The rate of smoking in Australia has decreased over the past decade as many of us have decided that the costs of the habit picked up in our youth is too high. We want to live longer and healthier lives. The average life expectancy for people who smoke is at least ten years less than for those who do not. It is up to 20 years less for those living with mental illness (Quit, 2017).
Did you know that smoking actually increases anxiety and stress? The sense of relief felt when a person has a cigarette comes from the fact that they are preventing themselves going into nicotine withdrawal.
People who do decide to quit experience improved physical well-being as the smoking-related damage that has been done to their bodies repairs itself. They also have more money at the end of every week, and feel good about protecting their loved ones from the effects of passive smoking. They feel better as they take back control from their addiction.
Clinical Psychologists can play a key role in helping people to quit.
How Clinical Psychologists can help you to stop smoking:
If you have been thinking about quitting smoking or perhaps have tried and not succeeded, Clinical Psychologists can help you by:
- creating a non-judgemental environment in which you can explore the function and costs of your smoking
- providing information about evidence-based treatments including behavioural strategies and pharmacotherapies such as nicotine replacement produces and/or medication
- assisting with identifying achievable goals and related strategies to support you quitting.
- acknowledging the challenges to changing behaviour and helping to strategize around managing obstacles.
The next step:
At psych180, our Psychologists have extensive training and experience in assisting people to make changes. Contact us if you would like to discuss this further.
For further information: 
