Live Event | Relapse Happens: Skills You Need To Cope

[CommunityAdmin]

When: 9/28/2022 at Noon Eastern / 11 am Central / 9 am Pacific
Where: Zoom Webinar , Link provided via email when you sign up below.

As much as we might want and expect a decision to quit will stick forever, we’re all human and the tendency to relapse back into old habits is real. 

Setbacks, stress, illness, or even a seemingly innocent triggering event can result in craving that sets your “quit date counter” back to zero.

Join the Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Michael Burke and Dr. Tim Milbrandt for a talk about the journey to become tobacco free as they answer your questions and offer tactics and ideas to be ready when (not if!) that temptation to relapse happens.

We’ll also be sharing the “wisdom of the crowd,” so come with your best advice and ideas that have worked for you + any questions you have about relapse.

What you’ll take away from this session:

• Recognizing the signs that you might be at risk of a relapse
• Skills to help you hope and cope
• People in the community you can reach out to if you’re in a tough spot and need help

Ask your question* in the comments below and Mike and Tim will address some of the questions during the event. They'll respond later to questions they didn't get to during the event.

*Please ensure to not include any personally identifiable information or personal health information when asking your question.

---

About Dr. Timothy Milbrandt, MS , CTTS, LMFT

Tim developed his passion for providing tobacco treatment and education during his first stint at the Nicotine Dependence Center from 2006-2017. He returned to the NDC in 2021 and is thrilled to be back doing this important work once again.

He finds great satisfaction in connecting with patients in their quest to become and stay tobacco-free and also in providing education and training to professionals focused on tobacco treatment.

Tim is a certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist, a Wellness Coach and is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT). His training and experience is as a counselor and therapist with some teaching in higher education thrown in for good measure. He has a master’s degree and is licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist.

About Dr. Michael V. Burke, EdD

Michael has a keen and caring interest in helping people stop smoking. During the past 20 years, as a Quit center coordinator in New Jersey, and Program Director at Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center he has provided support and treatment to more than 2,500 people who struggle with tobacco addiction.

Michael has a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Rutgers University, a Master Degree in Human Service from Lincoln University. He is a Professor of Medicine in the Mayo College of Medicine.  

In addition, Michael has served as President of the Association for the Treatment of Tobacco Use and Dependence and chaired the committee that developed practice standards for Tobacco Treatment Specialists. His research interests include integration of treatment into clinical care and behavioral treatment for addiction treatment.

[Ashley1985]

No you won't.  Use what helps until you get tired of it.  The urge to smoke is real but do you really want to start over again.  If it happens keep trying. This group really help me.  You got this! Practice in your head that your smoking days are over!

[ReallyReal]

@Juliejules2456 Hello.  I used NRT, the gum, and it really helped get me through the worst of the nicotine withdrawal.  Tomorrow will be 5 weeks quit and I am at this point using only about 3 pieces of gum a day.  I haven't had any trouble cutting down on the gum, no serious discomfort or withdrawal.  I understand that everyone is different in their use and reactions to cutting down on NRT, but I just wanted you to hear my experience with the gum so far.  Take care.

[Giulia]

I signed up for this a week or so ago, and again just now, but see no link to the zoom?  Do you have me as registered for it?

[Giulia]

Was a good zoom.  A few highlights for me:  "Nicotine is a cunning drug, it connect itself to other things.  Also, "it's an imposter."  Regarding stress, if you're upset you may go outside to get away from the situation (which is one method of coping with stress all by itself); then you contemplate the problem, work it out in your in your mind, which is another way of handling it); then you take those deep breaths - while inhaling the cigarette.  Just taking deep breaths is another good stress releaser all by itself.  But the cunning deceiver, nicotine, make you think that it's because of IT, the cigarette, that you're stress is reduced.  What was not mentioned was the hand-to-mouth connection, which reinforces the whole experience also.  I think.

As Dr. Burke said, gotta weed that garden of the "I can have just one," thought.

Informative and helpful meeting.  Thanks for providing it.

[MikeBurke]

Thanks all for the comments and Giulia for the nice highlight comments.  I really appreciate how you have been a wonderfully supportive backbone member of the community for as long as I can remember Giulia.   

[Giulia]

Thanks Dr. Burke.  It was fun to see you LIVE, having read your words on EX many times in blogs.  I was curious.  Enjoyed your subtle sense of humor.  You made some great points that I will be using for future support comments.  (And forgive me in advance if I don't give you credit every time.  I may just steal them and pretend they're mine!  No, I WILL steal them, for sure.)  And thanks for your acknowledgement of my support here.  Means a lot.