Tell the Truth Early
Give a truthful, timely account of information relevant to an agreement or care need. Choose an appropriate recipient; honesty does not require public disclosure of a whole personal history.
Alpine Groups Learning Center
Focus on a specific agreement, a realistic action, and observable follow-through. Discuss information-sharing and boundaries without demanding surveillance, forgiveness, or trust by a deadline.
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Trust can involve relying on someone for a particular action or kind of information. You can take responsibility, make a realistic agreement, and follow through. The other person decides what reliance or access they are comfortable with; a completed task does not entitle anyone to forgiveness or closeness.
Use a fictional household task. This exercise does not score trustworthiness, decide relationship safety, or require contact with someone.
Simple Explanation
Trust concerns can follow broken agreements, dishonesty, financial harm, or other behavior. A substance use disorder alone does not establish dishonesty. Focus on the actual action, needed repair, and what each person chooses about future reliance. Change can be valuable even if trust or closeness does not return.
Give a truthful, timely account of information relevant to an agreement or care need. Choose an appropriate recipient; honesty does not require public disclosure of a whole personal history.
Choose a specific commitment that fits actual capacity and resources. Review follow-through without assuming it proves reliability in every area.
Listen to impact without minimizing, blaming, or demanding reassurance.
Trust cannot grow when access, forgiveness, or closeness is forced.
Acknowledge what happened, correct it, and explain the prevention plan.
There is no required deadline for trust. Care progress and another person’s choices about closeness or access are separate.
Fictional example: Cam agreed to buy shared household staples on Tuesday, did not do it, and told housemate Jo that the shopping was done. Jo later finds the items missing.
Cam acknowledges both actions: “I did not do the shopping, and I said I had. I am sorry. I can check what is still needed and make a realistic plan with you.” If Jo wants Cam to take another trip, they agree on the list, available resources, timing, and a brief confirmation of what was actually completed. Jo can instead choose another arrangement.
At the agreed review, Cam reports what happened, including any missed item or change, and addresses the actual problem. Jo may become more comfortable relying on that shopping arrangement, remain unsure, or decline to delegate it again. None of those choices requires giving Cam greater access to money, private information, or other responsibilities.
What is being reviewed? The shopping agreement and truthful follow-through, not whether Cam has become a completely different person.
What would be an unhelpful demand? “I did the shopping, so you must trust me with everything now.” One completed action does not settle every concern.
Responsibility for care, shared finances, and binding arrangements may involve specific information or duties. Privacy does not erase those obligations, and an educational worksheet cannot determine them. Seek suitable professional guidance when the arrangement is complex.
A person can acknowledge harm and still have privacy, care, and dignity. Being harmed also does not create permission to threaten, humiliate, or control another person. Information-sharing should have a clear, suitable purpose, with attention to rights and any existing responsibilities.
Trust in one area does not have to mean trust in every area. Someone may be comfortable sharing an activity while keeping financial access or private information separate. Respect contact limits and choices about closeness.
Threats, coercion, stalking, violence, or fear of retaliation need appropriate individual safety support rather than a joint trust exercise. Call 911 for immediate danger or a medical emergency. For persistent distress or conflict affecting daily life, a qualified provider can help assess needs and discuss suitable care.
This optional exercise is unscored. Use Cam and Jo’s fictional example or pass. Avoid names, financial details, passwords, private histories, and actual allegations. The page does not monitor anyone or contact staff. Entries may be lost when you leave or refresh; protect printed or saved copies.
For supporters: discuss a specific agreement and workable updates. Avoid demanding instant confidence, unlimited disclosure, or a perfect record. Ask what practical help makes follow-through possible.
For facilitators: use the grocery example and allow a pass. Ask participants to identify the agreement, relevant update, and review point. Do not rank group members’ trustworthiness or require access to private messages or worksheets.
Current clients can discuss care questions with their team. For non-emergency program information, contact Alpine admissions.
No. Follow-through can be valuable, but another person’s trust, contact, or closeness is not guaranteed. Focus on appropriate responsibility without demanding a particular response.
No. Clarify what information is relevant to an agreement, care, or actual responsibility. Unlimited access to private messages, passwords, worksheets, or location is not a universal trust requirement.
No. Address actual behavior and impact rather than assigning a character judgment from a diagnosis or recovery history.
Give a truthful account to the appropriate person, address the impact, correct misinformation, and review the plan. Consider capacity and resources as well as responsibility.
No. Reliance can be specific. A person may choose one shared activity while keeping other access or responsibilities separate.
There is no required deadline, and trust may not return. A review can check actions without demanding a feeling. Care progress and another person’s choices about access or closeness are separate.
The grocery example and agreement exercise are original educational tools. They do not score trustworthiness, determine safety or legal duties, or replace individualized care.
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