Hello, and welcome to the how we learn to smoke topic. In this video, I'm going to be talking to you about how we view smoking and how we learn to smoke. And as you now made that conscious choice to stop smoking, do you remember actually choosing to start in the first place? I don't think or believe that any smoker actually chooses to start smoking because well, why would we, when you know, even just the health and financial implications alone would put you off, but yet we still do it. So with this in mind, I want to first look at how the smoking or the perception of smoking is projected tools throughout our society and as we grow up, and obviously continuing through our day to day lives. So what are the first thoughts you come up with when you think of smoking, what mental associations to people related to society, when you start thinking about this, you really It's actually portrayed as quite a glamorous thing to do, even in this day and age, from being in school with the thought that all the cool kids are doing it.

Well, you might be thinking right now. Well, yeah, sure. I thought that back back then when I was a kid, and I did have that perception when I was younger, but I don't think that now, this may be the case, but it's one of those perceptions you're exposed to that may have led to actually start it in the first place. And remember those smoking is portrayed tools through media and TV shows throughout our lives. Shown Was that something that everyone needs, it reduces your stress, calms you down, helps you concentrate, it's also seen as a very pleasurable thing to do is something to look forward to some form of enjoyment, especially if you've been deprived of having a cigarette for a long period of time. An example that comes to my mind, and there's actually a film starring Sandra Bullock and still less than Sloane and Wesley Snipes is called Demolition Man and the the Sylvester Stallone's character is frozen for a prison sentence, and he gets woken up about 100 years in the future.

As he comes around, the first thing he asked for is a cigarette. Why? He's been deprived for so long of the pleasure for 100 years, and now he needs to smoke. Then when he was told that it basically doesn't exist anymore, no one smokes, they've removed tobacco from existence, or nicotine from existence. I was really disappointed that you can't smoke. Of course, he didn't care the whole time it was frozen.

But once thought, first thing he does is ask for a cigarette. And that's quite a powerful message sorry, that sits in the back of your mind is probably something that's had a part to play in conditionals as human beings to view the idea of smoking in a positive and pleasurable life Despite knowing all the things wrong about it, I can even be part of the appeal. For some people though, even though you know it's wrong, you'll give it a go to be a bit rebellious. Now we started you mind thinking about the ways that smoking has been projected to throughout your life? Well, I hope I have, I would like you to think back to when you first started smoking. Now I do realize there's going to be an infinite number of possibilities that led to smoking in the law, smoking in the first place, or having your first cigarette, just to name a few, maybe peer pressure, you want to be a bit rebellious, maybe want to look cool.

And just to reduce your stress, just to name a few there. But I think a real life example is actually needed here. So I want to use my own experience from when I started. And so to set the scene, I was in a car park with a couple of friends who was smoking, they offered me one and in all honesty, I I think all the influences around me, led me to believe I always wanted to try it. And so I did. I remember my first thought after inhaling the poisonous smoke for the first time was, oh my god, that is awful.

I remember the smell was so overpowering. I felt really lightheaded. And of course, I started coughing. So to sum up on that point, it was not pleasurable. I did not feel cool. And I certainly did not feel relaxed.

Now, why was I having this reaction? So it's because our bodies are actually wonderful, amazing diagnostic machines. And we react if we ingest something that is or isn't going to be harmful to us. And so in this particular case, it gives us an instant reaction letting us know to stop because that's not right. And now the question we have to ask ourselves at that point is are we She's going to listen to that little voice or physical reaction that our bodies have him. Because that's exactly what mine did when I first tried a cigarette.

Now I know what you're probably thinking there as well. Yep, that does happen. At first it happened to me, I got these symptoms and my body reacts in that way. But it does go away over the time. It's not happening every time I have a cigarette. And you know, my body's not telling me to stop anymore.

So let's go back to my first experience. I've just coughed like I've never coughed before, then my friend proceeds to then tell me, don't worry, that happens to everyone at first. You just need to get used to it. Does that sound familiar? But By any chance, after telling me this, they then teach me how to smoke. So they give me some helpful instructions on how to take taking the smoke.

And so and how to hold it so my fingers don't turn yellow. Basically, I go Quick how to smoke guide. So not only had I gone from being offered to try one, I was then being taught how to smoke, which is when you think about it is quite crazy. But I hope that you're relating to any of this from your own personal experience. have a feeling that you might be. So that's also the point I'd like to look back on.

And this is the point my life I look back on rarely and I say, I wish it had turned around and gone. No, you know what, I'm fine. I don't think it's me. I never touched a cigarette again. However, instead, against my better judgment, I took heed of the advice of my friend and proceeded to then teach myself to smoke. Now if I'm being honest after that first experience, I didn't actually smoke another one for a little while.

But whenever I got offered one I would have one then I started buying them half of Pack between me and a friend. And then the frequency and the amounts that I was smoking just gradually over time started to increase. And then I went up to smoking a pack a day, and boom, they have it. I was no longer a nonsmoker. And I also saw myself as a smoker. So thinking about that, and looking at your own life at this point, I'd really like you to if you haven't already, and maybe look back at your own journey, like how did you first start?

What was the situation? You're How old were you? I was in high school, maybe you were older, maybe you were younger? And what were your actual reasons for trying it? And because, I mean, it's different for everyone. But I also feel like a lot of these reasons for trying to smoke in the first place are always very similar among people.

So I just want to sum up quickly here and you You started to look and thinking about how you view smoking and how you've been influenced by the environment that you live in. And you're having to think about how you started and how you first actually learned to smoke. Now I've included a few more questions for you to ask yourself because I've only covered a couple during during this presentation here in this in this topic, but I have done some PDF questions in a file there's only two pages long and with boxes there for you to maybe write your answers in if you want to print it off. Or if you don't want to do that. And just you do have just something to have a think about really just have a read through it and try answer them yourself. And then once you've had a good think about that, and I appreciate you're ready to move on to the next step and the next video, in which I will see you there