Psychology

Habits which are either good or bad make one who he or she is. A habit may be an unconscious behavior which one does repeatedly even when aware of the bad consequences (Carr 2004). A bad habit in the short or long run results to bad consequence and thus on identifying that one has the bad habit, it is always good to work towards avoiding it. Everybody in one way or another has a bad habit and should first identify it and then work towards avoiding it.

Smoking is a bad habit and starts from a person taking a puff and finally becoming an addict. A person addicted to smoking has to smoke one cigarette after another and ends up becoming a chain smoker. Cigarette smoking causes some body changes due to addiction of nicotine. When one has a smoking habit, many other things may go along with having a cigarette like having a cup of coffee, driving, talking on phone and socializing with friends. Smoking habit results to bad consequences because it can lead to lung cancer and other types of cancers, it can also cause heart disease, wrinkles, stomach ulcers due to acid and gum diseases (Cross  Hopwood 2006). It may also affect the people around the smoker because it leads to the risk of second hand smoke to people around, cost of smoking may also be transferred to the family members, smoking sets a bad example to the children and also if a pregnant woman smokes, she poses the risk of damaging the unborn baby.

Therapists can help a person avoid smoking permanently. One of the most used techniques is hypnosis which works by instilling triggers which inhabit the hidden triggers that encourage one to smoke. Hypnosis makes a person relax while focusing on a desired result or problem. There are several ways in which one can use hypnosis to stop smoking. Self hypnosis is one of the methods and involves one relaxing himself and guiding oneself through the images that can make one stop smoking. This method requires some practice to master (Carr 2005). The other alternative is hypnotherapy by a hypnotherapist. A hypnotherapist is an expert who helps one to relax and also guides a person using words and images to stop smoking. One session program or multiple sessions can be used to help one succeed. The third alternative is a combination of self hypnosis and use of a hypnotherapist. It involves a person listening to a recorded program either at home or in an office which is produced by a professional. This method allows flexibility and repeatability.

Cognitive therapy can also be applied to stop smoking. It involves discovering ideas and thoughts that are in ones control and understanding them. When they are examined they can be influenced by reference to logic and fact. One requires to list down the times he reaches for a cigarette, events related to the decision to smoke and what promoted smoking. The aim is to bring the triggers of smoking from unconscious state to conscious awareness where they are subject to conscious control.

Nicotine replacement therapy is another method used to help one stop smoking. It uses quit smoking products like nicotine gums, patches, inhalers and electronic cigarette to satisfy the bodys urge of nicotine (Cross  Hopwood 2006). The therapeutic approach is the best way to stop smoking because it provides quick results compared to other methods which require a lot time. Nicotine substitutes used in this method also makes it a quick way. Experts are involved in this method which thus makes it to be the best method.

Conclusion
In conclusion, a bad habit changes a persons way of living. This article has featured smoking as a bad habit, the consequences of smoking and the therapeutic ways of stopping smoking. It has also given the benefits of using this therapeutic method.