Statistics show that people who are trying to quit smoking who get support actually have a higher success rate. This is why getting support as one means to help quit smoking is something that comes highly recommend. I did seek out support groups as part of my strategy for getting the help I needed back in the days when I was struggling to overcome my own issues. During this time, I had made some objective observations about support relationships and groups that concerned me. Since you may be interested in support relationships or groups to help you quit smoking, I would like to share my concerns with you.
I would like to say up front that I am very much in favor of support relationships. All of us need to have other people in our lives who are able to understand us; someone that we can talk to and share our problems and experiences with. Everyone needs support, fellowship and love. A support group can be a great source for developing these types of relationships and also for learning new solutions from a broader range of sources.
The way that support groups and other support relationships are sometimes used is a concern that I would like to share with you. My concern, is that sometimes people use support groups and relationships in a co-dependent way. In other words, it becomes one more thing to become dependent on; a type of dependency that is not healthy. It becomes a new dependency and this usually happens unconsciously. What they actually end up doing is replacing one dependency with another; the smoking for the relationship or group.
I would encourage anyone to have supporters in their life but I also suggest that they pay close attention and note whether their supporters are encouraging and supporting them towards success or are they actually helping to create a co-dependency relationship or group that is a substitute dependency. And even more, I suggest that the individual pay very close attention, on a very conscious level, at what is driving him/her to be attached to the person or group so that they can notice if they are developing a substitute dependency. It is my hope that people will really become free. So plunge on and I am sure you will surround yourself with the right people for you. With the right mindset and the right supporters surrounding you, I am sure you will succeed in pursuit to stop smoking.
The key to preventing this new replacement dependency is self-awareness. It is necessary to commit to constant self-observation. Be aware of what you are feeling and thinking at all times. By doing this you will not be driven unconsciously and functioning just by instinct. You will be able to tell whether or not you are being driven by the dependency. If you are, then the best thing you can do for yourself is to find the things that edify you in your spirit. Find ways to be intimate with people at the spirit level (your spirit). This is where the pain and need exists. A dependency, at its core, is a problem in the persons spirit and this is where the healing needs to take place. Of course, this would be after you have gotten past the physical phase which is the nicotine withdrawal. My encouragement for you is this; to become dependent on other people's love, not their stimulation.
Have you ever tried to quit smoking but you have failed because other people around you still smoke? I’ve been there and know the feeling. It can be a lot harder to quit smoking when all your doing all day is breathing in other peoples smoke!
So how do you manage to quit smoking even when everyone around you still smokes?
Well, the good news is that it can be done. It might just be a little harder. You could always ‘ask’ your friends or family members if they want to quit smoking with you. I say ask because you don’t want to force people into quitting with you; it must be voluntary on their part.
It’s natural for your friends and family to feel threatened by you wanting to quit. They may think you are putting unintentional pressure on them and their normal response to you may be a little negative. Some people might even try to get you to start smoking again, and it’s this point where a lot of people fail.
When you’re with one of your friends or family members who smoke just sit down and have a chat with them. Explain to them that you are quitting smoking and that is very important to you. Ask them to be considerate when they smoke and try not to do it in your face, but in the most polite way possible.
You may find that with friends or family there are things you do that naturally involve smoking. For example, going to a bar or a club, most smokers like to have a smoke when they’re enjoying a drink. Try to change the situation where you would normally smoke. For instance, instead of going to a bar or a club, try going bowling or to the cinema or something, this doesn’t necessarily involve smoking.
Basically, when quitting smoking it is hard, especially when the people in your life also smoke. You just have to talk to these people and let them know that you would like their support and to try and be more considerate in the future regarding their own smoking habits around you. Hopefully, they will be nothing but supportive but don’t try and force them to quit, nor force anything upon them.
If you follow the advice in this article then it should make quitting smoking a little easier, despite the fact that your friends and family smoke. Good luck!
Written by Oliver Peck Check out the Quit Smoking Support Blog.
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Frank Andrews has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Finances. Frank Andrews has been a student of personal development for over 25 years. As a result, he has authored two self-help books and developed a blog website to help smokers quit smoking. Having successfully worked through many of his own personal struggles,. Frank Andrews's top article generates over 4400 views. Bookmark Frank Andrews to your Favourites.