I've helped a lot of people quit smoking. While doing this, I've been told a lot of reasons why it is good to smoke.
I've been told smoking sharpens your mind, relaxes you, calms you, keeps you from yelling at the kids (or spouse), tastes good with coffee, tastes better after a meal. In short, makes you feel "better". (I always ask "better than what"?)
You don't believe these reasons. Not really. If you did, you wouldn't also want to quit smoking. Right? Actually you CAN have it both ways. You can believe your reasons to smoke at the same time you don't believe them. It is the difference between 'knowing' something and 'feeling' something.
The obvious and overlooked part is you must have a strong reason to continue smoking or you would have already stopped. By the way, there is no law that says your reason to keep smoking has to make any logical sense. It rarely does.
Almost all of the reasons you continue smoking can easily be proven wrong. Example: Maybe smoking helps you relax during work breaks because you get away and go outside to do it.
Most of the time you KNOW the reason doesn't make sense. That doesn't change the craving though, does it? Just one more one more reason in your list of reasons to quit. A list that doesn't have much chance against the well-rooted cravings to smoke.
It's basically about two things. The motivation that smoking will make you feel better and the feeling that you're trying to feel better than. That is all.
If you're thirsty you crave something to drink. If you're hungry you crave food. If you feel bad (tired, stressed, overwhelmed, angry, lonely, whatever...) you want to feel good. And, whatever your mind has been taught feels good, you will crave.
This is simple explanation of a craving. Some smokers have more than one type of craving, the 'first thing in the morning' craving might feel different than the 'on the phone' craving.
So, what are you supposed to do? I can write several pages talking about this (and I have, look for them) But, it all comes down to modifying the feeling, motivation and belief involved.
First, feeling bad needs to be looked at and helped. If it's stress, get it managed, if it's a bad situation, do what you can to fix it or get help.
Second, you belief that smoking helps you feel good (it's probably the innocent mistake that smoking equals being an adult, in control, strong, capable, etc...) In truth, a cigarette is a plant leaf and chemicals wrapped in paper. The good feeling you're anticipating from smoking is created by your mind. YOU make yourself feel better when you smoke. So it only makes sense that you can make yourself feel good by doing something that is healthy. If, your mind believes it makes you feel good.
And that's the trick. Quit smoking is mainly about modifying behavior. That's why the success rate of medication and nicotine replacement alone is so poor. The only current exception is Chantix and even Pfizer, the makers of Chantix, recommend behavior modification along with the medication. - 15343
I've been told smoking sharpens your mind, relaxes you, calms you, keeps you from yelling at the kids (or spouse), tastes good with coffee, tastes better after a meal. In short, makes you feel "better". (I always ask "better than what"?)
You don't believe these reasons. Not really. If you did, you wouldn't also want to quit smoking. Right? Actually you CAN have it both ways. You can believe your reasons to smoke at the same time you don't believe them. It is the difference between 'knowing' something and 'feeling' something.
The obvious and overlooked part is you must have a strong reason to continue smoking or you would have already stopped. By the way, there is no law that says your reason to keep smoking has to make any logical sense. It rarely does.
Almost all of the reasons you continue smoking can easily be proven wrong. Example: Maybe smoking helps you relax during work breaks because you get away and go outside to do it.
Most of the time you KNOW the reason doesn't make sense. That doesn't change the craving though, does it? Just one more one more reason in your list of reasons to quit. A list that doesn't have much chance against the well-rooted cravings to smoke.
It's basically about two things. The motivation that smoking will make you feel better and the feeling that you're trying to feel better than. That is all.
If you're thirsty you crave something to drink. If you're hungry you crave food. If you feel bad (tired, stressed, overwhelmed, angry, lonely, whatever...) you want to feel good. And, whatever your mind has been taught feels good, you will crave.
This is simple explanation of a craving. Some smokers have more than one type of craving, the 'first thing in the morning' craving might feel different than the 'on the phone' craving.
So, what are you supposed to do? I can write several pages talking about this (and I have, look for them) But, it all comes down to modifying the feeling, motivation and belief involved.
First, feeling bad needs to be looked at and helped. If it's stress, get it managed, if it's a bad situation, do what you can to fix it or get help.
Second, you belief that smoking helps you feel good (it's probably the innocent mistake that smoking equals being an adult, in control, strong, capable, etc...) In truth, a cigarette is a plant leaf and chemicals wrapped in paper. The good feeling you're anticipating from smoking is created by your mind. YOU make yourself feel better when you smoke. So it only makes sense that you can make yourself feel good by doing something that is healthy. If, your mind believes it makes you feel good.
And that's the trick. Quit smoking is mainly about modifying behavior. That's why the success rate of medication and nicotine replacement alone is so poor. The only current exception is Chantix and even Pfizer, the makers of Chantix, recommend behavior modification along with the medication. - 15343
