The most difficult drug for an addict to quit is not heroin. Nor alcohol. Nor methamphetamines. Or crack cocaine.
The most difficult to quit 99% of the time is nicotine, especially cigarettes. One of the services we offer clients of our treatment program here at TLC is smoking cessation hypnosis. And I would estimate that in the last 2 to 3 years we have 25 people who are ex-smokers.
While I quit smoking January 25, 1984 at 9 AM in Globe, Arizona, 35 years ago, I still remember smoking as being one of the most difficult addictions I've quit. And I've probably gone through heroin withdrawal a minimum of 25 times between the ages of 16 and 45, yet it was never as difficult as quitting nicotine.
One reason we started offering smoking cessation hypnosis here at TLC treatment center is pretty much a personal thing. I had seven aunts and uncles who died early deaths due to either emphysema or COPD caused by smoking. One of my cousins passed away at age 35 from emphysema. And a couple of my uncles, both of whom were strong healthy guys who worked in the mines and in construction, both slowly suffocated because of emphysema. It was a sad way to see them go.
Because I thought it was a good idea for clients to quit smoking in the least stressful manner I took a six month course to learn to help them stop smoking through hypnosis. At first I was kind of anxious about whether this method would succeed. But before long I had half a dozen people who were non-smokers. In fact out of everyone I've hypnotized to quit smoking only one was unable to quit. And she ultimately died from the effects of COPD, which saddened her many friends here in the program.
The twelve-step programs recommend that we don't make major changes in our lives during our early months of recovery. That includes starting new relationships, new careers or anything that might have a strong emotional impact upon us. And quitting smoking can certainly cause stress. Yet if a client is motivated I'm always willing to help them.
And if a person can get off such a strong drug as nicotine, then they are strong enough to quit using any other drug. The ability to quit smoking takes major self-discipline and inner fortitude. And I have a great deal of respect for those who succeed at quitting this drug.
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