient detox facility
Correct answer: Urge surfing — observing the craving without acting on it until it passes
Urge surfing, a mindfulness-based technique, teaches clients to observe a craving as a wave that rises and falls without needing to act on it, reducing its power over time.
Question 3: Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for alcohol use disorder most commonly includes which FDA-approved medication?
- Methadone
- Naltrexone (Correct answer)
- Buprenorphine
- Clonidine
Correct answer: Naltrexone
Naltrexone (oral or extended-release injectable) is FDA-approved for alcohol use disorder and works by blocking opioid receptors to reduce the rewarding effects of alcohol.
Question 4: A client in recovery discloses attending a party where others were using substances but reports not using. A CADC's MOST appropriate response is to:
- Warn the client that attendance at such events guarantees relapse
- Explore the client's coping strategies used and reinforce their success (Correct answer)
- Discharge the client for violating treatment guidelines
- Immediately refer the client to a higher level of care
Correct answer: Explore the client's coping strategies used and reinforce their success
Reinforcing the client's successful navigation of a high-risk situation builds self-efficacy and strengthens relapse prevention skills without shaming or catastrophizing.
Question 5: Which of the following recovery support services is designed to connect individuals leaving treatment with ongoing community-based support?
- Detoxification services
- Recovery coaching and recovery community organizations (RCOs) (Correct answer)
- Inpatient psychiatric hospitalization
- Outpatient medical management only
Correct answer: Recovery coaching and recovery community organizations (RCOs)
Recovery coaches and RCOs provide peer support, resource navigation, and community connection during the critical transition from treatment to independent living.
Question 6: According to SAMHSA's definition, recovery from substance use disorder is BEST described as:
- Complete abstinence from all substances for life
- A process of change through which individuals improve health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach full potential (Correct answer)
- The absence of all symptoms of a substance use disorder
- Successful completion of a 90-day residential treatment program
Correct answer: A process of change through which individuals improve health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach full potential
SAMHSA defines recovery as a process of change encompassing health, home, purpose, and community — recognizing it as an ongoing, individual journey beyond mere abstinence.
CADC Relapse Prevention and Recovery Support 2
Which of the following is an example of a 'cognitive distortion' that a CADC should address in relapse prevention work?