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New research in Britain concludes that the loss of their identity could be one of the reasons why so many smokers have trouble getting rid of this habit.
"When people try to quit smoking, they try to bury part of their old identity and reconfigure a new one," said Caitlin Notley, principal investigator at the East University. Anglia England
"This can be difficult, especially when it is something that is part of them. Although many people are successful in quitting smoking, relapse is very common, "she added in a university press release.
"Of course, we know that smoking creates physical dependence. on the psychological side – but that assumes that people are unable to resist physical drives, or are vulnerable to social cues, "Notley said. "We wanted to understand other social factors that could also be important."
The results were published online in Journal of Substance Use .
According to a 2015 HSRC report, 17.6% of adults are South Africans who smoke tobacco. Four times as many males (29.2%) as females (7.3%) smoked. The province with the highest smoking prevalence was the Western Cape (32.9%).
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Emotional Triggers
In the current study, researchers conducted in-depth interviews with people who had stopped and relapsed. About 40 participants described their smoking history and previous attempts to quit smoking and discussed any recurrence of smoking. The researchers then focused on the 23 people who provided the most detailed information.
"We have discovered that relapse is associated with a range of emotional triggers that are often linked to people seeking to regain lost social identity. – their identity as a smoker, "said Notley." People want to feel part of a social group and get an idea of who they are – smoking is part of their identity, for the most part, since their birth. adolescence. "
Notley adds that people often start smoking Many thought it helped them cope with stressful events, which many feared would become unavoidable again, and that they felt relieved to regain their identity as smoker – so there are a lot of emotional reactions related to relapse. "
Tips for Quitting Smoking
While pointing out that there is not a single formula to "quit smoking" that works for everyone, a Health24 article the following tips on how to quit smoking:
- Set a clear "date of abandonment" that suits you personally, such as a birthday or another stage e
- Anticipate situations in which you will be tempted to relapse, and have a realistic plan of how you will deal with these temptations.
- Consider using a nicotine replacement device, such as gum, patch, lozenge, inhaler, nasal spray or other medications, for smoking cessation.
- Hire the help of other people. No one else can do it for you, but the cooperation and encouragement of those around you can really help.
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