The torture was beyond human power to bear.
(Sigmund Freud on his attempt to quit smoking)
Smoking and consumption of tobacco products are common in spite of the several media messages and pictorial warnings as to the harm caused by tobacco. Why is this so?
What begins as a peer influenced, 'harmless', 'occasional' behaviour, stays with the person indefinitely, and before he/she realises it, becomes an insurmountable addiction.
People who have tried to quit smoking can vouch for the fact that it is a hopeless situation to remain without the daily nicotine fix - the cravings and withdrawal effects can be unbearable. Ask Freud!
And so on it goes, until it becomes a vicious circle.
This makes tobacco/nicotine one of the most addictive substances in the world - the reason why quitting smoking is such an onerous task, fraught with relapses after periods of abstinence.
However, breaking this reward circuit by associating less harmful substances (such as caffeine) with the pleasurable feeling, may work in some cases.
Or, one could also try associating nicotine with unpleasant consequences such as odourous breath or health issues such as coughing/breathlessness.
Yoga, pranayama and meditation, if done under guidance, can help break this vicious circle by helping one focus on larger issues rather than resort to smoking as a coping mechanism.
I talk about smoking addiction, complications due to long-term smoking, and treatment of smoking addiction in these videos in three languages:
English: https://youtu.be/OQmymTjteyg
Hindi: https://youtu.be/eCks5TGFfuk
Kannada: https://youtu.be/mhLfLL1xvl8
Please read more about smoking and what works in the treatment of its addiction in my earlier articles (click on the links from these pages to external site):
Harmful effects of tobacco; 10 ways to quit smoking and why e-cigarettes are no better.
Also read a similar article on alcohol addiction.
Resources:
Music: Bed and Breakfast, The 126ers
Pictures:
