[img]560|left|Nicholas D. Pollak||no_popup[/img]A neighbor recently asked me to help him to quit smoking. In his late 20’s, he is the grandson of a prominent business owner.

He works in the knowledge that when his grandfather passes (hopefully many years from now) he will inherit the business. He works in sales and helps with the administration. His job: To process all sales through their computer system and maintain a good rapport with his current customers.

He was smoking more and increasingly unhappy about it because when he went to work, all he had to look forward to was the whole sales staff walking around in a negative mood because they were confounded by their new computer system.

They were having to think about what to do instead of (as in the past) just being able to input an order and move on. Conditions were so dark that one salesperson said: “The new system is taking all the fun out of the job.”

Apparently these people enjoy complaining about their jobs.

The switch to a new system only is frustrating at first because they all have to learn to do things a different way.

Now, though, they must think about what they are doing.

Being Realistic

They have forgotten that within a short time, the new system will be learned and will become as second nature.

Same as the old system.

Remember when we had to learn to tie our shoelaces? We weren’t born knowing how.

This situation was a great segue to further discuss my neighbor’s desire to quit smoking.

He was determined to quit smoking, but I was concerned because his housemate and his friends were drinkers and smokers.

To my surprise he said forcefully that what they did was what they did, and what he does is what he does.

Just because they smoked, he didn’t have to.

He admitted that in quitting smoking he worried he would lose the people contact that he would have when he went outside to smoke with his work colleagues or house friends.

No Drastic Loss

I encouraged him that he still could do all the things he does with his friends, the only difference being that he has made the choice not to smoke.

He thought about that and nodded. He still could use the idea of smoking as an excuse to take a break or be with his colleagues/friends, but simply do that without smoking.

A smoker for 10 years, he only smoked 8 to 10 cigarettes per day. To help him to quit, we chose to reduce his smoking week by week until he stopped.

This gradually reduces the nicotine in his system. When he finally quit, the withdrawal from the nicotine was minor and all nicotine was out of his system within three days.

He just needed to learn the habit pattern of smoking at certain times of the day, in certain places and situations.

I emphasized his urge to smoke was a learned behavior. He could replace it with a healthy new one. We discussed what would work for him as an alternative to smoking. His attempt has been successful.

My neighbor was a terrific candidate to quit because he had the correct mindset. When I asked why he wanted to quit, he said he had health issues. Quitting smoking would help him to feel better. He wanted to live a long, healthy life, get married, have a family and to be energetic until he dies.

The thought of lying in bed in his old age and coughing up lung full of stuff from smoking, with a wrinkled face and yellow teeth was not the way he wanted to die. Stopping smoking was the first thing he wanted to do to have a better life now.

As an ex-smoker, his lungs quickly will return to a healthier state. His chances of contracting lung cancer will be the same as any nonsmoker. His blood pressure will ease, he will have less carbon monoxide in his system and fewer of the nasty chemicals used to cure cigarettes to make the tobacco taste more palatable.

His heart and vascular system will be healthier. His skin, teeth, breath and hair all will benefit from quitting smoking. He also will have more energy than he used to.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me by telephone, 310.204.3321 or by email at nickpollak@hypnotherapy4you.net. See my website at www.hypnotherapy4you.net