Permission Giving Thoughts: What You Need to Know

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In recovery from an alcohol or drug addiction, there are many things you learn. One of those things is how to prevent a relapse. This encompasses a range of relapse prevention tips. One of those tips is to learn about permission giving thoughts. These are the reasons you tell yourself that you can use drugs or drink again. The way to combat these is through a rebuttal. These are your reasons for not using that specific permission giving thought. Some examples might help you to come up with and rebut your own permission giving thoughts.

I Won’t Get Into Trouble Again

This is one of the most common permission giving thoughts for those who have gotten in trouble with the law when using drugs or drinking. It is important that you rebut this thought. One of the examples for how you can do that is to say, “That’s what I said the last time and I still got into trouble.” Write down the thoughts you have and your rebuttals to them.

Nobody Else Cares if I’m Sober, So Why Should I?

This is another common permission giving thought that many alcoholics and addicts will use in their recovery. In fact, many people who just leave the alcohol or drug rehab center, use this one. That is why so many people relapse early on in their recovery. For one thing, there are certainly others that care whether you are sober or not. The other thing is you need to stay clean and sober for yourself. You are the only one that can control what you do. Remind yourself of this daily.

I’ll Just Have One This Time

Another one of the common permission giving thoughts is saying, “I’ll just have one this time.” Do you find yourself saying that you will just have one hit of that joint or one beer? If so, this is a permission giving thought that you need to rebut. You could say that one leads to two and two leads to more. The more you have, the more chances you have of blacking out or getting high. This isn’t a path you want to go down. Just having one isn’t possible for an addict or alcoholic. It doesn’t matter how long ago you got out of the alcohol or drug rehabilitation center, one isn’t possible.

I Just Need to Relieve My Stress or Pain

Many people who are in recovery will say they need to relieve their stress or pain. The problem is that by using drugs or drinking again, that is only going to be bringing on more stress and pain. It might feel good for the minute, but additional problems are just going to add up from drinking or using drugs again. Don’t let this permission giving thought stay in your head for long. You can rebut it by saying, “There are healthier ways to relieve stress and pain that don’t involve drugs or alcohol.”

These are some of the permission giving thoughts you could use in your recovery. Don’t let them stay for long. If you have relapsed, be sure to contact the alcohol or drug rehab facilities at 888-992-7955 today.

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Esra Ahmed - MS, NCC, LPC, MHSP
Esra Ahmed - MS, NCC, LPC, MHSP

Experienced Clinical Director with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital & health care industry. Skilled in Anger Management, Healthcare, Medicine, EMDR, and Life Transitions. Strong healthcare services professional with a Masters Degree focused in Psychology from The University of Memphis.

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