Identifying risk times

OK, so you've managed to cut down or quit, what next?

First up, CONGRATULATIONS! It's hard to make change and it takes guts to give it a go - be proud of your effort. The main thing now is how to keep it going. It helps to know when you are most likely to slip up and smoke more than you mean to.

Are any of these situations possible danger times for you?

Feeling bored
When I see particular people like
Having spare cash
Going to parties
Feeling really painful emotions like guilt, grief, anger or anxiety
When I start thinking about good times I've had with cannabis in the past
When it's offered to me
When my body hurts for some reason - eg injury or illness
When I want to forget about my problems
When I feel really good
When I think I've made a big mistake and feel bad about it
If I broke up with my partner
If I lost my job
I start getting really stressed about stuff
I start thinking how my tolerance has gone down and how good it might be

What might be other challenging times for you?

 

Be prepared

The Scouts were right about this one. Risk times are heaps easier to cope with if you know how you plan to cope with them. It never hurts to have a Plan B, in case Plan A doesn't work for some reason.

We might know what situations are risky for us, but we often don't know when they will happen. It's hard to think straight when you're in the middle of a high-risk situation – so do the leg work now, while you're feeling more clear headed.

So if you're faced with a risk time, what do you intend to do? The following ideas have been helpful to others in the same situation:

  • Remind yourself why you changed your cannabis use in the first place – the reasons are probably just as relevant now as they were then
  • Leave the situation
  • Talk to someone supportive
  • Plan something relaxing or enjoyable you can do instead of smoking
  • Remind yourself it's not your "last chance to smoke" – there'll be other opportunities if you really want it at some later time
  • Think of what helped with cravings in the past – chances are, whatever worked then will help now, too.

What else could you think of trying?

 

Coping with a relapse

So you ended up smoking more than you meant to. Don't worry, it's not the end of the world. Plenty of people have a few slip-ups on their way to cutting down or quitting for good. What helps now?

Don't beat yourself up for having a relapse – it's normal and feeling bad about yourself just gives you more reasons to want to smoke and forget your problems.

Don't give up – it doesn't prove you're stuck being a "stoner". It just means you might need to change your plan of attack. The quicker you pick yourself up and try again, the easier it will be. If you use one relapse as a reason to keep smoking, it will probably be harder to start making change later on.

Ask yourself what you would do differently the next time you are in a situation like that. Use this information to make new plans for dealing with risk times. Ask yourself what you would do the same the next time. Chances are some of the things you were doing still work for you – they might just need some fine-tuning.

 

What next?

Well, now it's time to enjoy your new lifestyle. Watch those risk times. Relax. Pay your bills on time. Have a laugh. Get to know people who you feel good with. Get to know yourself again. Be wary of that sneaky little voice that tells you it's OK, you've got it under control now because it might be wrong. But remember to have some fun.

If you find your cannabis use creeps back up again, just keep on trying to keep it at a level you're satisfied with. Go back through this booklet. If it keeps on being a problem, try seeing a drug and alcohol counsellor. But keep on trying – you're worth the effort.