Does one have control over smoking? I often hear- smoking is the only thing in their control, it is their right, their freedom, their choice….. But is it?
It sounds mundane, but really thinking about how smoking plays a role in your life and the reasons you want to stop smoking. To some they will say smoking is “the one thing they have,” “their vice,” “their choice,” “their life,” etc. Then once stopping smoking is brought up, there tends to be this layer of resistance built like someone is taking away their freedom. This became prevalent to me while working with individuals attending our 8-day residential program, that the more one believes the thought “cigarettes are the only saving grace,” the more resistance and struggle one felt.
On the contrary, when these individuals worked to acknowledge and re-frame these thoughts to “I choose to quit” it seemed to lessen the internal battle. Like they were choosing the control knowing they technically could smoke they just are choosing not. What are your thoughts on this?
I will often encourage people to think about the reasons THEY want to quit. Not why others want them to quit.
What thoughts or motivations tipped the scale for you, to allow you to choose instead of the cigarettes choosing for you?
Virginia Fitch-Braun, MS
NDC Counselor/CTTS
