Why Smoke?
It is important that you are fully aware of the reasons why people start to smoke and why they continue. Perhaps the crucial factor is that a reason may have been valid once, but may no longer be valid. If a therapist can help your client to this realisation he/she increase the chance of them quitting successfully.
An example that I use with my clients is to tell them that as a small child they crawled around on the floor. At that time, it was an appropriate behaviour. As an adult, however, it is inappropriate, and most of us grow out of it! Other behaviours we may hang onto when we no longer need them.
Here is a list of reasons why people smoke. As you read through them, keep in mind that these WILL have been valid in some way or another when the smoking habit was formed. By valid, we mean that the person felt that what they were doing was the right thing at that time.
- To belong
- To look and feel grown up
- To rebel
- To look and feel âcoolâ
- As a stress reliever
- As a boredom reliever
- As something to do with the hands
- To lose weight/avoid gaining weight
- As an excuse to take a break
Many people will say that the reason they still smoke is due to addiction and/or habit.
