Peer Pressure And The Smoking Habit

Do You Smoke Because of Cultural Influences?
 

Over the years, television shows and films have effectively built up positive associations between smoking and glamour, sexiness and risk-taking. From classic movies to recent pictures smoking has been portrayed as cool, sophisticated, macho and fun.

However, what these images don’t get across are all the negative things about smoking. The smell on your clothes and breath, stains on your fingers or the long-term and very serious health implications.

Or Do You Smoke Because of Social Influences?

Peer pressure can be hard for anyone to resist; this is particularly true for, but not restricted to, young people.

Smoking sometimes plays an important role in friendships; if you stop smoking you may lose a bond with friends who also smoke. If your friends smoke, deciding to quit may be difficult because they take it as a criticism of their own habit.

Smoking also creates bonds between groups of people, for example the groups of workers who smoke outside offices.

Is Quitting Smoking too Stressful?

Quitting smoking can be very stressful. When you try to give up cigarettes you have to put up with the cravings, the changes to your daily habits and also fight the temptation to smoke.

Many people use smoking as a strategy for coping with other sources of stress, for example stress at work. These smokers suffer a double blow in that they lose their crutch for dealing with stress and have to contend with the extra stress that results from trying to quit smoking.

There are many psychological and social pressures on smokers, and especially on those who want to quit. But this doesn't mean it's impossible to stop smoking or that you personally will find it difficult.

Some people manage to quit the first time and others take many attempts. However, if you never try to quit you’ll never make it as one of the millions of ex-smokers who have managed to quit for good.

To overcome these obstacles the first step is to understand your habit; the why’s and when’s of smoking. The second step is to come up with effective strategies to help you tackle them.

Why do People Still Smoke, even after they realize the dangers?

Why do you smoke? The following list reveals some of reasons why people continue to smoke. You may recognize yourself in one or more of them:

§         Simply a part of daily life

§         A way of dealing with stress and difficult situations

§         An aid for improving attention and concentration

§         A reward or treat

§         A way to pass time

§         A means of introduction and communicating with new people

§         A way to feel part of a group

§         A ritual you enjoy

§         Part of your identity

§         A habit

In order to fully understand the reasons people smoke it is important that we examine each reason in more detail.