Jeff Talley, a former negotiator with the Los Angeles Police Department, is plunged back into precisely the kind of high-pressure situation that drove him out of the city in the first place, and which contributed to the breakdown of his marriage.

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Some people with herpes take antiviral drugs for years, while others just use them periodically -- for example, when they're starting a new relationship or anticipating a high-pressure situation. (Stress can up the risk of a herpes outbreak.) "It really is a very personal decision for patients, " Johnston says.

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As Creswell puts it, self-affirmation provides "an easy and portable strategy that you can roll out before you enter a high-pressure situation where you are required to perform well, " whether it's engaging in public speaking, readying for an important exam or giving a critical presentation to your boss and her boss.

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"When we're under pressure to act fast in a high-stakes situation, it often leads us to a set of traps, " he adds.

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