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Addiction Counselor Mock Interview

Question 18 of 30 for our Addiction Counselor Mock Interview

Addiction Counselor was updated by on June 8th, 2017. Learn more here.

Question 18 of 30

What are some major factors that may cause a patient to relapse, and how do you approach preparing clients to cope with or avoid these risk factors?

"Patients who have poor coping mechanisms lack skills necessary to divert themselves from substance abuse and, as a result, often resort back to their addictive behaviors. When I identify a client who appears to have poor coping mechanisms, I immediately begin to introduce measures to help these clients cope. Helping clients identify stressors or triggers that may cause them to relapse is one of the first steps. When clients can identify triggers, we can then address ways for them to learn to cope, such as having a support system to call on when the stress becomes too much."

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How to Answer: What are some major factors that may cause a patient to relapse, and how do you approach preparing clients to cope with or avoid these risk factors?

Advice and answer examples written specifically for an Addiction Counselor job interview.

  • 18. What are some major factors that may cause a patient to relapse, and how do you approach preparing clients to cope with or avoid these risk factors?

      How to Answer

      Being able to identify risk factors associated with addiction is a crucial skill for an addiction counselor. Further, teaching coping mechanisms to at-risk clients is one of the major goals in the plan of care. The interviewer wants to know that you are able to identify risk factors and that you can demonstrate proper education to assist with the prevention of relapse.

      Written by Heather Douglass on December 22nd, 2018

      Entry Level

      "The ease of availability of an addict's preferred substance is often the trigger that leads to consumption of that substance which results in relapse. One way to help prepare a client to cope with the availability is to keep drugs and alcohol out of the patient's home and to discourage fraternization with people who abuse substances."

      Written by Rachelle Enns

      Answer Example

      "Patients who have poor coping mechanisms lack skills necessary to divert themselves from substance abuse and, as a result, often resort back to their addictive behaviors. When I identify a client who appears to have poor coping mechanisms, I immediately begin to introduce measures to help these clients cope. Helping clients identify stressors or triggers that may cause them to relapse is one of the first steps. When clients can identify triggers, we can then address ways for them to learn to cope, such as having a support system to call on when the stress becomes too much."

      Written by Heather Douglass on December 22nd, 2018

      Experienced

      "Feelings like shame, loneliness, guilt or other negative thoughts are common reasons that clients allow themselves to be exposed to drugs or alcohol. It is often an attempt to control those negative feelings. The likelihood of experiencing any of these feelings can push the patient towards relapse state Developing skills that increase mental strength and a positive attitude of the plays an important role in preventing relapse. Because of this, I like to encourage my clients to develop relationships with people who do not have addiction issues so that they can be surrounded by a positive environment which can prevent the patient to fall back in the mind frame of substance abuse."

      Written by Rachelle Enns

      Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback

      Anonymous Answer

      "Stopping going to meetings, hanging around old friends, thinking 'if I have just one it'll be ok' and an overall decrease in their focus on sobriety. Setting up a solid plan for aftercare, preparation for dealing with their triggers before leaving treatment, and returning to their regular lives and have a plan set in place on who they can call for support if they are feeling like using."

      Kristine's Feedback

      Great response! You share a lot of your knowledge here, which will impress and reassure the interviewer you are capable of handling the job. I assisted with wording in places to ensure clarity.
      "Some of the major factors that cause patients to relapse are when they stop going to meetings, hang around old friends, think 'if I have just one it'll be ok,' and focus less on sobriety. It is vital to set up a solid plan for aftercare, including a plan to deal with their triggers. They also need to have a plan set in place for who they can call for support if they are feeling like using."

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