Dr. Keith Humphreys

If someone says, I want to quit smoking, a good clinician will say, why would you want to do that?

Just say, so tell me, what do you want to get out of this?

Because it's work.

I mean, I'm happy to work with you, but what is it?

What are your motives?

And sort of helping them build up in their own mind, because again, this is about them, not you.

What do you get?

And that's what the therapist does.

The other thing that's really important is that like any other, anytime you're making a behavior change, hang out with other people who are trying to make the same change.

You want to start jogging?

Join a jogging group.

You want to stop drinking?

I would suggest go check into an AA meeting or one of the other fellowships we have.

Having other people on the same journey is good for us.

I mean, everything shows that no matter what you're doing, I'm losing weight, I'm exercising, I'm more whatever, I'm quitting smoking, because it gives you two things.

It gives you support, but it also gives you some accountability.

Say, hey, you were going jogging on Tuesday, you weren't there, what's up?

Are you going to be part of this group or not?

And that is helpful for people.

Yeah, it's hard because it's a word unlike say, you know, maybe it's a little like schizophrenia where people say like, oh, you know, he's a schizophrenic person.