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Breaking the Habits Beating Us

Taking control of your moods, smoking and drinking habits

This information has been designed to offer assistance in dealing with the feelings and behaviors commonly experienced by persons with head and neck cancer.

Sections focus on coping with cancer, depression, quitting smoking and refraining from drinking alcohol. Depression is common in people diagnosed with cancer and is associated with smoking and alcohol use. Since depression, smoking, and alcohol use tend to be related, it may be beneficial to address more than one of these issues at a time.

This work was supported by GlaxoSmithKline through the Managed Care Forum and by the Department of Veterans Affairs IIR-98500.

Core Chapters contains information about the link between head and neck cancer and smoking, depression and alcohol, the role of body image, cognitive behavior therapy, how to relax, improving communication skills and using cognitive behavior therapy to deal with smoking, alcohol and depression.

Mood Management examines depression, what it is, and its treatment.

Tobacco Tactics provides a strategy for quitting, goal setting as well as dealing with relapses. Sections include:

• Patterns of Smoking in the U.S.
• Smoking Treatments
• Are You Ready for Change?
• Goal Setting
• Handling Thoughts About Smoking
• Coping with Cravings
• Coping with Relapses
• Common Problems in Quitting
• Life as a Non-Smoker

Drinking Decisions provides information about:

• Patterns of Alcohol Use in the US
• How Much is too Much?
• Early Warning Signs
• Ready for Change?
• Goal Setting
• Assessing High Risk Situations
• Coping with Cravings
• Refusal Skills
• Coping with Lapses

References and Resources

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