Smokers who frequently reflect on events in their lives might have a better chance of stopping smoking because they are more in tune with themselves. Their self-reflection makes them see the causes and effects of their actions and be mindful of them.
A significant part of smoking cessation is much easier if you’re naturally reflective, meditative and mindful. Does it also mean that spiritual and meditative people, despite any religious background, have a higher chance of successfully quitting than others?
In this post, we’ll talk about how spirituality might be helpful in stopping smoking for good.
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Emotional and Psychological Relief
Smokers have an emotional and psychological dependency on smoking. Most smokers started smoking to be part of the “cool” crowd in their adolescence and into college. Some smoke because it makes them forget the stresses of work and life.
Spirituality is a better alternative to the relief cigarettes bring to a person’s emotional and psychological pain. It encourages self-awareness and reflection on one’s actions through deep meditation and constructive methods to release stressful thoughts and feelings.
For instance, prayer (for religious smokers) and meditation have been shown to provide relief from anxiety and depression.
Whether a smoker has a religious or non-religious background, the act of being spiritual in a calm state and without distractions (in the form of praying or meditating) for a period of time will bring great relief.
It’s most likely that spirituality can significantly help sever their dependence on nicotine, especially when faced with strong nicotine withdrawals and cravings.
Recognition of Self-Destructive Tendencies
Spirituality encourages a person to have an inward view and recognise the things they’re anxious about and afraid of. Then, it gives you the opportunity to know your misgivings and forgive yourself for any mistakes, most often the primary causes of addiction in all forms.
Both faith-based and non-religious spirituality encourages smokers to view themselves as people deserving to live a better life without punishing themselves for their actions.
Whether it can gradually or drastically change a smoker’s view of themselves, the act of self-reflection in spiritual activities is often enough to root out the anxiety, depression, and guilt that smokers feel.
Focus and Concentration
Prayer and meditation in all forms encourage great focus and concentration. Citing a memorised prayer or silently focusing on your breath trains the mind to concentrate for long periods. Frequently practising these physical manifestations of spirituality can give the following tools to motivated smokers who are trying to quit.
Cultivating Self-Awareness
Prayer helps one recognise forgiveness, while meditation helps quitters be aware of their faults and let them go. Understanding what it means to forgive yourself improves your self-awareness, encouraging you to take responsibility for your actions.
Building Inner Strength and Resilience
Confidence comes from a person who recognises their strengths and improves their weaknesses. They accept that they could sometimes slip up, such as smoking again after one year of quitting, and forgive themselves then and quickly get back on track to quitting.
Prayer and meditation encourage them to reflect but never judge their actions, building their inner strength and resilience in the process.
Finding Alternative Coping Mechanisms
Meditation and mindfulness are actually two alternative coping mechanisms for any form of addiction, including cigarette smoking.
The most effective coping method is by having a defined smoking cessation plan by a GP with regular check-ins and the use of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and pharmacy nicotine vaping products (NVPs) to handle nicotine withdrawals.
In fact, most GPs have also been encouraging meditation and mindfulness to improve the mindset and successful recovery of motivated smokers.
A Supportive Community
Spirituality makes up a huge part of stop-smoking communities and organisations. Some faith-sponsored organisations use prayer and meditation as key to their quitting programmes.
On the other hand, local communities encourage journaling, meditation, and talking to a quit mate to encourage mindfulness and help you quit easily.
These communities also encourage creating a supportive community of friends and family members to help you get through the worst of your quit journey.
Nurturing Overall Well-Being
Prayer and meditation encourage smokers to recognise their actions for the day and stop beating themselves up about their failures and disappointments.
By urging motivated smokers to recognise their faults, accept them, and take responsibility, trying to quit becomes a habit that builds resilience, helping them become more constructive and look out for their well-being.
Are Spirituality and Meditation the Same?
Spirituality and meditation help smokers and other people with addiction to look inward and forgive themselves. But they are not the same.
Spirituality is typically a broad framework of beliefs, values, and practices connecting a person to a collective group or something greater than themselves. As such, spirituality is communal in nature.
On the other hand, meditation focuses on solitude and recognising yourself within the present moment. By concentrating on the current moment, a person forgets their anxieties and fears, allowing themselves to truly relax and their subconscious to work effectively without distractions.
Quitting Methods Aside from Spirituality
Spirituality and meditation are two great tools to help you quit smoking for good, but a GP who can assess your personal needs gives you the highest chance of successfully kicking smoking out of your life for good.
GP Consultations
GPs create smoking cessation plans based on evidence and data from the many smokers they’ve helped quit smoking successfully. They keep your previous nicotine consumption in mind when estimating your potential withdrawal symptoms.
A GP also prescribes the correct amounts of NRT products and whether it’s necessary to use nicotine vaping products (NVPs) from pharmacies.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) Products
These products are the lozenges, gums, inhalers, and patches you can buy over the counter. They provide you with a small nicotine dose to counter the withdrawals and cravings brought on by the absence of nicotine in your system.
Nicotine Vaping Products (NVPs) from Pharmacies
NVPs from pharmacies are a second means to help you quit smoking for good. NRT products don’t always work for everyone, and pharmacy-sold NVPs are far more effective in helping people quit.
The latest Cochrane Review found high-certainty evidence that NVPs are more effective than NRT in helping people stop smoking.
NVPs sold in pharmacies are made under stringent pharmaceutical standards on the manufacturing process and ingredients, are toxicologically assessed for inhalation, are locally insured, and are specifically designed to help you stop smoking.
Unlike illegal NVPs with dangerous nickel, lead, and high unregulated doses of nicotine, you’re using a trusted and responsible tool designed to help you stop smoking.
Summary
Prayer and faith can significantly improve your chances of successfully quitting for good. If you’re not religious, that’s also okay – you can be meditative and mindful of your actions.
The most important thing is you recognise your faults and strengths and take responsibility by using meditation and spirituality to kick smoking out of your life.
You’re probably here because you want to stop smoking with or without spirituality. We can help.
Smokefree Clinic gives you access to many medically reviewed and trustworthy resources that can inform and aid you in your path to wellness, so have a look around!
If you’re ready to get started, Smokefree can connect you to bulk-billing Australian healthcare professionals who excel in helping patients quit smoking for good, including using responsible vaping products where appropriate.
Click here to book your bulk-billed telehealth consultation with an Australian healthcare professional and quit smoking today.