Form 4C
Pleasant Activities
Optional Assignment
In stopping your marijuana use, you are giving up an activity that has taken up a great deal of your time. It is important that you identify other activities that bring you pleasure and integrate them into your everyday life. Your assignment is to do something nice for yourself every day, something you wouldn’t necessarily spend the time, effort, or money to do for yourself otherwise. You may need to get your partner’s, supporter’s, or someone else’s cooperation to do this, but don’t hesitate to ask. It doesn’t matter whether it’s having dinner out, shopping for something you’ve been wanting, taking a hot bath, jogging—something that makes you feel as if you’re treating yourself. You deserve it! If it involves spending a little more money than usual, remember that you’ll be saving money by not smoking marijuana. You’ll gradually find ways to treat yourself that are less expensive. Keep a record of these over the next week, and we’ll discuss them next time.
Plan for Increasing Pleasant Activities Followup (What did you end
(List at least one target for each day) up doing each day?)
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Form 4D
Relaxation Training
Optional Assignment
Deep Muscle Relaxation Practice Exercise
Arrange to spend some quiet time in a room where you will not be interrupted. Try to practice this relaxation technique at least three times during the next week. Proceed through the eight groups of muscles in the list below, first tensing each for 5 seconds and then relaxing each for 15 to 20 seconds.
Settle back as comfortably as you can, take a deep breath, and exhale very slowly. You may feel most comfortable if you close your eyes. Notice the sensations in your body; you will soon be able to control those sensations. Begin by focusing your attention on your hands and forearms.
• Squeeze both hands into fists, with arms straight. Then relax hands.
• Flex both arms at the elbows. Then relax arms.
• Shrug shoulders toward head. Tilt chin toward chest. Then relax shoulders and neck.
• Clench jaw, gritting your teeth together. Then relax jaw.
• Close your eyes tightly. Then relax eyes.
• Wrinkle up your forehead and brow. Then relax these muscles.
• Harden your stomach muscles, as if expecting someone to punch you there (continue to breathe slowly as you tense your stomach). Then relax stomach.
• Stretch out both legs, point your toes toward your head, and press your legs together. Then relax legs.
Self-Rating Task
Each day that you engage in this exercise, rate your relaxation level before and after, using the following guide: 0=highly tense; 100=fully relaxed.
Day Time Before After