What Are The Steps To Stop Smoking?
If you convince yourself that it will be difficult to quit smoking, then you will probably be right.
Ask yourself this: Why do the majority of people think that it’s so difficult to quit smoking?
FEAR!
FEAR of not being able to compliment your meal with a smoke.
FEAR of not being able to have a smoke with your morning coffee.
FEAR of being a complete and utter misery if you are without your little friend for more than a few hours.
FEAR that you won’t be able to cope with the stressful incidents that life constantly throws at us.
It’s a wonder anyone even attempts to quit smoking isn’t it? But quit they do. Every day, hundreds of people worldwide are freeing themselves from the slavery of smoking.
Consider this statement. The biggest hurdle you need to jump, in order to quit smoking, is the fear of quitting smoking. Get it into your mind that there is nothing, i mean absolutely nothing to be scared of. You need to flip that emotion and actually embrace quitting, look forward to the day you become a non-smoker, rejoice in the fact. It’s something to be proud of! Once you’ve conditioned yourself to fear nothing then you are a non-smoker as soon as you distinguish that final cigarette.
“What about going through withdrawal symptoms?!”
“I’m an addict”
“How do you expect me to quit for a lifetime, when I struggle without a cigarette after a few hours?”
That’s the fear i’m talking about, which is in fact created by smoking. That’s right, you are under a spell, you have been conned i’m afraid. Smoking doesn’t make a meal taste any better. Smoking doesn’t relieve stress – it causes stress! It’s like wearing a bracelet that is too small and digs into your wrist so that you can feel the relief when you take it off!
I will concede one fact though. Nicotine is an addictive drug. There’s no denying that. But how easy is it to withdraw from? I mean, how bad are the withdrawal symptoms?
Stomach pains? NO!
Hot and cold sweats? I’M AFRAID NOT!
High temperature or fever? NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT!!
Here’s the good news, there are no major physical withdrawal pangs when qutitting nicotine. The worst you will suffer is a feeling of slight insecurity and restlessness. This empty feeling is very similar to hunger and is really easy to overcome if you get your mind right in the first place. In any case, these feelings will completely subside within a month or so worst case.
To summarize, you really have to understand the reasons why you are “hooked” in the first place so that you can overcome the fear. Don’t be afraid – look forward to it and embrace it. If you can do this then you will have taken one of the biggest steps to stop smoking.
Cliff Truss is an ex-smoker from London. He firmly believes in these words and you can find out more about the steps to stop smoking if you visit his popular Squidoo lens. Mr Truss has kindly granted his permission for you to re-produce this article. All that he asks is that it is re-produced in it’s entirety.
