Stopping smoking is not as hard as most people make it out to be. I smoked for over 20 years. Close to 3 packs a day toward the end of that time. And I enjoined it very much. Like most people I had thought about quitting many times. Constantly reading all the ill health effects made me very conscious of needing to quit. Just to be socially responsible if nothing else. My own health concerns, the most relevant reason. And the stigma of being a "smoker" was beginning to build at that time. This was 1979. I started smoking at 12 years of age and was now 32. Little signs of the health affects were creeping up on me. Shortness of breath during what seemed like minor activity. I developed a rapid heart beat that would come on suddenly, especially when retiring to bed. Pretty scary stuff for a otherwise healthy 32 year old. It finally dawned on me, quit, or risk some very serious health issues. I did not want to quit. I loved smoking.
How was I going to enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning without that wonderful cigarette. How about that ice cold beer after a hard days work, no cigarette. Would a very nice dinner, be a very nice dinner, without that cigarette? What on earth would I do after making love? Twiddle my thumbs?
Then it dawned on me!!! I see millions of people who drink coffee without smoking! I see lots of people who seem to enjoy their dinners out without that cigarette. I even see plenty of Macho guys and hot babes have a drink without smoking. Can they possibly be enjoying themselves? Can that steak really taste as good? And surely millions of people do something besides twiddle their thumbs after sex.
The secret is all in the mind. Once I quit I soon realized I needed a little help. Those cravings were strong. God I wanted a cigarette. I realized if I kept thinking about how much I wanted to smoke I would go crazy. And I would not stay quit. So, every time I caught myself craving a cigarette I would imagine myself having to stick my tongue in a big nasty ashtray. If I was having a nice dinner I would look around and admire all the people who were enjoying the same, without smoking. It was not long before that cold beer tasted just as good as before. Maybe better. I know the steak tasted better, my sense of taste seemed to improve after quitting. And now I just fall asleep after sex, lol. I guess that is what most people do.
The main key to quitting for me was to use those mental tricks. And I quickly developed a sense of pride in being an ex-smoker. To proud to go back to smoking. I remember meeting someone 4 years after I had quit who had quit once for 6 years. That scared me a little, could I be sucked back into that awful habit? How long before I could be sure I would never want a cigarette? Actually I have never wanted a cigarette after about 2 months from quitting. My mental exercises worked so well that any thought of smoking seems abhorrent to me now.
You have to convince yourself you want to be a "Non Smoker" much more than you want to be a smoker. When you quit, make yourself dwell on all the smoking negatives. Its easy to do, the signs are all around you. You won't know how bad the odor is till after you have been quit for a while. If a longing for a cigarette enters your mind, replace it with a with a negative smoke image, like my nasty ashtray trick.
Take pride in every day you have quit and develop that desire to be a "Non Smoker" I have been a
very happy and "Proud" Non smoker for 28 years now. Good luck, but with a little imagination, you should not need it.
How was I going to enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning without that wonderful cigarette. How about that ice cold beer after a hard days work, no cigarette. Would a very nice dinner, be a very nice dinner, without that cigarette? What on earth would I do after making love? Twiddle my thumbs?
Then it dawned on me!!! I see millions of people who drink coffee without smoking! I see lots of people who seem to enjoy their dinners out without that cigarette. I even see plenty of Macho guys and hot babes have a drink without smoking. Can they possibly be enjoying themselves? Can that steak really taste as good? And surely millions of people do something besides twiddle their thumbs after sex.
The secret is all in the mind. Once I quit I soon realized I needed a little help. Those cravings were strong. God I wanted a cigarette. I realized if I kept thinking about how much I wanted to smoke I would go crazy. And I would not stay quit. So, every time I caught myself craving a cigarette I would imagine myself having to stick my tongue in a big nasty ashtray. If I was having a nice dinner I would look around and admire all the people who were enjoying the same, without smoking. It was not long before that cold beer tasted just as good as before. Maybe better. I know the steak tasted better, my sense of taste seemed to improve after quitting. And now I just fall asleep after sex, lol. I guess that is what most people do.
The main key to quitting for me was to use those mental tricks. And I quickly developed a sense of pride in being an ex-smoker. To proud to go back to smoking. I remember meeting someone 4 years after I had quit who had quit once for 6 years. That scared me a little, could I be sucked back into that awful habit? How long before I could be sure I would never want a cigarette? Actually I have never wanted a cigarette after about 2 months from quitting. My mental exercises worked so well that any thought of smoking seems abhorrent to me now.
You have to convince yourself you want to be a "Non Smoker" much more than you want to be a smoker. When you quit, make yourself dwell on all the smoking negatives. Its easy to do, the signs are all around you. You won't know how bad the odor is till after you have been quit for a while. If a longing for a cigarette enters your mind, replace it with a with a negative smoke image, like my nasty ashtray trick.
Take pride in every day you have quit and develop that desire to be a "Non Smoker" I have been a
very happy and "Proud" Non smoker for 28 years now. Good luck, but with a little imagination, you should not need it.
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