Quitting smoking can be a complicated task if you do not have the necessary resources to do so. Therefore, psychology plays a fundamental role.
More and more people are turning to psychotherapy to quit smoking in a definitive way. Through this article we will try to compile a compendium of some of the strategies and techniques most used by psychology professionals to carry out this task.
Psychological support to quit smoking: what it is and how it works
Anyone who is a regular smoker, especially if they have been one for many years, will know how strong the dependency relationship is that is acquired with tobacco, or rather with the addictive substances it contains, such as nicotine. This does not mean that it is impossible to eliminate this consumption habit from the roots, but it can be complicated.
This is where the science of human behavior comes in, that is, psychology. And it is that Thanks to the guidance of a good psychotherapist, an expert in addictions, this arduous path can be made more bearable For this reason, many people interested in quitting this habit wonder what psychological support is like to quit smoking.
First of all, it must be said that the word addiction may be shocking to some, who will associate this concept with more aggressive substances. However, In the strict sense of the word, tobacco is a drug whose effect stimulates the central nervous system of the subject who consumes it Continued use will generate a dependency relationship, that is, an addiction.
Therefore, it is not unusual for more and more consumers to realize this fact and therefore investigate ways to end this relationship with nicotine. Many of these individuals try to achieve it on their own. Some succeed. Others, on the other hand, need extra support. Therefore, they need to know what psychological support is like to quit smoking.
Of course, there is no single solution from psychology to achieve this task. As happens when we talk about any other psychological disorder, The way to approach it from a therapeutic level may vary depending on many factors, starting with the characteristics of the affected person
Likewise, each therapist may come from a different school and therefore will have been trained to use certain techniques, while another professional will prefer different ones. Likewise, within the range of strategies that each one uses, it must be adapted to the idiosyncrasies of the patient and the particularities of their case.
Therefore, the question of what psychological support for quitting smoking is sometimes too broad to be answered exhaustively. On the contrary, various ways of addressing the issue can be proposed, combinations of several of them or even restructuring the action plan if it is observed that the first choice is not being effective.
Taking into account these previous considerations, we will review a compilation of techniques aimed at this issue, without losing the perspective that they are not the only ones, that several of them can be complementary and that ultimately it is the professional psychologist who will decide, together with the patient, the way to address the issue that has brought them to the consultation.
Psychological techniques used in therapy to quit tobacco
Next, we will present some of the strategies and techniques used by some therapists in psychological support to quit smoking
1. Anticipation and stimulus control
A task as delicate as quitting the tobacco habit requires a certain dedication. Many therapists will agree that stimulating control and anticipation are going to be key to achieving success in this purpose. Therefore, the patient must be aware of this fact and do everything possible to avoid easy and direct access to tobacco.
In other words, Staying away from the source of the addiction, to the extent possible, will reduce (even partially) the conditioned response you have to tobacco and therefore the anxiety that not smoking causes. Stimulating control can be carried out with small acts, such as not having tobacco in a visible place, or not having it at all, if you want to quit abruptly.
It’s not just about keeping cigarettes away from us, but also about keeping ourselves away from situations that encourage smoking. Therefore, when talking about what psychological support is like to quit smoking, The therapist can emphasize that the patient avoids certain scenarios that were practically linked to the act of smoking
What could those situations be? It depends on each person, logically. But they can be as common as a mid-morning or mid-afternoon break, together with co-workers who also smoke, so that tobacco is the social link. In that case, perhaps it would be advisable not to share that time of rest if you are not sure that you are going to be strong enough to refuse the usual cigarette.
2. Change of routines and substitution of activities
At the same time that certain habits are eliminated, in this case smoking, new actions can be initiated that facilitate this change in routines. Obviously, if it is healthy activities, the benefit will be maximum. This is the case of sport, which is positive in itself but is also a powerful ally to reduce anxiety symptoms derived from nicotine withdrawal
Therefore, quitting smoking is the ideal time to start playing a sport, go to the gym, or intensify these actions if you have already been doing them in the past. Furthermore, the routines and environment that are usually associated with sport, which are healthy in nature, also act psychologically as a dam against the temptation to smoke, which on the contrary has unhealthy connotations.
When we talk about changes in routines in the context of what psychological support to quit smoking is like, we also encompass small actions. It goes without saying that the routine of picking up a cigarette and lighting it must be tried to eliminate. Sometimes, trying to replace it with others, such as taking a candy or a lollipop, can be a small but valuable help.
Continuing with the strategies that explain what psychological support is like to quit smoking, we cannot forget about cognitive work, or what is the same, the management of thoughts Although the addiction that the smoker suffers from will not disappear simply by reasoning about how harmful tobacco is, such mental work can help to a certain extent.
It will be important for the person to be clear about all the negative things that cigarettes are bringing to their life and all the positive things that they will achieve when they stop smoking once and for all. Writing this list or reviewing it can be beneficial, especially when the desire to smoke appears.
4. Nicotine reduction
We have already mentioned that some people choose to quit smoking overnight, but not all people are able to achieve it this way. Therefore, another of the techniques that can be useful and that responds to what psychological support is like to quit smoking is gradually reduce nicotine
This does not necessarily mean reducing the number of cigarettes smoked per day, in a gradual manner, although it is also a very useful method. Other ways to achieve said nicotine reduction may be to purchase packages of tobacco from other brands that include a lower dose of that chemical. In this way, even if the number of cigarettes is maintained, the total nicotine that will reach the body will be lower.
Likewise, you can opt for gum or nicotine patches, which are also widely used as substitutes for cigarettes, as they reduce the withdrawal syndrome generated by not smoking.
5. Achievable goals
As we said, not all people have the willpower to quit smoking overnight. Thus, You have to be aware of each person’s capabilities and set affordable goals in line with them The therapist will be able to help with this task and design a program tailored to the patient.
