Health centre starts yoga classes to help women quit smoking
STRUGGLING to quit smoking? Why not give yoga a try. A pioneering program has just begun in Bankstown to help women fight cigarettes with yoga and mindfulness.
The Express
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STRUGGLING to quit smoking? Why not give yoga a try.
A pioneering program has just begun in Bankstown to help women fight cigarettes with yoga and mindfulness.
On Monday, Sophie Jones*, 35, attended the first class run by the Bankstown Women’s Health Centre.
A smoker since she was 15, Ms Jones had never tried to quit until last week.
“I know it sounds obvious but I know it’s not good for me. Lately it’s just becoming harder to ignore the fact that it makes you sick,” she said.
Ms Jones said the yoga classes appealed to her because they offered a supportive environment to quit her addiction.
“While I haven’t tried it yet, I think trying to quit would be really isolating process. These classes give you a sense of sharing the process,” she said.
“I’m realistic about quitting, but I do feel really hopeful about it.”
The weekly classes begin with a short information talk on other ways for people to get support while quitting, and yogis are encouraged to keep a diary.
Kerrie Newcombe, assistant manager at BWHC, said it’s about equipping women with the mental and physical tools to quit.
“Addictive behaviours are often related to other things going on in your life. Smoking is often used as a tool to ease anxiety,” Ms Newcombe said.
“If we can address not just smoking, but stress and anxiety, we can build up women’s strength in their bodies and minds so they’ll be stronger to give up.”
The free classes will run through to December and are funded by the South West Sydney Local Health District.
There are also separate yoga classes to help relieve anxiety.
SWSLHD health promotion service director Mandy Williams said while she had seen other holistic programs to help smoking cessation — she had never seen yoga.
“This is certainly the first program we have funded that has used yoga. But we have seen other programs using physical activity, healthy eating and relaxation techniques.”
Ms Williams said while there is no hard science showing yoga can stop addiction, there is some evidence it can be “used as a complementary therapy”:
*Not her real name
What: Smoking Cessation classes
When: Every Monday until December 11 from 10:30am — 11:30am
When: Bankstown Women’s Health Centre — 24 Jacobs St, Bankstown
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