Article by
R.Manoj, Clinical psychologist, Psychotherapist and counsellor, Chennai
Its a well known fact that smoking tobacco is “INJURIOUS TO HEALTH” as prominently displayed
on the cover of cigarette boxes which also has the photograph of a cancer
affected patient which by itself should cause aversion towards the habit. More
than 90% of people who smoke know that it can cause cancer and nearly the same percentage
of non-smokers understand the impact of passive smoking. But most of the habituated smokers just ignore
or overlook the caution and their knowledge, because they believe that they
cannot quit. Listed here are the 30 reasons that make quitting the habit of
smoking difficult
1. Smoking
is more of a psychological habit rather than physical demand
2. There
is a strong feeling that it’s a very simple habit, it is not addictive and you
can quit whenever you want to.
3. The
health hazards are not visible and the impact is known when it reaches a
chronic stage
4. Smoking
is a habit which nearly everyone can afford to have. The cost of one time usage
is very less when compared to any other habit, even though the cumulative cost
may be very high and everyone has a choice according to their financial
capacity.
5. The
habit seen as a very natural one such as eating, breathing and sleeping
6. There
is no social stigma associated with smoking
7. Getting
in to the habit of smoking is treated as a part of normal developmental process
and not as an harmful habit
8. The
habit of smoking is believed to help you to create and maintain social circle
with ease
9. It
is easy to carry and use
10. It
enjoys the freedom of any where any time which is not possible in other
addictive habits
11. It
is felt to be the best way to get engaged while taking short breaks
12. It
is supposed to be the best way to distract yourself from the thoughts
associated with stress and distress
13. Availability
of a number of successful role models who have the habit of smoking
14. Nearly
every movie has at least one character that smoke and in most of the cases the
prime hero himself using smoking on various positive and negative situations
there by advocating the habit
15. It
is believed that smoking can relax you whenever you are anxious of tensed
16. There
is always a circle of friends or colleagues around you who motivate or even
force you to smoke
17. It’s
the easiest way of getting yourself in uncommitted engagement whenever you are
bored
18. Smoking
is believe to help in maintaining alertness, attention and concentration
19. It’s
also believed that smoking can increase the courage and confidence.
20. The
strong belief that once a person enters the habit he will never be able to quit
and it needs extraordinary will power to quit
21. In
many cases smoking is pursued more as a ritual without understanding why they
do it and what they get out of it
22. The
stimulation associated with smoking is mild and it never affects the functional
abilities of an individual
23. There
frequent reminders which remind you to have a smoke from various quarters such
a people around, the attractive ads by tobacco companies done with the only
motive of market their product etc.
24. The
belief that the physical posture of smoking, manifests a macho effect.
25. The
strong belief that there is something really useful in smoking and you cannot
reject the fact just because you don’t feel it based, on the idea that if there
is no real effect why a good percentage of the population are involving in it.
26. The
strong feeling that you are missing something if you don’t smoke, what other
people are enjoying
27. Most
of the smokers never explore the reasons on why they should quit
28. There
is significant fear associated with sustaining the decision to quit
29. The
fear that you will be isolated if you are a non-smoker
30. The
irrational reasoning by majority of the smoking population that there are lot
more harmful things that are a part of our day to day life and which cannot be
avoided such as air pollution. Also these people quoting the life span of
smokers who have had reasonably long life and leaving out the scores of people
who have died early due to their habit, just to prove the point that smoking
does not reduce your lifespan. This can virtually break down your belief that
smoking is harmful
