By stimulating your nervous system's relaxation response, soothing music can become a healthy habit to replace the unhealthy habit of smoking to relieve stress.
by Daniel Kobialka, D.M.A.
Studies have shown that as many as two-thirds of smokers would like to stop. Some people are able to do so with very little outside help; these are people who simply no longer have any desire for tobacco, hence the idea emerges that "you just have to decide you don't want to, then just stop."
For many others it's not so easy. Smoking is a habit; not only is it physically addictive, but habits are unconscious. The unconscious only tries to give you what you want, and it doesn't use logic.
The University of Iowa combined results of over 600 studies covering 72,000 people from Europe and the U.S. (1) and concluded that hypnotherapy is the most effective way to stop smoking because it is an unconscious approach to a problem contributed to by the unconscious.
Since the unconscious only tries to give you what you want, running a habit when that seems to fit the bill, this would work, except that once your conscious mind decides it wants to quit, the two sides are in opposition. It's easy, therefore, for the unconscious to substitute one habit, such as overeating, for the smoking habit.
For this reason, it can be most helpful if a smoker identifies the need that the habit fills, in order to replace it with a more life-supporting, goal-supporting habit. In many cases, smoking is used to relieve stress, so the smoker can create an environment more likely to result in success if he first decides how he will relieve stress without smoking.
Instead of putting something else in the mouth, such as gum, candy or food, why not put something in your ears? When caught in rush hour traffic, rather than lighting up a cigarette, pop in a CD. Instead of going out for a cigarette when under duress, plug in your mp3 player.
Beautiful, calming music can be a powerful, soothing aid that stimulates your nervous system's relaxation response. Especially in today's smoke-free environments, instead of having to brave the elements to puff on something unhealthy and addictive, stay comfortable and in control by listening to a short piece of calming, inspiring music that will bring you relaxation safely and quickly.
1. Schmidt, Chockalingam, "How One in Five Give Up Smoking", Journal of Applied Psychology, University of Iowa, October 1992
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