© WikiMedia (Wikimedia) No smoking deviance Source Mas614 Date 2007-10-19 Author en:Use
© WikiMedia (Wikimedia)
The psychology of giving up smoking
The decision to quit nicotine
Making the decision to stop smoking cigarettes is one of the hardest things you will probably ever do. It is reported that nicotine is more addictive, and therefore harder to give up, than heroin. So, it is even more important that you have to be completely committed to your decision in order to succeed.
The importance of support in smoking cessation
Although it is possible to give up smoking with no help, research has shown that the success rate in people who get help to stop smoking is far higher than those who go it alone.
Ways to stop smoking
Products
There are an increasing amount of stop–smoking aids on the market. Nicorette gum, nicorette patches, nasal sprays, nicotine inhalators and electronic cigarettes can all help to beat the chemical cravings for a cigarette.
The unfortunate fact for smokers is, however, that none of these replacement therapies are ever going to replicate a cigarette, so a lot of willpower will also be needed to give up cigarettes.
Beating the habit
One of the hardest things about giving up smoking is breaking the habits that come with it. For many people, having a coffee without a cigarette seems unimaginable.
Help tips
Changing your routine can help make this easier but one of the most invaluable aids to give up smoking is going to a support group or a trained individual in smoking cessation. This enables you to get help and support in changing what, for some people, are habits of most of a lifetime.
The journey to becoming nicotine free
It is unrealistic to expect that there are going to be no lapses or ‘blips’ in your journey to giving up nicotine. Many people try on a few occasions to give up before they succeed.
Words of encouragement
Don’t think you have failed or beat yourself up over lapsing. Instead, try to discover what went wrong, learn from it, and start again. Hard though as it is to believe when you are in the process of giving up, it really will be worth it in the end.