Alcohol and Smoking Assessments



Alcohol, Drug and Smoking Assignment

HE 250 Personal Health (30 Points Possible)

Student Name:     

Assignment Goals:

1. Assess your current alcohol, drug and smoking use

2. Reflect upon how substance use affects either you or those around you

3. Identify future health implications of your (or those around you) substance use

4. Assess each of the health dimensions as related to substance use

Directions:

For this assignment, you will need to complete the assessments listed below and record your scores and comments in the appropriate locations (grey-shaded boxes) on this paper. Use italics or a blue or magenta font for your responses to assist me with reading the assignment.

1. Alcohol Assessment

2. Part II Smoking section

If you do not use drugs or drink alcohol, have someone that you know who does fill out the assessment AND interview that person for the information you will need to answer the questions to complete Part I.

Part I: Alcohol Assessment (10 points)

Complete Worksheet 51: “Is Alcohol a Problem in your Life” and record your scores below. Insert answers in grey box. Box will expand while typing.

1. Your CAGE Screening Test result:      

2. Your AUDIT Screening Test Total points:      

3. From your results in the Part 1 assessments, what information was most meaningful to you and why?      

Part II: Smoking Assessment (10 points)

Complete Section A below if you have never smoked.  Complete Section B if you currently smoke or have smoked in the past.

Section A: If you never smoked

1. List five things you might say to someone in asking him or her not to smoke in your presence. How would you defend your right to breathe smoke-free air?     

2. List three situations where you recall being exposed to cigarette smoking. For each, describe what you might have done to avoid the situation.     

3. Why do you think you never started smoking? What will you do to continue being smoke-free?      

Section B: If you smoke – or ever have smoked

Fill out the worksheet, “For Smokers Only: Why do you Smoke”, found at the end of the assignment. Do not submit the assessment sheets. Transfer your results to the table and blanks provided below.

|Reason to Smoke |Score |High or Low? |

|Stimulation | | |

|Handling | | |

|Pleasurable Feelings | | |

|Crutch: Tension Reduction | | |

|Craving: Psychological Addiction | | |

|Habit | | |

1. Most people smoke for one or more broad, primary reasons: Stimulation, Handling, Pleasurable Feelings, Crutch, Craving, or Habit. Which two reasons had the highest score in your (their) smoking assessment?     

2. Develop strategies for each of the two identified primary reasons for smoking.     

3. If you have quit smoking, why did you quit?     

Part III – Reflective Paper (10 points)

Reflect upon how alcohol, drugs (legal, illegal, and prescription) or smoking has affected you or a friend/family members’ life. In your reflection process, think about the health dimensions- physical, social, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. Share your reflections below in the appropriate area. Use italics or a blue or magenta font for your responses to assist me with reading the assignment. Your total response should be the equivalent of a one-page, single spaced paper.

1. Physical dimension:      

2. Social dimension:      

3. Emotional dimension:      

4. Intellectual dimension:      

5. Spiritual dimension:      

For Smokers Only: Why do you Smoke (2 pages)

Although smoking cigarettes is physiologically addicting, people smoke for reasons other than nicotine craving. What kind of smoker are you? Knowing what your motivations and satisfactions are can ultimately help you quit.

This test is designed to provide you with a score on each of six factors that describe many people's smoking. Read the statements and then answer how often you feel this way when you smoke cigarettes. Do not submit the assessment sheets. Transfer your results to the table and blanks provided below.

Used the following rating system for each question:

4 = Always

3 = Frequently

2 = Occasionally

1 = Seldom

0 = Never

Stimulation

|I smoke cigarettes to keep myself from slowing down. |4 3 2 1 0 |

|I smoke cigarettes for stimulation, to perk myself up. |4 3 2 1 0 |

|I smoke cigarettes to get a "lift." |4 3 2 1 0 |

Stimulation Score = 3 + the three values identified above =      

Handling

|Handling a cigarette is part of the enjoyment of smoking it. |4 3 2 1 0 |

|Part of the enjoyment of smoking a cigarette comes from the steps I take to light up. |4 3 2 1 0 |

|When I smoke a cigarette, part of the enjoyment is watching the smoke as I exhale it. |4 3 2 1 0 |

Handling Score = 3 + the three values identified above =      

Pleasurable Feelings

|Smoking cigarettes is pleasant and relaxing. |4 3 2 1 0 |

|I find cigarettes pleasurable. |4 3 2 1 0 |

|I want a cigarette most when I am comfortable and relaxed. |4 3 2 1 0 |

Pleasurable Score = 3 + the three values identified above =      

Crutch: Tension Reduction

|I light up a cigarette when I feel angry about something. |4 3 2 1 0 |

|When I feel uncomfortable or upset about something, I light up a cigarette. |4 3 2 1 0 |

|When I feel "blue" or want to take my mind off cares and worries, I smoke cigarettes. |4 3 2 1 0 |

Crutch Score = 3 + the three values identified above =      

Craving: Psychological Addiction

|When I have run out of cigarettes, I find it almost unbearable until I can get them. |4 3 2 1 0 |

|I am very much aware of the fact when I am not smoking a cigarette. |4 3 2 1 0 |

|I get a real gnawing hunger for a cigarette when I haven't smoked for a while. |4 3 2 1 0 |

Craving Score = 3 + the three values identified above =      

Habit

|I smoke cigarettes automatically without even being aware of it. |4 3 2 1 0 |

|I light up a cigarette without realizing I still have one burning in the ashtray. |4 3 2 1 0 |

|I've found a cigarette in my mouth and didn't remember putting it there. |4 3 2 1 0 |

Habit Score = 3 + the three values identified above =      

What Your Scores Mean

Scores can vary from 3 to 15. Any score 11 and above is high; any score 7 and below is low. The higher your score, the more important a particular factor is in your smoking and the more useful the discussion of that factor can be in your attempt to quit.

Stimulation: If you score high on this factor, it means that you are stimulated by cigarettes—you feel that they help wake you up, organize your energies, and keep you going. Try substituting a brisk walk or moderate exercise whenever you feel the urge to smoke.

Handling: A high score suggests you gain satisfaction from handling a cigarette. Try doodling or toying with a pen, pencil, or other small object.

Accentuation of Pleasure—Pleasurable Relaxation: A high score on this factor suggests that you receive pleasure from smoking. Try substituting other pleasant situations or events such as social or physical activities.

Reduction of Negative Feelings, or "Crutch": A high score on this factor means you use cigarettes as a kind of crutch in moments of stress or discomfort. Physical exertion or social activity may serve as useful substitutes for cigarettes. Refer back to Chapter 2 for other strategies for dealing with stress.

Craving or Strong Addiction: A high score on this factor indicates that you have a strong psychological craving for cigarettes. "Cold turkey" is probably your best approach to quitting. It may be helpful for you to smoke more than usual for a day or two so that your taste for cigarettes is spoiled, and then isolate yourself completely from cigarettes until the craving is gone.

Habit: A high score on this factor indicates that you smoke out of habit, not because smoking gives you satisfaction. Being aware of every cigarette you smoke and cutting down gradually may be effective quitting strategies for you.

Summary

Quitting smoking isn't easy. It usually means giving up something pleasurable that has a definite place in your life. In the end, of course, it's worth it. Now that you have some ideas about why you smoke, read the Behavior Change Strategy at the end of the chapter for a plan that will help you quit.

SOURCE: Why Do You Smoke? U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. Public Health Service. National Institutes of Health. NIH Pub. No 90-1822.

Adapted from:

Teague, Michael L., MacKenzie, Sara L. C., and Rosenthal, David M. (2012) Your Health Today – Brief – 3rd Edition. McGraw-Hill Publishers, 2012.

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download