Smoking cigarettes is one of the leading causes of preventable death in the United States. Each year, more than 480,000 people die from illnesses related to tobacco use. And while the overall smoking rate in the U.S. has declined in recent years, nearly 38 million American adults still smoke cigarettes. If you’re a smoker, quitting is one of the best things you can do for your health. Quitting smoking has immediate and long-term benefits, reducing your risk of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, and other illnesses. And the sooner you stop, the greater the benefit.
Behavioral therapy for smoking may be an effective treatment option for people who want to quit smoking. It may seem unorthodox, but behavioral therapies for smoking are the same for other types of addictions, such as interpersonal psychotherapy in Tennessee. Learn more about The Ranch Tennessee and its cognitive-behavioral therapy program for quitting smoking.
How to Quit Smoking
If you want to quit smoking, start with your doctor, who can guide you to resources for cessation programs. A common way that many people try to treat their addiction is with nicotine replacement therapy. This means using a patch, gum, inhaler, or another delivery system for nicotine. You can reduce withdrawal and cravings and slowly wean yourself from cigarettes without exposing yourself to harmful toxins.
Another common strategy is to go cold turkey or to try certain other prescription drugs that don’t contain nicotine. Using behavioral therapies for smoking produces more comfortable and successful methods to stop smoking. Working with an addiction expert, you’ll find the emotional or situational triggers that lead you to smoke. Behavior therapies, like dialectical behavior therapy in TN, address smoking as a learned behavior. Therapies for smoking reinforce new healthy behaviors and teach coping skills when triggers arise.
The Benefits of Quitting Smoking Through a Behavioral Therapy Program
When you’re trying to quit smoking, it can feel like you’re fighting an uphill battle. Nicotine is one of the most addictive drugs available. But behavioral therapies for smoking give you tools to manage cravings and withdrawal symptoms. They also help you understand why you smoke in the first place and how to avoid relapse in the future.
Quitting smoking has immediate as well as long-term benefits. Some of those benefits include:
- Reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer
- Improved circulation
- A better sense of smell and taste
- More money in your pocket
- Reduced stress levels
- Improved fertility
Behavioral therapy may be the right treatment option if you’re ready to quit smoking.
Behavioral Therapy Programs to Quit Smoking
Unfortunately, most people are not successful in quitting smoking. It’s challenging to do, and as with other types of addiction, there is no real cure. Medications like those for nicotine replacement help, but they are not complete solutions. Behavioral therapies for smoking and interventions, combined with medications, give you a better chance of quitting for good. The following are some of the techniques and programs that could help you quit:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) – In CBT, you’ll work with a trained therapist who’ll help you learn how to recognize negative thoughts and behaviors and change them.
- Motivational enhancement therapy (MET) – MET is a unique therapy that is short-term and uses techniques to help you quickly become intrinsically motivated to quit. Therapists practicing MET with you will use motivational interviewing, a strategy designed to engage you in conversation and uncover your reasons for being ambivalent about quitting.
- Contingency management – Contingency management can work for smokers more often with addictions to hard drugs like heroin. It involves providing you with rewards for not smoking. This is not a common strategy for smoking cessation, but it has been used with smokers and proven to work.
- 12-step addiction therapy program – Therapy programs based on the 12-step addiction treatment philosophy are available for smokers and can be helpful. The idea of a 12-step program is rooted in social support. You can likely find support groups for smoking cessation in your community, but many are available online.
However you choose to quit smoking, the vital thing is that you do it. Your best chance of being successful at quitting is if you get help from professionals who use behavioral therapies for smoking.
Discover Behavioral Therapy for Smoking at The Ranch Tennessee
Behavioral therapies for smoking have been proven to be successful in helping people quit. The Ranch Tennessee offers behavioral therapy programs based on 12-step principles and CBT techniques. Find a counselor experienced in treating addiction and try behavioral interventions when contacting The Ranch Tennessee. Call our addiction experts at 1.844.876.7680 today.
