CRSS - Certified Recovery Support Specialist Relapse Prevention and Recovery Maintenance Questions and Answers Flashcards

In relapse prevention, what is a 'trigger'?

Answer: A person, place, thing, or emotion that increases the urge to use substances

Triggers are internal or external cues that activate cravings or urges to use substances, and identifying them is a key step in relapse prevention planning.

According to the Gorski-CENAPS Relapse Prevention model, relapse is best understood as:

Answer: A process with warning signs that begin long before substance use resumes

Gorski's model identifies relapse as a progressive process with identifiable warning signs that precede the return to use.

What is the primary purpose of a Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP)?

Answer: To give clients a self-designed plan for maintaining wellness and managing crises

WRAP is a self-directed planning tool developed by Mary Ellen Copeland that helps individuals identify wellness tools, warning signs, and crisis plans.

Which of the following is an example of a healthy coping skill for managing cravings?

Answer: Calling a supportive peer or sponsor

Reaching out to a peer or sponsor provides social support and accountability, which is an evidence-based coping strategy for managing cravings.

A 'lapse' differs from a 'relapse' in that a lapse is:

Answer: A brief, isolated return to substance use without full return to prior use patterns

A lapse is a temporary slip that does not necessarily lead to a full relapse, and how the individual responds to it is critical for recovery continuation.

What is the 'abstinence violation effect' (AVE)?

Answer: The guilt, shame, and hopelessness felt after a lapse that can escalate substance use

AVE describes the cognitive-emotional reaction to a lapse — feeling like a failure — which can become a self-fulfilling prophecy if not addressed.