The abstinence violation effect states that it is a person's emotional response to a single lapse in substance use which will determine whether or not they ultimately relapse. For example, someone who considers the lapse to be a personal failure is more likely to continue to engage in the addictive behavior to attempt to escape the feeling of failure, thereby leading to a full relapse. On the other hand, someone who considers the lapse to be an instance where they did not cope effectively is more likely to see the lapse as a single mistake they can learn from.