Quitting Smoking: The First Step to Freedom
There's a question I've often been asked by colleagues during my time in the field, and one I can't answer in just a few words: How can I quit smoking?
If we want change in any area of our lives, we need to understand that area. That way, we can gain the ability to manage the process. So, rather than answering the question above directly, I'd like to talk a little about the process.
Starting to smoke can stem from things like peer influence, wanting to look cool and social acceptance during adolescence. Even if a person is lucky enough not to start smoking in that period, we can't say the risk is completely over. Due to busy and stressful living conditions, a stressful work environment and, again, social acceptance, that sad scene can still play out, and a person may start smoking to cope with the tension and stress they experience. In this way, the process of addiction begins almost unnoticed, with denial of the addiction, confidence that one will never become addicted, and the belief that one can quit whenever one wants. Of course, the relaxing, stress-reducing effects of smoking at first make it even more appealing. What a nice thing! This actually comes from smoking's stimulating effect on the reward system in our brain (in fact, you can also activate this system by running, writing or any activity you love). After that, partly related to individual predisposition, the person starts to feel a strong urge to smoke. This stage can be called psychological dependence. Thoughts such as 'There's a substance I take, and it makes me feel good, I enjoy it and my anxiety goes down, so why shouldn't I keep feeling this good!' are typical.
But after a while, our body begins to feel the sense of wellbeing, relaxation or relief it once got from a single cigarette only after two, three or more cigarettes. In other words, a need arises to smoke more for the same effect, and this is explained as physiological dependence. The way the reward system in our brain works is thus disrupted, and when we don't smoke, 'withdrawal symptoms' appear in our body, such as tension, discomfort, irritability, feeling depressed, friction with family or friends, difficulty concentrating, restlessness and the urge to smoke.
So, while smoking initially arises as a way to socialize, fit in with friends who smoke and enjoy oneself (psychological dependence), later on it is mostly done to avoid the negative effects of not smoking (physiological dependence).
Now that we've seen what smoking affects in our body and how the addiction process works, we can return to the question we started with: How can I quit smoking?
You can think of the process of quitting smoking as a long overnight journey. On this journey, we can't sleep soundly as we would in our own bed. There will surely be someone who bothers us along the way. Sometimes we get anxious, and the bus might even break down. But as long as we've made our decision, bought our ticket and boarded that bus, we will eventually reach our destination, whatever the road is like!
So how do we begin this journey?
For most people thinking about quitting smoking, the first things that come to mind are how bad smoking is, how it affects the body and what damage it has done so far. But being aware of all these negative and upsetting facts about smoking isn't enough to boost our motivation to quit.
So, in the first stage of change, how about focusing on something you may not have tried much until now: the benefits of quitting smoking? You can make a list of all the positive outcomes you'll gain when you don't smoke.
My List of What I'll Gain When I Quit Smoking
I'll breathe more easily.
I'll gain self-discipline and so be motivated to do the things I've been putting off.
I'll respect myself.
I'll be able to set aside a budget for another hobby or activity.
I'll feel healthier.
I won't carry the smell of cigarettes on me.
If you feel motivated and excited, you can move on to the next stage. This stage can also be described as the stage of gathering help. You've decided and you feel motivated, but if you don't know where to start, in Turkey you can get support from the ALO 171 quitline or the https://alo171.saglik.gov.tr/# website. During the quitting process, by following the treatment your doctor prescribes, you can cope with the negative effects you'll feel when you don't smoke.
At this stage, alongside medication, getting counselling or learning self-help strategies is also very important. We'd like to offer some suggestions for this.
First of all, carry the list you wrote of the positive outcomes of quitting with you as much as possible. It will keep with you the promise you made to yourself and the positive energy you felt while writing it.
Set yourself a quit date.
Take a break from your smoking buddies for a while.
Get enough sleep, eat a balanced diet and drink plenty of water.
When you feel emotionally low and feel the need to smoke, read the list you prepared again and again, and keep it in your hand.
The final stage is putting all the information and help you've gathered into practice and taking action. It's important to keep this stage going as long as possible and to stand by the decisions you've made. However, we can't say there's a way to completely get rid of the urge to smoke.
When the urge to smoke comes;
Delay smoking as long as possible.
Try to ease the urge with breathing exercises. You can use this as a helpful method especially for urges that come when you feel stressed. Breathing exercises help you relax, so your urge to smoke decreases.
Find healthy alternatives to the oral habit created by smoking, such as drinking water or chewing gum.
Do things that take your attention away from the idea of 'smoking', such as going for a walk, watching TV or chatting with others.
The methods mentioned are helpful for coping with this urge. Still, there may be times when you can't cope and smoke, even if only 'once'. Slip-ups like these are part of the process. Changing our behaviour is not always easy. If you've tried smoking again or started smoking again, this shouldn't mean that everything is over and the outcome is a disaster. You decided to quit and tried some strategies. You got a taste of success. You're stronger than before because you're aware of how the process works and progresses, and you're aware of yourself and your skills. It may be hard, but believe me, it's not as hard as the first time you tried!
We'd like to share an exercise you can use at any stage of the idea of quitting smoking. With this exercise, you'll approach yourself with compassion and understanding and see what you can achieve. Let's begin!
Close your eyes.
Imagine a place you like and enjoy being in. You're walking in the mountains or a forest, or sunbathing on the shore of a beautiful sea. Focus on every detail that gives you pleasure and let your body relax.
Let your muscles relax, let the tension flow out of your arms and legs, and let your body relax and stay that way.
Notice that you feel peaceful and relaxed.
You're still there now, in that place of comfort and peace. Imagine that you're a non-smoker in that place.
Go over your 'list of what I'll gain when I quit smoking', and for each item on the list, repeat this in your mind and imagine it:
'Now I'll breathe more easily, and I like that. I can run easily along the beach, and I want to. The air around me is fresh and clean, and I feel good. I respect myself. Now I have more self-esteem and the feeling that I can achieve many things... I'll be able to take on the other things I want and try new things. I'll have more money to spend…'
Once you've focused on what you can do in the peaceful place you imagined for every item, you can open your eyes. How do you feel?
Wishing you healthy breathing!
Note: Doing this exercise along with the video at the link will help you focus more. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3fE6FQT82s)
References:
Şengezer, T. Tütün Bağımlılığında Bilişsel- Davranışçı Tedavi Yöntemleri. Güncel Göğüs Hastalıkları Serisi 2016; 4 (1): 97-103.
Burns, D. İyi Hissetmek. (2005) Psikonet Yayınları.
Uzbay, İ. T. Beyin Nasıl Bağımlı Olur? Askeri Tıp Akademisi, Tıp Fakültesi, Tıbbi Farmakoloji Anabilim Dalı, Psikofarmakoloji Araştırma Ünitesi. Meslek İçi Sürekli Eğitim Dergisi.
