World No Tobacco Day 2018: Top 5 Reasons Why People Smoke According To a Psychiatrist
Peer pressure and bad role models are two important things that get people hooked on smoking.
We know it’s a filthy habit and we know that it’s bad for health. Yet it’s very difficult to shake off smoking addiction, a fact many non-smokers may not understand. May 31st is observed as World No Tobacco Day world over, and one of the commonest modes of using tobacco is through smoking. For all those non-smokers who fail to understand the fascination behind smoking and the smokers who can’t figure out why they can’t quit, Dr. Era Dutta Consultant Neuropsychiatrist and Therapist at Mind Wellness & Fortis Healthcare offers us a brief insight into the psychology of smoking and why nicotine addiction is so hard to shake off. Here’s what she has to say.
1 Peer Pressure Kick-Starts the Behaviour
Peer influence plays a big role in smoking addiction. Believe it or not, peer pressure affects a 40-year old who succumbs to the habit years after quitting in the same way it does a 14-year old trying out a cigarette for the first time. “Nothing happens from one drag,” “It will help you focus,” “It’s harmless,” “Come on, give me company,” and the classic taunt “Be a man!” are some of the ways in which peers coax their non-smoking friends. And no matter how hard you resist, the fear of losing a friend may make you pick up the cancer stick. As adults, you may pick up the habit out of office politics, to be accepted into a group you want to be a part of. At parties, you may pick up the habit because you don’t want to be left out and be the odd one out.
2 Smoking “Relieves” Stress
A popular myth amidst the students is that smoking helps relieve stress and lets you focus better. Similarly, adults justify their smoking habits by saying, that with each puff they feel their worries reducing. The reality is that the transient change in blood pressure and heart rate is perceived by most as “relaxation” caused by the cigarette. But it is in no way good for you. Smokers train themselves into believing that smoking is what reduces their stress.
3 Smoking Pairs with Drinking
Many individuals succumb to smoking only when they are drinking. Many of my patients categorically specify that they only smoke when they drink because they feel this is safe and somehow okay. When you are drinking, your inhibitions are lowered. This makes you more susceptible to peer pressure, works which wouldn’t work on you otherwise.
4 Smoking Becomes a Habit
Many individuals say they smoke out of habit. What begins as a few cigs occasionally may grow into a full-blown habit. New research from Tel Aviv University says that people don’t get addicted to smoking but habituated. Researchers say that they smoke in response to cues in situations that get associated with smoking. The habit may have arisen out of any of the above reasons and the brain, mind and body are now dependent on tobacco. A lot of individuals find it tough to quit on account of the fact that they dread the withdrawal.
5 Rebel Attitude or Thrill Seeking
The allure of the forbidden always draws us in. Children have been taught from a very young age about the health-related and moral ills of smoking. So when they reach their teenage years, they may begin to perceive smoking as a cool form of rebellion. While men and women who have never smoked in their lives may want to be perceived as a risk taker. And hence, they try their hand at smoking.
6 Follow Role Models
Young or old, human minds are impressionable. We easily follow in the footsteps of our role models and pick up any bad habits they may unknowingly endorse. Even though the government tries to regulate the use of smoking on media like movies, a whole lot of actors, sports person and leaders smoke. This is an automatic role identification for many. A young patient of mine once said to me “If famous actors can chain smoke every day and be successful, live so long and also be physically fit, then why can’t my parents let me smoke once a week with friends?” The psychology that a role model is doing something wrong, hence it’s okay for us to do it too, exists amongst many.
But none of these reasons justifies smoking. Whatever the reason, it is important that you kick the habit for good since there isn’t an organ in the body nicotine doesn’t affect. With every drag, you will be cutting down the years of your life. If you haven’t had much luck with quitting, here are some easy, expert-recommended DIY techniques to stop smoking that will help you beat the addiction.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 30, 2018 01:24 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).