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Metacognitive Training

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  1. Introduction
    Identify your fire
  2. Choose your own adventure
  3. Self-Esteem & Stigma
    Introduction
  4. What are self-esteem and stigma?
  5. Self-esteem, stigma and substance use
  6. Activity 1- Communication tools
  7. Activity 2- Creating a positive self-concept
  8. Activity 3- Focusing on your strengths
  9. Summary
  10. Quiz
  11. Explaining Situations
    Introduction
  12. What are attributions?
  13. Attributional styles and substance use
  14. Activity 1- Balanced explanations Part 1
  15. Activity 2- Balanced explanations Part 2
  16. Activity 3- Practicing explanations
  17. Summary
  18. Quiz
  19. Worrying & Coping
    Introduction
  20. What is rumination?
  21. Worrying and substance use
  22. Activity 1- Observe your thoughts
  23. Activity 2- Postpone rumination
  24. Activity 3- Shift your attention
  25. Activity 4- Sensory grounding
  26. Activity 5- Relaxed breathing
  27. Summary
  28. Quiz
  29. Attention & thinking
    Introduction
  30. Terms are related to thinking and memory
  31. Attention and substance use
  32. Activity 1- Card games
  33. Activity 2
  34. Activity 3- Problem Solving
  35. Summary
  36. Quiz
  37. Relapse
    Introduction
  38. What is relapse?
  39. Cravings, triggers, and relapse
  40. Activity 1- Managing triggers
  41. Activity 2- Alternative strategies
  42. Activity 3- Emergency plan
  43. Activity 4- Learning from each relapse
  44. Summary
  45. Quiz
Metacognitive Training Activity 1- Balanced explanations Part 1
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Lesson 14 of 45
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Activity 1- Balanced explanations Part 1

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Instructions: In this activity, you will practice creating balanced explanations for a negative event. Here is an example of a negative event:   

Joyce is really proud of herself for not using drugs for six months now. Even though she is making great new friends at her support group meetings, she misses her friends that she used to do drugs with. After a particularly stressful day, she gets an invitation to go to a party with her old friends. Joyce knows it might be hard to resist using, but she goes. Sometime that night, she ends up using drugs again. 

Now that you have read the case story: 

  1. Think of the pros and cons of each attributional style (self, others, circumstance) for this negative event. 
  2. Come up with a balanced explanation for this event which includes the self, others, and circumstances. 

Here is how Joyce might complete this exercise:

Explanation 

Pros and Cons 

Balanced Explanation 

1. Explanation = self (It was my fault for using again, I can’t control myself) 

Pros: takes responsibility for own actions 

 

Cons: decreases self-confidence, may give up 

I should have had a better plan in place to not use again, but given the environment and all the people around having fun it was too hard to resist. My friend also should not have asked me to go to that party since they knew I was trying to get clean. 

2. Explanation = Others 

(It was my friend’s fault for asking me to go to that party) 

Pros: self-confidence is maintained, better mood 

 

Cons: doesn’t take responsibility, may be more likely to use again in future 

3. Explanation = Circumstances 

(The party seemed so fun and I saw so many other people doing drugs and drinking) 

Pros: self-confidence maintained, don’t give up hope, better mood 

 

Cons: doesn’t take responsibility, may be more likely to use again in future, may not take steps to avoid similar situations in the future