SANDRA CABOT writes about the macho psychologies underpinning cigar addiction …
Success = cigars
I had an interesting request to help to cope up from cigar addiction a few months ago. Today another person approached me to give up smoking cigars as a celebration experience.
When I delved into the circumstances and emotions attached to the enjoyment of smoking cigars with the first client, it was revealed that this person was a very successful business owner and kept company with many other successful people around the world. They would all sit down to share a wonderful food experience. When they finished the meal they would then adjourn to smoke cigars and brandy and discuss many business opportunities. This person linked success to smoking cigars. By recognising the connections, we were then able to negotiate a different link to success so that he no longer required to feel that he had to smoke cigars to be in the company of successful people.
Celebration = cigars
The request today was from someone who had very successfully came out from cigar addiction. He celebrated the birth of a child into his family by smoking cigars. He now realised that he was sabotaging himself by this action, and remembered that he had successfully “kicked the habit” by attending my clinic and experiencing the combination of clinical hypnotherapy and NLP.
Sophistication = cigars
I was having a lengthy discussion with a young woman when suddenly she said she had a cigar addiction also. She revealed that she had given up cigarettes but had taken up smoking long thin cigars. She felt very “upmarket”.
Cigarettes and cigars = lung cancer
When the theory that cigarettes could cause cancer was first brought up, people laughed about it and refused to believe it. When the court case came up about secondary smoke causing cancer in the lungs of a bartender, people ridiculed the concept. He won the case. Since then more and more relevant information has come to light about the dangers of secondary smoke inhalation which can lead to cancer.
It doesn’t matter what is smoked really. All smoke is harmful as it is foreign to the lungs. A medical doctor told me that Sauna heat also affected the lungs badly.
Once people used to eat charcoal when the barbecued meat was burnt. Now they realise that this is cancerous.
Celebrations = alcohol and cigars
Champagne has been linked with celebrations. As soon as someone has achieved a spectacular goal or won the lottery, they immediately say “let’s break out the champagne”. If a baby is born, the father says “have a cigar” to all the men he knows.
A couple of days ago on television, it was announced that alcohol consumption is now linked to cancer. Therefore alcohol needs to be consumed moderately with caution.
Confusion = sex = cigars
President Clinton said “I did not have sex with that woman”. However, he had no hesitation in finding a way to “have a cigar to have sex with that woman”. He finally admitted that he had used cigars to do the “dirty deed”.
Ego = cigars
“Power is King”, therefore if a man smokes a cigar, he is displaying “power” when he lights up an expensive cigar, preferably Cuban. He is showing that he can afford the expensive cigar and can “kick the system” at the same time. By offering a cigar to other men, he is “displaying” power and success. When a man smokes a cigar in an environment where others circulate, the stench of the cigar is very potent and he usually delights in the effect.
Celebrations: Happiness and fun
The wonderful news is that you can celebrate anything and have a great time doing it. You can change your programs so that you can have a moderate amount of champagne without going overboard. You don’t need to hurt your lungs or your body with cigars and cigarettes. You can find other ways of celebrating, such as going out for the day on a yacht with friends, having a party or a beautiful dinner.
More Freshmag articles on Hypnotherapy:
Hypnotherapy & Weight Loss
Hypnosis for Success
