Disclaimer: The content of the article is for reference only, the storyline is purely fictional, intended to popularize health knowledge, if you feel unwell, please seek medical attention offline.
Li Ming stood on the balcony and took a deep breath of cigarette. He looked at the city skyline in the distance, his mind drifting to the night that had changed his life ten years ago.
At the time, he was a young architect who had just completed the design of an important project.
To celebrate, he and his colleagues drank happily all night. The next morning, he woke up with a hangover and found himself lying in a hospital bed.
Doctors told him he had been admitted to the emergency room with breathing difficulties caused by alcohol poisoning and long-term smoking.
This news was like a bolt from the blue, making Li Ming realize that his health had turned on a red light. He was determined to quit smoking, but the process was much more difficult than he had imagined.
Li Ming has tried various methods: nicotine patches, e-cigarettes, cold turkey...... But every time it ended in failure. Addiction to cigarettes haunts him like a lingering ghost. He began to wonder if there really was an easy and effective way to quit smoking.
Just when Li Ming was about to give up, he met a unique Chinese medicine practitioner, Dr. Zhang. Dr. Zhang is not only proficient in traditional Chinese medicine, but also incorporates the concepts of modern psychology. He introduced Li Ming to two unique ways to quit smoking, which subverted Li Ming's perception of quitting smoking.
The first method is called "awareness therapy". Dr. Zhang explained that many people fail to quit smoking because they focus on "don't smoke". This, in turn, increases the craving for cigarettes. Instead, awareness therapy encourages people to be aware of the entire process of smoking, including lighting a cigarette, smoking, and exhaling every detail.
"When you really become aware of the process, you will find that smoking is not as pleasant as you think," Dr. Zhang said, "and you may notice the bitter taste of tobacco or feel the smoke irritate your throat." This awareness will naturally reduce your cravings for smoking. "
Li Ming began to try this method. At first, he thought it was a little strange, but as time went on, he did find that his interest in cigarettes was gradually decreasing. He began to notice that the smell of tobacco was making him feel sick, a feeling that he had previously ignored.
The second approach, which Dr. Zhang calls even more surprising, is what Dr. Zhang calls "alternative customary law". The core idea of this approach is not to try to quit smoking outright, but to replace smoking with a new, healthy habit.
"Everybody smokes for different reasons," Dr. Zhang explains, "some to relieve stress, some to concentrate." We need to find a new way to meet these needs. "
For Li Ming, smoking is mainly about a short break at work. Dr. Zhang suggested that he could try short meditation or deep breathing exercises. Whenever Li Ming feels the urge to smoke, he closes his eyes, takes a few deep breaths, or does a short mindfulness exercise.
The combination of these two methods works surprisingly well. Li Ming found that his craving for cigarettes was waning over time. What's more, he didn't feel the pain and struggle that was common in quitting smoking.
Li Ming's experience is not unique. In recent years, studies at home and abroad have confirmed the effectiveness of these methods. A study by the Institute of Psychology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences showed that smoking cessation methods that combine cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness practice have a nearly 40% higher success rate than traditional methods. (Reference: Wang Li et al., "Application of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Smoking Cessation", Chinese Journal of Mental Health, 2022)
Another study conducted by the Peking University School of Public Health found that quitting smoking with alternative customary methods had a 50% lower rate of relapse after one year than those who quit smoking by willpower alone. (Reference: Li Hua et al., "The Role of Habit Substitution in Long-term Smoking Cessation", Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2023)
These findings give us a new understanding of smoking cessation. Quitting smoking doesn't have to be a painful battle, it can be a process of self-discovery and growth. By being aware of our own behavior patterns and developing new healthy habits, we can say goodbye to cigarettes in a more harmonious way.
Li Ming's story continues. In the process of quitting smoking, he not only improved his health, but also discovered many beautiful things in life that were previously overlooked. He began to taste the real taste of food, enjoy the fresh air, and even picked up his younger hobby of painting.
This process has also affected Li Ming's career. As an architect, he began to think more about the impact of architecture on people's physical and mental health in his designs. He designed buildings that began to incorporate more natural elements, creating spaces that encourage relaxation and meditation.
Li Ming's changes have also infected the people around him. His colleague Xiao Zhang, a long-time smoker, also decided to try quitting smoking after seeing Li Ming's change. Li Ming introduced him to awareness therapy and alternative customary methods, and gave him support and encouragement throughout the process.
Zhang's road to quitting smoking has not been easy. He had quite a few setbacks and almost gave up on a few occasions. At a particularly difficult moment, Li Ming suggested that he try another method: keep a diary.
"Taking a few minutes a day to record your feelings, whether it's the craving for cigarettes or the changes that come with quitting," says Li, "will not only help you better understand your emotions and behavior patterns, but also allow you to see your progress." "
This advice has paid off. By keeping a diary, Zhang began to realize that his dependence on cigarettes was often related to work stress. He began to explore other ways to relieve stress, such as a short walk during his lunch break or an after-work yoga class.
Over time, both Li Ming and Xiao Zhang successfully quit smoking. Their experiences attracted the attention of the local media, and a local newspaper published their stories. The story sparked a lot of discussion, and many people began to rethink the way they quit smoking.
A local community health centre was inspired to offer a smoking cessation course based on awareness therapy and alternative customary methods. The course combines theoretical explanations, practical exercises, and group discussions to help participants better understand and apply these methods.
The results of the course exceeded all expectations. Not only did the participants make significant progress in quitting smoking, many also reported an improvement in their overall quality of life. They become more mindful of their physical and mental health and begin to develop a variety of positive lifestyle habits.
This success story quickly attracted wider attention. Health centers in several cities across the country are starting to follow this model and offer similar courses. Some large businesses have also started offering this smoking cessation coaching to their employees as part of their employee benefits.
At the same time, the medical community is starting to pay more attention to this new method of quitting smoking. A number of research institutions have conducted long-term follow-up studies to verify the effectiveness of these methods in a scientific way. Preliminary results suggest that this combination of awareness therapy and alternative customary methods not only has a higher success rate, but also a lower rate of relapse than traditional smoking cessation methods.
The success of this new method of quitting smoking has also led to other health concerns. Some experts are beginning to explore whether similar ideas can be applied to other areas, such as weight loss, alcohol abstinence, and even improving mental health.
Returning to Li Ming's story, ten years have passed, and he has completely forgotten what it feels like to smoke. His life has changed dramatically, not only his health has improved dramatically, but his career has also flourished. His design of a public library with a wellness concept won an international architecture award and became a major milestone in his career.
On the day the library opened, Li Ming stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking out at the cityscape. He took a deep breath and felt the fresh air fill his lungs. At this moment, he really felt the beauty of life, and he was sincerely pleased with the decision he made back then.
Li Ming's story teaches us that quitting smoking is not just about getting rid of a bad habit, it can be the key to starting a new life.
Through awareness therapy and alternative customary practices, we can face life's challenges in a more positive and healthy way.
Not only does it make it easy to quit smoking, but it also makes the whole process a journey of self-improvement and quality of life.
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(The story in the article is purely fictional, if there is any similarity is purely coincidental, if the body is not well, seek medical help in time)