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Drug Avoidance Skills
Components of Functional Analysis
After briefly describing and providing a rationale
for using functional analysis, therapists should begin to teach patients
about the specific components of functional analysis. Such discussions
can proceed as follows.
"A functional analysis allows you to identify the
immediate causes of your cocaine use. You have probably noticed that in
certain situations you use cocaine, while in other situations you do
not. The situation around us can powerfully control cocaine use,
particularly if we are unaware of its influence. Some of the situations
that can influence cocaine use are -
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The people you are with.
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The place you happen to be.
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The hour or the day.
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How much money you have.
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How much alcohol you have consumed.
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What you are doing besides using cocaine.
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How you are feeling.
"The first step in understanding your cocaine use is
to identify the types of situations in which you are likely to use
cocaine. Your first assignment will help you identify these risky
situations and what about them makes you want to use cocaine. These are
called triggers.
"You will also need to identify the consequences of
your use. There are two kinds of consequences: the immediate and often
positive consequences, such as getting high or having fun; and the
delayed, often negative consequences, such as blowing all your money and
being unable to pay a bill or having an unwanted sexual encounter.
"As you identify triggers and consequences, you will
discover that there are certain patterns to your use. These patterns
will become important targets for intervention."
Therapists should then go over the four components of
the functional analysis: triggers, behavior, and positive and negative
consequences.
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Triggers
A trigger is an event that occurs before a person
uses cocaine and increases the likelihood of using. Triggers can be -
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Particular individuals.
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Environmental settings.
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A certain feeling.
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A combination of these.
"Triggers can be quite obvious or they can be
difficult to identify. They should not be thought of as things that make
you use cocaine, but as things that increase the chance that you will
use. Many times, a trigger will lead to other responses, like thoughts
about using and the potential consequences of using, such as 'cocaine
will make me feel better' or 'doing some cocaine will be lots of fun' or
'cocaine will help me forget that.'"
Almost anything can be a trigger.
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These can lead to a variety of thoughts or feelings
that encourage cocaine use.
Thoughts
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I can't deal with this.
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I need to get away.
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I need to forget.
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Using would be a blast.
Feelings
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Anxiety
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Depression
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Anger
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Frustration
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Happiness
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Loneliness
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Elation
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