READDRESSING TOBACCO ADDICTION 1

Readdressing Tobacco Addiction

Muhammad Ashraf bin Minhaj

OCU
READDRESSING TOBACCO ADDICTION 2

Readdressing Tobacco Addiction

We have seen leaps in progress of psychology within the clinical field. The field of

behaviorism for instance has brought with it the notable cognitive-behavioral therapy which aims

at restructuring one’s behavior for object normative ends. We see hedonism, a construct for

which the attainment of pleasure over the avoidance of pain posits why behaviorism is so

successful. Patients are guided towards monitoring and correcting their behavior for which the

behaviorist holds council over. The patient does not hold sway over what action he should take,

rather be relayed by what action is normatively preferred.

He is essentially depended on this secondary role provided by caretakers and authority

figures, notwithstanding his own inherent series of intrinsic desires to justify the life he should

take or be. Realistically, most if not all ideas are flawed. We have within the field of behaviorism

some positive nuances and contributions for which the medical field would not be able to do

without. In this instance, our article dives into the current treatment procedures provided to

tobacco addicts, circumvent by issues surrounding tobacco addiction that requires discussion.

Treatments [ CITATION Hea17 \l 18441 ] for smoking cessation includes nicotine

replacement therapy (NRT) also known as the patch for which one applies a sticker that contains

low levels of nicotine to one’s arm or back. Given the low dosage of nicotine, it has been posited

to relief the body of said addictive substance. Nicotine gum is a similar option as the NRT where

a similar low dosage of nicotine is applied. The difference here being that the gum helps alleviate

users who often chew as they smoke, that said the gum is applied orally and reduce chewing

behavior that has been reinforced with smoking. Alternatively, there is a nasal spray or inhaler

variant where the medication is inhaled. Two other medication options include tablets

Varenicline, and Bupropion. For psychological treatments for smoking cessation, there are
READDRESSING TOBACCO ADDICTION 3

hypnotherapy, neuro-linguistic programming, and cognitive behavioral therapy, all of which aims

at altering one’s behavior, thoughts-emotions.

The primary concern I have with addiction issues in relation to tobacco is with how

addiction treatments gloss over the problem of addiction. The treatment options such as the NRT,

gum, or inhaler, holds to rectify smoking usage but otherwise misaddress the issues for why

users become addicted in the first place. Ultimately it sidesteps the problem of addiction. Having

to rely on such measures for cessations does not take note the compounding issues surrounding

an addict, his social climate, career, or personal lifestyle. A three-year study by Yilmazel et al.,

(2014) suggested that while most addicts desire to quit, without the proper assistance they would

relapse back into smoking. Similar sentiments could be shared in another study by Britton et al.,

(2001) who conducted his in the UK. In addition, intervention measures are few and in-between.

Additionally, according to a study by Hughes (2003) less than 5% of smokers would attend such

therapies, this despite behavioral therapies being the most effective of treatment procedures. We

see the concern here in these people is that they have resign to whatever fact that is made

amicable by the providers of their addiction. They grant not the strength in themselves to make

the effort of change rather await or wish others for them. This resignation extends to this passive

behavior we are seeing globally.

Another brilliant article (Hellman et al., 2015) alludes to this with how society has

become so chaotic, with pressures on life accompanied by stressors and anxiety, and a null on

communication and social relationship. The society we live in is largely unwell, by large the way

we communicate in office or in traffic is through social media, we leave children to their own

devices to schools for which we hoped would fill our responsibility, we take less and less

initiative, knowing that most things are becoming fast within reach. The sad irony is that we
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know we are set to collapse, yet this whole system is largely driven by what we defer initiative

off. Things are made to seem meaningless, and it drives this industry. Addiction much as any

self-harm measure I believe is an escapism, our fight or flight mechanics in revolt. If the

situations we see are as dire or as hopeless, drinking away your sorrows even to cope with this

bleak reality may seem worthwhile. If we do want to make a change somewhere, I believe will

still could. Behaviorism suggested the change of one’s actions to suit the situation. What if we go

further and change the what inspires a situation as well, create an atmosphere, a room or space

by which growth ensues.

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References

Britton, J., Jarvis, M., McNEILL, A. N. N., Bates, C., Cuthbertson, L., & Godfrey, C.

(2001). Treating nicotine addiction: not a medical problem?. American journal of respiratory

and critical care medicine, 164(1), 13-15.

Healthline Media. (2017). Tobacco and Nicotine Addiction. Retrieved from Healthline:

http://www.healthline.com/health/addiction/tobacco#resources5

Hellman, M., Majamäki, M., Rolando, S., Bujalski, M., & Lemmens, P. (2015). What

causes

addiction problems? Environmental, biological and constitutional explanations in press

portrayals from four European welfare societies. Substance use & misuse, 50(4), 419-

438.

Hughes, J. R. (2003). Motivating and Helping Smokers to Stop Smoking. Journal of

General

Internal Medicine, 18(12), 1053–1057. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1525-1497.2003.20640.x

Yilmazel Ucar, E., Araz, O., Yilmaz, N., Akgun, M., Meral, M., Kaynar, H., & Saglam, L.

(2014). Effectiveness of pharmacologic therapies on smoking cessation success: three

years results of a smoking cessation clinic. Multidisciplinary Respiratory Medicine, 9(1),

9. http://doi.org/10.1186/2049-6958-9-9