Mark Twain once said, "It's easy to quit smoking. I've done it hundreds of times." Unfortunately, many people who have tried to give up cigarettes say this too. Many successful ex-smokers have tried more than just several times in their attempt to quit smoking for good.
Most relapses in cigarette smoking occur within the first three months after quitting. During the first few weeks, when your body is still addicted to nicotine it can be especially difficult. The strength of withdrawal symptoms and cravings to smoke are especially high during the first few weeks. Be ready for this period, as it will be the most difficult. Plan to use whatever resources you have at your disposal.
If you can make it through those first few weeks without smoking, you've already won half the battle. But you are certainly not in the clear just yet. Although your physical addiction has drastically been reduced, the psychological dependence lurking in the back of your head is still alive and easily triggered. It's very important, for these reasons and more, to stay focused and maintain your desire to quit smoking.
What happens if you lose control and smoke, despite all your efforts? You can either start smoking again, or you can refocus and renew your commitment to quit. Of course, it's not going to be easy. Try again not to allow yourself to waste all that you've done. Do not give in to those cigarettes. You do not want to become a slave to nicotine addiction again, do you?
Everyone fails at one thing or another; the important thing is to learn from those failures. A businessman cannot let himself be paralyzed by the fear of losing money or else he will never act on opportunities. You must try and fail, as long as you learn from your failures, you've already won.
The same idea applies to quitting smoking. If you relapse, do not think of it as a complete failure. Look at it as a learning experience. What caused you to relapse? What was the trigger that caused you to smoke again? Be honest to yourself with what went wrong and prevent it from happening again. Many people who try to quit smoking cold turkey find that the withdrawal symptoms are too much to handle, but trying again and again is the key, learning with each mistake the necessary recipe to success.
You can also consider using a nicotine-replacement aid to help you wean off cigarettes. If you lost control and started to smoke because your friends who smoke, it may be a good idea to avoid hanging around them for a while, at least until you feel stronger about your commitment. If you cannot, at least try to maintain a realistic point of view when you see then smoke. Imagine the tobacco smoke burning their lungs and damaging their hearts. That cannot be what you want for yourself, can it?
If you started again because you lost your enthusiasm for quitting, you may need to get back in touch with some of your core values. Spend some time alone and think about what is really important to you. I hope this will help you regain your desire to quit with renewed spirit and vigor.
Most importantly, do not give up on yourself. Do not give in to cigarettes! Just because you relapsed during a moment of weakness doesn't mean you will not and cannot quit. Remember what Nelson Mandela said, "The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall".
Most relapses in cigarette smoking occur within the first three months after quitting. During the first few weeks, when your body is still addicted to nicotine it can be especially difficult. The strength of withdrawal symptoms and cravings to smoke are especially high during the first few weeks. Be ready for this period, as it will be the most difficult. Plan to use whatever resources you have at your disposal.
If you can make it through those first few weeks without smoking, you've already won half the battle. But you are certainly not in the clear just yet. Although your physical addiction has drastically been reduced, the psychological dependence lurking in the back of your head is still alive and easily triggered. It's very important, for these reasons and more, to stay focused and maintain your desire to quit smoking.
What happens if you lose control and smoke, despite all your efforts? You can either start smoking again, or you can refocus and renew your commitment to quit. Of course, it's not going to be easy. Try again not to allow yourself to waste all that you've done. Do not give in to those cigarettes. You do not want to become a slave to nicotine addiction again, do you?
Everyone fails at one thing or another; the important thing is to learn from those failures. A businessman cannot let himself be paralyzed by the fear of losing money or else he will never act on opportunities. You must try and fail, as long as you learn from your failures, you've already won.
The same idea applies to quitting smoking. If you relapse, do not think of it as a complete failure. Look at it as a learning experience. What caused you to relapse? What was the trigger that caused you to smoke again? Be honest to yourself with what went wrong and prevent it from happening again. Many people who try to quit smoking cold turkey find that the withdrawal symptoms are too much to handle, but trying again and again is the key, learning with each mistake the necessary recipe to success.
You can also consider using a nicotine-replacement aid to help you wean off cigarettes. If you lost control and started to smoke because your friends who smoke, it may be a good idea to avoid hanging around them for a while, at least until you feel stronger about your commitment. If you cannot, at least try to maintain a realistic point of view when you see then smoke. Imagine the tobacco smoke burning their lungs and damaging their hearts. That cannot be what you want for yourself, can it?
If you started again because you lost your enthusiasm for quitting, you may need to get back in touch with some of your core values. Spend some time alone and think about what is really important to you. I hope this will help you regain your desire to quit with renewed spirit and vigor.
Most importantly, do not give up on yourself. Do not give in to cigarettes! Just because you relapsed during a moment of weakness doesn't mean you will not and cannot quit. Remember what Nelson Mandela said, "The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall".
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