To prevent a relapse.In order for a relapse to occur, three things must happen: (1) The new ex-smoker must be presented with a potential relapse crisis situation; (2) the relapse crisis situation must trigger an intense cigarette craving craving Psychology A strong desire to consume a particular substance–eg of abuse, or food; craving is a major factor in relapse and/or continued use after withdrawal from a substance of abuse and is both imprecisely defined and difficult to measure. ; (3) the craving must overwhelm the ex-smoker's ability to cope. To avoid relapse, the new ex-smoker must identify every potential relapse crisis situation at the earliest possible moment and must choose an effective coping strategy and put it into action immediately. When faced with a smoking relapse situation, the ex-smoker who does not act quickly is unlikely to be effective in resisting temptation. Situations that increase the chances of failure include those in which the ex-smoker has been eating or drinking; is feeling depressed or angry; takes too long to begin a coping response; or chooses an inadequate response. In addition, high levels of stress or interpersonal conflict, as well as the presence of smokers or smoking paraphernalia PARAPHERNALIA. The name given to all such things as a woman has a right to retain as her own property, after her husband's death; they consist generally of her clothing, jewels, and ornaments suitable to her condition, which she used personally during his life. at social gatherings where there is social pressure to smoke, increase the chance of a relapse. Successful coping responses include both internal responses (things you might think) and active responses (things you might do). Here are some suggested coping responses: * Have something to eat. * Choose a nonalcoholic non·al·co·hol·ic adj. A beverage usually containing less than 0.5 percent alcohol by volume. drink. * Engage in physical exercise. * Take several deep, slow breaths. * Find something to occupy your hands (a puzzle, knitting, a book). * Avoid social gatherings where there will be drinking and smoking. * Talk to a friend about quitting. * Take a hot bath or shower. * Write a letter to someone you love, telling that person about your experience of quitting. * Think about the positive benefits of not smoking (health, pride, etc.). * Think about the negative effects of smoking (disease, death, smelly smell·y adj. smell·i·er, smell·i·est Informal Having a noticeable, usually unpleasant or offensive odor. smelly Adjective [smellier, smelliest clothes, etc.). * Give yourself commands ("Don't do it!" "Stop!" "You will not smoke!"). * Remind yourself how hard it was to quit in the first place. * Tell yourself you really don't want to smoke. * Distract yourself by thinking about other things. * Imagine the immediate harmful effects of smoking (black lungs black lung: see pneumoconiosis. , carbon monoxide carbon monoxide, chemical compound, CO, a colorless, odorless, tasteless, extremely poisonous gas that is less dense than air under ordinary conditions. It is very slightly soluble in water and burns in air with a characteristic blue flame, producing carbon dioxide; in your blood, etc.). * Tell yourself you only need to keep from smoking one day at a time One Day at a Time is a long-running American situation comedy that portrayed a divorced mother, played by Bonnie Franklin, her two teenage daughters (Mackenzie Phillips and Valerie Bertinelli) and their building superintendent (Pat Harrington, Jr.). . * Acknowledge the difficulty of quitting and praise yourself for taking on this challenge. * Imagine yourself a successful ex-smoker, celebrating your first full year without using tobacco. Excerpted from Tom Ferguson Tom Ferguson could refer to:
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