You CAN Quit Smoking Too

You’re not a millionaire but you have money to burn; you’re not suicidal but you’re slowly poisoning yourself; you’re not homicidal but you’re not averse to killing those around you. You don’t have to be a genius to solve these puzzles – you’ll know I’m talking about someone addicted to nicotine and tobacco, especially if you’re someone trying to get a smoker to quit the disgusting habit.

If you’re a smoker yourself, it’s not an easy task to rid yourself of the addiction – the more you deny yourself, the more you crave the destructive nicotine sticks. But wanting to quit is the first step in the process, and with the adage “Well begun is half done” on your mind, here’s how you can stop smoking altogether.

Substitute one addiction for another: When you feel the need to smoke, find some other activity that you enjoy equally, if not more. It could be an activity like watching television, having sex, or spending time with loved ones or another habit like chewing gum or snacking on junk food. The best replacement would be exercise of course; you not only rid yourself of a bad habit, you pick up a healthy one in return.
Try nicotine patches or gum: Nicotine is an addictive chemical used in cigarettes, and when you try to quit, it’s the nicotine withdrawal that cause you so much agony. Try the nicotine patches or nicotine-flavored gum when the urge to smoke hits you.
Avoid situations where you’re forced to smoke: Social situations where people light up are hell on a smoker’s good intentions to quit. They’re around people who smoke, with people offering them cigarettes and they being forced to find the strength to deny themselves. It’s not a quitter’s idea of fun. So the best thing to do when you’re trying to quit is to avoid such events or situations.
The power of thought: If I don’t kick the habit, I’m gonna kick the bucket – that should be a smoker’s mantra and thought for each day. Smoking kills, it leads to lung cancer and increases your risk of cardiac diseases. The next time you reach for that cigarette, the next time you feel like lighting up, imagine a Wile E Coyote and Road Runner cartoon scene where your smoke morphs into a fire cracker that blows up you and those around, leaving nothing but blackened remains all around. And there’s no turning back the clock and making things whole again, no second or third chances like Wile E gets. The best time to stop is NOW, not after the next cigarette. One more gives way to one more, with the numbers tending to infinity after that, and you’re back to square one.
Money is an incentive: Save the money you use to buy cigarettes every day. Promise yourself a treat with the amount you save in a month – you’d be surprised at the amount your piggy bank holds at the end of the period. Also think of all the money you save when you avoid all those trips to the doctor for ailments related to smoking.
You love your children and family: Second hand smoke kills too – so when you smoke around other people, you tend to expose them to the side effects of the chemicals released from your cigarette. Pregnant women risk causing deformities to their unborn children when they smoke. If you don’t want your children to lose their health, if you don’t want them to become smokers like you, stop the nasty habit now.
Beauty is skin deep: Smoking leads to yellow teeth. So unless you want to pay a fortune to the orthodontist, unless you want to stop smiling for the rest of your life, throw away those cigarettes and never buy another one.
Go out to places where there are laws against smoking: Stay away from the path of temptation – if you’re going out to a restaurant, eat at one that does not have a smoking section.

Any addiction is difficult to overcome, more so one to tobacco and nicotine. All it takes is a large amount of will power and a little bit of help from those around you. So get started today, there’s no time like now when you’re trying to regain your health and give a new lease to your body.

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