Make believe I quit smoking….If any question please let me know. Early in this course, you were instructed to identify a substance or behavior of importance to you, and to give this up for a period

Make believe I quit smoking….If any question please let me know.

Early in this course, you were instructed to identify a substance or behavior of importance to you, and to give this up for a period of 6 weeks. The purpose of this preparation was to help simulate the experience of abstinence from a substance-related or behavioral addiction. Before drafting your main Discussion post, consider the thoughts and feelings you had during the exercise, as well as the influences of family and culture on your experience. Were your systems of influence supportive of your efforts, or were they critical? What role did this have on your success or failure? How did you feel about yourself during this exercise? Reflect on your answer to these questions as you prepare your response to the Discussion prompt.

Post by Day 4 a summary of your experience with abstinence, including your overall success or failure, and what individual traits (e.g., age, gender, personality) were most influential on your outcomes. Next, identify the external influences on your experience, including family, culture, and other considerations you believe were significant. Lastly, discuss how the insights you gained might add perspective to your clinical skills in working with clients who have addiction diagnoses.