Activity 2- Creating a positive self-concept

Purpose: In this exercise you can work on creating positive thoughts about yourself. If you find yourself having negative or stigmatized ideas about yourself, you might want to give this activity a try. 

Steps:

1. Negative thought: if you have a negative thought about yourself that you would like to change or get rid of, write it down.

1. • • Because I relapsed, I am weak-willed and can’t do anything right.
2. Neutral statement: try to turn your previous thought into a neutral statement that explains what happened, is specific to the situation, and expresses how you feel. It might be helpful to think about how a friend or a loved one might see you in this situation.
   • • Neutral version: I used heroin again because I lost my job, which is a setback on my recovery journey. I am frustrated that this happened because I was doing so well. I feel helpless and overwhelmed now.
3. Use this opportunity to be compassionate and empathetic towards yourself, appreciating your strengths.
   • • Setbacks are normal, the important thing for me is to get some support and to keep pursuing my goals. I am a strong person for working hard on managing my risk and on my recovery journey, which has helped me get this far. I show a lot of determination and courage in my perseverance through recovery.
4. Now finish with a positive conclusion about yourself that you gained.
   • • I am strong
     • I am determined
     • I don’t give up 

Now try this for yourself, see how many of your negative thoughts you can change or reframe using the table below.