Mind Over Matter: An Internal Battle

Jessica Ruiz-Jones

04-02-2014

ENGL 299

When I was 16, I picked up a habit that has plagued me ever since. That first cigarette gave me a feeling of dizziness that I enjoyed, and I did not see the harm in what I was doing. While I never intended to become addicted, I still have a pack of cigarettes in my purse right now. I have heard fellow smokers say that we are all slowly dying, and this gave me a temporary feeling of relief. However, I know what I am doing is harmful to my health, and the excuses smokers make in their own minds only masks the problem and provides a false sense of relief from the realities of smoking.

There are scores of excuses we use as smokers to validate our nasty habit. Some say they first must graduate. Others say once they get that promotion they will make efforts to kick the habit. In my own mind, when I consider quitting, I find myself wondering if it is worth it at all. After all, there are many ways to die, and it would be a shame to go through the pains of withdraw only to die in a car accident. However, deep in my mind, I know that these are only excuses that I use to make myself feel better mentally while I continue to poison my body.

In her article “Smokers Fight More Than Just One Addiction,” Nirmala Raniga explains that it is more than the nicotine that smokers must overcome. As with many habits, smoking provides the user with a sense of empowerment and belonging, and often the hardest part of quitting is the loss of a social activity the addict has learned to rely on (Deepak).

At 29 years of age, I realize that I am still young, but as the days pass, I know that the aging process is sneaking up on me. As a teenager, I told myself that I would quit smoking before it became a problem. Even at that age, I made excuses, and too many smokers appease themselves by convincing their own minds that there is not a problem. The reason they do this is because they know what they are doing is dangerous, but it’s a habit they have learned to rely on to get through the day. While I will likely smoke a cigarette within the next 15 minutes, I will do so knowing that I am causing damage to my lungs that could cause irreversible problems including lung cancer and emphysema. I recently heard the story of a family member who smoked his entire life. He developed emphysema, and hearing of his pain made me think harder about my own decisions. Taking a single breath was painstaking for him, and exhaling was very difficult. He had to rely heavily on those around him to perform simple tasks, and he finally succumbed to the disease. Those close to him watched as his health deteriorated, and my uncle, who was by his side the whole time, quit smoking as a result of witnessing his pain.

I am still a smoker, but, I have the desire to quit. I used to trick my own mind into believing that my addiction was acceptable, I could quit sometime in the future, I have to die of something. I understand that I was simply tricking my brain into allowing me to satisfy my cravings without feeling fear or guilt, and I know many fellow smokers who tell themselves the same thing. After hearing the horrors that are associated with emphysema, however, I have been forced to re-evaluate my own mental and physical behavior. Smoking is a powerful addiction, and it is easier to convince oneself that the problem can be fixed in the future. Unfortunately for most, the future remains in the days to come, and quitting comes in the form of death.

Recognizing that a large part of the battle is to overcome mental barriers, West Virginia University offers a viable solution. Rather than rely on nicotine replacement products such as e-cigarettes and patches which continue the flow of the addictive property of cigarettes, they suggest mental strategies that will help you eliminate nicotine and deal with the mental triggers. For starters, they suggest announcing to friends, family, and co-workers of your intent to quit. This establishes the fact and helps you reduce urges by countering the feeling of fitting in by smoking with accountability. Less than seven percent of people who try to quit succeed, and these researchers acknowledge that it’s the mental barrier that is often overlooked that must be addressed during the quitting process (WELLWVU).

I know I need to quit, and making that fact concrete in my mind is only half the battle. Now, I must take mind over matter and attempt to quit my bad habit once and for all. Smokers must come to terms with the consequences their actions will likely bring later in life. When emphysema, lung cancer, or COPD sets in, it’s too late. By tricking our own minds with various excuses, we allow continued damage to our bodies, and it takes admission and the ability to take mind over matter to overcome this problem that will lead to pain and misery in our last days of life.

Works Cited

Deepak Chopra. “Smokers Fight More Than Just One Addiction.” Nirmala Raniga. 18 February 2014. www.deepakchopra.com/…/smokers_fight_more_than_just_one_add…

WELLWVU- The Student’s Center of Health. “Quit Smoking: Top Five Psychological Strategies.” 20 September 2013.http://well.wvu.edu/…/quit_smoking__top_five_psychological_…