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EDITORS NOTE:
The following article has very practical and thoughtful information
that can be applied to ANY health challenge. Although the article
is about quitting smoking, anybody can apply the ideas presented
to their own personal health challenge
Read the... Holistic Method - Get physical - Enlist support -
Expect success.
QUIT SMOKING THE HOLISTIC
WAY© by Lonny J. Brown, Ph.D.
Tobacco addiction is the great paradox of our
time. Over 50 million Americans smoke, despite the well known
dire consequences. Lung cancer, emphysema, heart disease, and
stroke, are just some the deadly diseases that cigarette smokers
risk for their habit. Cigarettes kill more people than alcohol,
illegal drugs, traffic accidents, suicide, and homicide combined.
These frightening statistics notwithstanding,
anyone who's ever tried quitting knows it's easier said than
done. Nicotine is the most addictive substance consumed by humans.
For every method ever tried for giving up cigarettes, there are
countless numbers of smokers who have failed miserably. Although
some succeed, millions more invest their money, effort and belief
in hypnosis, affirmations, patches, gums, drugs, diets, exercises
and psychoanalysis, only to smoke again and lose faith in themselves
as well as their chosen technique. Clearly, a fundamentally different
approach is needed.
The holistic method takes a multi-dimensional view of
the complex problem of nicotine addiction and habit modification.
It doesn't rely on one or two techniques; rather, it combines
as many as possible and addresses the life of the entire person
-- body, mind, and spirit.
The following is a synopsis of a successful program I designed
for a client named Mat, who had previously tried and failed to
quit smoking. Aside from the comprehensive lifestyle program,
I believe Mat succeeded this time for key reasons:
* The time was right and he had a fundamental desire to change.
* He believed in and followed the chosen program.
* We established a strong, working therapeutic relationship.
First, Mat listed all the liabilities of smoking. These ranged
from offensive odor to early death, and included the monetary
costs, illness, weakness, low self-esteem, and exile to cold
back porches.
Next, Mat wrote down all the benefits of quitting: feeling and
looking better, less illness, lower disease risks, a longer life
to share with his family, cleaner and fresher clothes, more energy,
more money, a sense of accomplishment, independence from addiction
and the tobacco industry. Mat posted his list where he could
see it every day. (I also suggest keeping a copy in your pocket
or bag.)
Mat had previously failed using the sudden-stop "cold turkey"
method, so he chose a gradual taper-off program this time. He
would consume one less cigarette per day for a month until his
target "Freedom Day."
He created and reinforced "positive habits," such as
exercise, sports, yoga, meditation, and breathing techniques.
He did daily positive affirmations such as "I enjoying being
smoke-free and healthy."
He was also encouraged to foster his creativity and artistic
expression. A high school English teacher, Mat chose journal-keeping,
but each candidate for quitting should practice his own art form
-- visual, musical, or literary. The idea is to create an optimal
wellness, holistic lifestyle. Every possible positive personal
change is made at the same time one is quitting cigarettes. This
improves feelings and functioning, compensates for the agonies
of withdrawal, and significantly increases the chances of success.
Although Mat and I mentally rehearsed facing challenges and dealing
with setbacks, he never once lapsed from his one-less-a-day cigarette
reduction program. The whole experience encouraged both of us
to write down what we had done. The following are key ingredients
in the holistic quit-smoking program:
Get physical
From a holistic health counseling perspective, any lasting
behavioral change must have physical components. Get plenty of
exercise, do yoga, take a sauna, get massaged, eat a vegetarian
cleansing diet, try a therapeutic fast and high colonic irrigation,
and take your vitamins. Involve all the senses in your re-programming
techniques. Play soothing classical music while visualizing yourself
moving coolly and undaunted through a crowd of smokers. Fill
your home with fresh flowers as you welcome the return of your
olfactory senses.
Enlist support
Notify family, friends, and co-workers of your intention
to quit. Ask for their patience and support. Get encouragement
from successful ex-smokers.
Expect success
Visualize it. Plan on it. Write it down. Record your goals,
process, insights, and dreams. Study yourself.
Expect setbacks
See them as temporary obstacles to be overcome. Be flexible.
A momentary lapse does not equal failure. I told Mat that if
he must smoke, he should at least enjoy the cigarette.
In moments of temptation, change everything possible about your
immediate environment. Ideally, you could go outdoors and do
deep-breathing exercises in good clean, fresh air. At the very
least, stop whatever you are doing, stretch, relax and think
before proceeding. It's amazing how a little strategic meditation
can get us beyond our most trying moments.
Invest in your success
A financial stake in the outcome is a good motivator. Mat
invested nearly $500 for his two months of smoking cessation
counseling services. Sometimes money symbolizes faith and fosters
determination.
Reward yourself
When you achieve your goals, use self-reward for a job well
done. Promise yourself gifts that you can look forward to.
The
Good News
Kicking the smoking habit brings rewards that are worth the considerable
effort it takes.
* People who quit, regardless of age, live longer than people
who continue to smoke.
* Smokers who quit before age 50 have half the risk of dying
in the next 15 years compared with those who continue to smoke.
* Quitting smoking substantially decreases the risk of lung,
laryngeal, esophageal, oral, pancreatic, bladder, and cervical
cancers.
* Benefits of cessation include risk reduction for other major
diseases including coronary heart disease and cardiovascular
disease. (Amer Cancer Soc.)
If you are serious about quitting smoking,
start by setting a target date, enlist a support team, think
positively, and begin making as many healthy changes as possible.
Addiction is a powerful psycho-physical force, but with the right
whole-life program in place, it can be defeated.
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