don's report archive

by Donald B. Ardell, Ph. D.

Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)

Unlike wellness promotion, traditional health education has focused on warning people about such "harmful habits" as smoking, drinking too much, eating a high fat diet, and sedentary behavior, rather than emphasizing the many and varied satisfactions associated with beneficial habits. The difference in emphasis matters, in my view, when discussing motivation. Many people are more likely to do something in order to gain pleasure in the near term, rather than to avoid problems that won't occur until some time in the future. Do you agree? Are you not more likely to base your behavior on gaining pleasure rather than avoiding pain?

In the litany of harmful habits, little or no attention is usually given to what I think is the most harmful of all habits, namely, a failure to take responsibility for the pursuit of a high level of health and life satisfaction. Without this commitment to excellence, the risk of picking up some truly odious and hazardous lifestyle practice, such as (parents -- shield the eyes of minor children, this is going to sound x-rated) smoking cigarettes.

Those of us who promote wellness try not to spend much, if any, time calling attention to unhealthful lifestyle practices like sedentary behaviors, alcohol/drug use, or that infamous if vague matter of "self abuse." I'm not even sure I know what self-abuse is, but I've been told it causes blindness.

Unfortunately, such admonitions without pleasurable substitutes are ineffective. I still remember my reaction when told that, if I continue to "DO THAT", I would go blind. I thought about it a moment, and asked, "Well, can I do it until I need glasses?" In other words, forget about trying to frighten people into doing the right thing -- give them positive motivations, especially if what they're doing feels good.

All this comes to mind as anecdotes, data and claims are appearing about the success or lack of success of last month's "Great American Smokeout." While just about everyone has a habit she feels guilty about, such as a craving for chocolate, a lust for the richest of all high fat ice creams (no brand name plugs will be given here!), an addiction to shopping, or an insatiable craving for spectator sports, no habit is said to exert a hold as extensive and deadly as that of nicotine. The need to smoke cigarettes is very powerful for those mired in the habit. Taking responsibility to quit, to pursue a high level of health and life satisfaction is easier proclaimed then done.

How can you break this greatest of all habits? How, for that matter, can you mitigate the potency of other habits that, like those sirens of Greek legend, can lure human victims toward the rocky shoals and thereby visit all manner of misery, including damaged health and shortened life spans? What strategies can we devise for changing habits that can harm your health?

My idea is not to give up anything until you don't need it anymore. Don't give up smoking! I know this sounds like wellness heresy, but I believe it's the best approach, at first. Instead, take up positive activities of a fitness nature (running or biking, for example -- anything that will boost your confidence, feelings of strength and physical endurance and enable positive feelings). As the gains are felt over time, the cravings for the negative (cigarettes) should diminish and quitting won't seem like a medieval torture.

What do you think of this idea? Ever had experience trying to quit this or another really bad habit? What worked best? I'd enjoy hearing from you. Be well.

(Note: This essay will be filed in the archives in the PHYSICAL DOMAIN under the skill area of lifestyle habits. Additional articles related to this theme may be found there.)

(Ed. Note: Views expressed in this and other columns are those of the author and not necessarily those of the SeekWellness Editorial Board.)

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