Therapy
Mind & Body Health
Encouraging to Stop Smoking
How many times have you said the following? “I can quit smoking anytime I choose. I’ve successfully quit smoking dozens of times.”
This is a standard joke for smokers, but is it really funny? Quitting smoking wouldn’t be so hard if you could have a few cigarettes to see you through withdrawal symptoms. Therefore, the goal is not to quit smoking, but to find a way to be a “non-smoker” for life.
To reach this goal, it is important to understand that smoking is something positive that you do for yourself. Smoking may help you relax, or to stir creative juices, or to socialize, or to relieve boredom. It seems that smoking helps to meet a myriad of human needs.
In other words, smoking wouldn’t be so bad for you if it weren’t for the negative side effects, such as shortness of breath, lung and heart disease, cancer – not to mention stained teeth, bad breath, and burn holes in your clothes and furniture.
Therefore, the second point to understand is that while cigarette smoking is not bad for you as a person, it is bad for your body. And you do need your body to live. In order to enjoy life and take care of your personal needs, it is necessary to stop smoking and to replace smoking with behaviors and attitudes that are just as good or better than smoking.
Which brings us to the third point. Your body is a sophisticated system that is capable of miraculous functions. But your body can’t think. You are the thinker and planner. You are in control of your personal growth. Don’t leave it to your body to figure out how to assimilate cigarette smoke in a healthy way. You owe your body respect and protection. It is up to you to be open to the variety of options you have in the world, other than cigarette smoking.
To be a successful at becoming a non-smoker, you must take two steps:
First: Change your environment at work and at home so that smoking is not as easy to do.
Second: Recognize that most of your smoking is done to take care of other emotional needs. When you desire a cigarette, ask yourself, “What do I really want instead?” Then take care of the real need.
There are as many methods of quitting smoking as there are people. Sometimes it is useful to take a class on the subject or to seek guidance from a professional. Remember, it is your thinking and behavioral patterns that have to change in order to become a non-smoker for live.
Dr. Kathy Marshack can help you. She is accepting new clients and has two office locations for your convenience. If you live in the Portland, Oregon or Vancouver, Washington area (or can drive to these locations) please call to set up your first appointment. See Therapy FAQs for more information. If you live elsewhere, we can arrange telephone consultation or we are happy to advise you on how to locate a qualified mental health professional in your area. Please give us a call at (360) 256-0448 or (503) 222-6678 or email us at info@kmarshack.com. [an error occurred while processing this directive]
