Psychological Approaches to Quit Smoking

Creator: Dr. Subashree Aswini. B
Published: 2023-03-17T16:58:15

4 min read

13

Share

Verified data

13

4 min read

Share

One of the best methods of smoking cessation is the psychological approach. Read the below article on the effective psychological methods to quit smoking.

Written by

Dr. Subashree Aswini. B

Medically reviewed by

Paratwar Nayana Kapil

March 17, 2023

October 5, 2023

Contents

Share

Contents

What Are the Withdrawal Symptoms After Quitting Smoking?
What Is the Psychological Approach to Quit Smoking?
What Are the Types of Psychological Treatments to Stop Smoking?
What Is Behavioral Therapy for Smoking Cessation?

Introduction:

People with long-term mental health problems suffer greater smoking-related morbidity and mortality. Psychological interventions help reduce smoking in adults with mental health problems. Tobacco contains nicotine that causes pleasant feelings and avoids uncomfortable or unpleasant feelings. Over some time, the person gets addicted to nicotine. The sudden withdrawal from tobacco can cause severe withdrawal symptoms because the person gets addicted to the nicotine drug. The withdrawal symptoms cause emotional and mental effects. Nicotine affects brain chemistry. Almost everyone will feel withdrawal symptoms after quitting. However, the symptoms can vary among individuals. If a person suddenly quits, the body and brain take time to get over it. The process can be very unpleasant, and the body will urge you to smoke again. Almost everyone who smokes regularly gets urges to smoke when they quit. They feel overwhelmed after quitting. It is important to find out techniques to deal with withdrawal symptoms.

What Are the Withdrawal Symptoms After Quitting Smoking?

Over time, withdrawal symptoms will fade as long as the person stays smoke-free. However, it is common to feel irritated or grouchy when someone quits abruptly. The person feels harder to concentrate, irritated, and restless immediately after quitting.
The person will face trouble sleeping on time or have irregular sleep patterns. Over time it will get better. If the person feels exhausted because of irregular sleep, they will crave smoking again when the opportunity comes their way.
The person might feel more hungry because of the stress induced by quitting. The taste improves after quitting because the senses are not dulled by the dose of smoke. Nicotine does not help with depression or anxiety. They just make the person feel better because the nicotine helps stop the discomfort of withdrawal.
All know that smoking is a tough habit to kick off because nicotine is very addictive. Nicotine’s high risk is not as dramatic as cocaine or heroin but is equally addictive as other drugs.
Nicotine affects all body parts, like blood vessels, the heart, metabolism, and the brain. The person will physically crave nicotine and become irritable if they cannot have it.
Nicotine withdrawal lasts for a few months, but the person will fight the mental battle against cigarettes for a long time.
Physical, mental, and emotional symptoms are involved in tobacco withdrawal. The initial 5 to 10 days are crucial because it is the time when nicotine starts clearing away from the body. The person develops irritability and insomnia (inability to sleep properly).
Voluntary and commercial clinics, nicotine replacement strategies, counseling, hypnosis, acupuncture, and behavioral programs are the methods used by smokers to break the habit.

What Is the Psychological Approach to Quit Smoking?

Many use cessation programs at some point in their cessation journey. They act according to the advice from the psychotherapist or healthcare providers. A smoking cessation kit from a non-profit health organization also aids some.

Smoking-cessation programs are comprised of three phases:

Preparation.
Intervention.
Maintenance.

Preparation phases increase the motivation to quit and build confidence to be successful. Intervention includes a combination of forms to help smokers to achieve abstinence.

Maintenance and coping strategies are required for permanent abstinence. The American Cancer Society recommends the stop smoking program. The program has the components such as:

Sessions of 20 to 30 minutes.
The number of sessions is 4 to 8 sessions.
The number of weeks of sessions should be at least two.

What Are the Types of Psychological Treatments to Stop Smoking?

They are broadly classified as:

Behavioral interventions.
Hypnosis.
Practical, supportive, and educational counseling.

What Is Behavioral Therapy for Smoking Cessation?

They are structured programs that include identifying the individual's trigger points for smoking and helping them develop alternative skills to cope with the situation. People successfully quit smoking after individual counseling from a smoking cessation specialist and quit at six months follow-up. The intervention groups are of two types: Individual counseling and group intervention. The individual counseling consists of face-to-face sessions, and the group intervention consists of brief advice and self-help materials.

The type of behavioral therapy for smoking cessation is:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy- Cognitive behavioral therapy includes treating many psychological problems. It includes changing thinking and maladaptive patterns associated with negative behavior. It is a promising psychological intervention involving reconstructing thought and new learning processes. The one-on-one sessions with the healthcare professionals allow them to personalize the therapy according to the individuals. Individual problem-solving strategies help cope with difficult environments, such as avoiding smoking in environments where the person used to smoke. The person can cope emotionally better by changing their thinking pattern. The person can be educated about nicotine dependence and withdrawal symptoms. So he can be better equipped to face the challenges. The situations that trigger the urge to smoke can be identified and avoided. For example, if beer is a cue for smoking, then the beer can be replaced with a soft drink. To identify the cues, every time the person feels like smoking, the cause of the feeling should be recorded or written down in a diary. Identifying the motivational cues such as places, people, and actions, make the person feel more motivated to quit. It also counts the efforts taken by the current social network to motivate the person to quit.

Motivational Interviewing- It is a type of counseling where they help to explore the reasons why people feel unsure about quitting and they find ways to make them feel more comfortable to stop quitting. Counselors help people to choose how to change their own behavior. Planning to change involves a commitment to change and formulation of a concrete change plan. The goals of motivational interviewing are an engaged appreciation of an individual’s internal frame of reference, a clear focus on change, and evoking the individual’s motivations for change.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)- It emphasizes the acceptance concept as a way to deal with feelings, and negative thoughts and symptoms. It encourages people to avoid the negative influences that trigger smoking and focus on meaningful life activities. Cognitive defusion is the process of separating from inner experiences. The benefit of ACT is the impact on psychological flexibility. This allows them to respond to inner experience and avoid impulsive actions,

Contingency and Monetary Incentives- Contingency management are behavioral interventions that use cash payments, gifts, rewards and vouchers to reinforce behavior change.

Conclusion:

Nicotine dependence is a chronic dependence disease where the user should be given tobacco cessation treatment irrespective of their readiness to quit. Successful cessation can be achieved with a combination of psychological and pharmacological treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What Does the 5 A Approach to Smoking Cessation Consist Of?

The 5 A approach consists of the following -

- Ask: This includes the healthcare professionals asking the individuals about their smoking routine.

- Advise: This includes advice from health care professionals to quit smoking by mentioning the disadvantages and positive aspects of quitting it.

- Assess: This includes the assessment of smokers' potential to quit by healthcare professionals.

- Assist: This includes helping or assisting smokers to quit by providing them with an education and support from the healthcare professions.

- Arrange: This includes arranging follow-ups or referrals to specialized centers to quit smoking by health care professionals.

2. What Are Three Strategies That Smokers Can Use to Quit Smoking?

Using Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) in the form of gum, lozenges, patches, or nasal sprays can help in releasing small amounts of nicotine that can help in reducing the craving. Setting a quit date can help in mental preparation and increase motivation. Apart from these, joining support groups and sharing stories and challenges can also help in quitting.

3. What Are the Effective Methods That Can Help Someone Quit Smoking?

Methods that can help quit smoking include providing information about the health risks that occur due to smoking, setting a quit date, and using Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). Apart from this, understanding and approaching the person with empathy, having a nonjudgemental approach, and helping the person to identify their triggers and provide solutions to it can also help in quitting smoking.

4. What Factors Cause Difficulty in Quitting Smoking?

Quitting smoking can be challenging because of high addiction to nicotine, having behavioral associations with smoking, such as routine activities and social situations, and having an emotional attachment to smoking to cope with anxiety or stress. Fear of gaining weight can also be a barrier to quitting smoking. Apart from these, lack of support, social pressure, and past unsuccessful attempts can also cause difficulty in quitting smoking.

5. How Is the Cold Turkey Method Used for Quitting Smoking?

The cold turkey method is a strategy that involves suddenly stopping smoking without any use of medications or nicotine replacement therapy. Therefore, this depends mainly on smokers' power to quit it. This method involves setting a quit date, removing triggers, engaging in physical activities, and staying persistent. This method is challenging, but most find success by staying determined.

6. Are There Any Natural Remedies to Quit Smoking?

Herbs such as valerian root, passionfruit, and lobelia and therapies such as acupuncture can help reduce cravings. They can ease the withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia, stress, and anxiety. Some natural remedies include deep breathing exercises, meditation, and engaging in physical activities. Apart from these, aromatherapy with oils like lavender can be calming and help quit smoking.

7. What Are the Health Risks Associated with Smoking One Cigarette a Day?

Smoking one cigarette has less risk compared to smoking large amounts. However, it can cause cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease, where there is increased plaque buildup in the walls of the vessels that carry blood, along with heart attacks. It can also damage the lungs, causing coughing and infections. Apart from these, it can increase the risk of cancer and dental issues such as gum diseases and tooth loss.

8. Which Is the Challenging Stage of Quitting Smoking?

Different individuals experience different challenges, some may have difficulty in the early stages, called the early withdrawal stage, which occurs within a few weeks. It may be challenging because of nicotine habits, daily routines that are related to smoking, and emotional attachment to smoking. Apart from these, being around people who smoke can also cause difficulty in quitting smoking.

9. What Are the Benefits of Leading a Tobacco-Free Lifestyle?

Having a tobacco-free lifestyle can provide benefits mentally and physically. It can improve heart and respiratory functions, reduce cancer risk, and improve oral health. Apart from these, it can improve overall health, immunity system, and quality of life. Quitting tobacco can also decrease premature aging and can have positive effects on the surrounding by reducing secondhand smoke.

10. What Is the Safe Dose of Daily Intake of Nicotine?

There is no safe dose for the intake of nicotine since it is a highly addictive material that is harmful to health. But in this case, nicotine replacement therapy uses controlled doses of nicotine, and the specific doses are based on the smoker's habits and their dependence. Using NRTs also has side effects such as skin irritation, headache, and dizziness.

11. What Are the Ways to Quickly Detoxify the Body from Nicotine?

Ways to quickly detoxify the body from nicotine include staying hydrated, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep. But the first step should involve stopping the nicotine intake. Apart from these, supplements such as vitamins E and C can help in the detoxification process since they have antioxidant properties.

12. What Are the Side Effects of Nicotine Withdrawal?

The side effects of nicotine withdrawal include irritability, mood swings, and increased cravings, which can be very strong. It can also cause headaches, disturbance in sleep, increased appetite, and difficulty concentrating. Apart from this, it can also cause weight gain and digestive issues such as stomach pain and constipation, anxiety, and depression.

13. What Specific Foods Can Support the Process of Quitting Smoking?

Foods that can support quitting include fruits and vegetables, which are rich in antioxidants and vitamins; whole grains, such as brown rice and oats; and lean proteins, which can help maintain and repair cells. Other food substances rich in fat and minerals, including nuts and seeds, can help improve health. Besides these, herbal teas, dark chocolates, and staying hydrated can support quitting smoking.

14. Can Quitting Smoking Improve Overall Happiness?

Yes, quitting smoking can improve overall happiness because it improves physical health, improves mood, and decreases depression symptoms and anxiety. It can also improve the sense of smell and taste, it can boost confidence and self-esteem, and also improves social interactions. Apart from these, it can have financial benefits by saving money.

15. Does Dopamine Production Return to Normal Range after Quitting Smoking?

Yes, dopamine production can return to normal range after stopping smoking. Dopamine is a hormone that plays an important role in mood, feeling pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation. In the initial stages, there can be low dopamine levels due to the craving; over time, the brain adjusts itself and starts producing normal dopamine levels. This can occur within a few months or weeks after quitting smoking.

Sources

Paratwar Nayana Kapil

Psychologist/ Counselor

Rate this article

Tags:

psychological approaches to quit smoking

Do you have a question on

psychological approaches to quit smoking

Ask a Wellness Expert online

*guaranteed answer within 4 hours

Disclaimer: Wellness medicine is not aimed to replace the services of your treating physician or allopathy medicines. Our site's information is to those who are willing to take responsibility for their health, being fully aware that the content published herein would not qualify as a prescription or specific medical advice. If users use the information and stop prescribed medication without their physician's consent, they bear full responsibility for their actions, and iCliniq-Wellness bears no responsibility for the same. Information on Wellness medicine should not be misinterpreted as a cure for any illness, as our body is complex and everyone reacts differently.