There are different behaviours, some good and some bad, that are known to affect your health. This focuses on just two: smoking and drinking, which are two behaviours that often go hand in hand (quite literally, a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other).
Most people know that smoking can cause lung and other cancers, other respiratory illnesses and heart disease.
Drinking is another major risk factor for various cancers, liver disease and high blood-pressure, not to mention all the social problems associated with alcohol abuse.
The question is, why do people continue to smoke and drink, when there are so many health benefits to cutting down or stopping? Or more important, how do you cut down when so many previous attempts have failed?
There is some interesting research to suggest that the problem is not that people don’t believe that these behaviours are unhealthy.
Rather, the problem is that people also believe that smoking and drinking bring important benefits. For example, many people believe that smoking and drinking is relaxing – even though what is "relaxing" is often the relief that comes with satisfying unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.
Others will say that they need to smoke or drink to cope, or that these are the only pleasures in their lives. Some might suggest that the benefits of cutting down are overstated.
Recent research suggests that these positive beliefs about the benefits and pleasures of smoking and drinking can be challenged and that by doing so, people can cut down or give up entirely.
This is certainly true for smoking: A recent pilot study that involved only two group-treatment sessions to identify and challenge these positive beliefs compared favourably with more traditional approaches to quitting cigarettes. So if you are looking to cut down, ask yourself if this is the only way you can relax.
Are there others ways in which you can cope with stress? Is life really worse without cigarettes and booze? Chances are that if you think differently about your drinking or smoking, you can begin to behave differently.
There are different behaviours, some good and some bad, that are known to affect your health. This focuses on just two: smoking and drinking, which are two behaviours that often go hand in hand (quite literally, a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other).
Most people know that smoking can cause lung and other cancers, other respiratory illnesses and heart disease.
Drinking is another major risk factor for various cancers, liver disease and high blood-pressure, not to mention all the social problems associated with alcohol abuse.
The question is, why do people continue to smoke and drink, when there are so many health benefits to cutting down or stopping? Or more important, how do you cut down when so many previous attempts have failed?
There is some interesting research to suggest that the problem is not that people don’t believe that these behaviours are unhealthy.
Rather, the problem is that people also believe that smoking and drinking bring important benefits. For example, many people believe that smoking and drinking is relaxing – even though what is "relaxing" is often the relief that comes with satisfying unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.
Others will say that they need to smoke or drink to cope, or that these are the only pleasures in their lives. Some might suggest that the benefits of cutting down are overstated.
Recent research suggests that these positive beliefs about the benefits and pleasures of smoking and drinking can be challenged and that by doing so, people can cut down or give up entirely.
This is certainly true for smoking: A recent pilot study that involved only two group-treatment sessions to identify and challenge these positive beliefs compared favourably with more traditional approaches to quitting cigarettes. So if you are looking to cut down, ask yourself if this is the only way you can relax.
Are there others ways in which you can cope with stress? Is life really worse without cigarettes and booze? Chances are that if you think differently about your drinking or smoking, you can begin to behave differently.
