Addiction never comes in small doses. For a person who has been smoking from the time he could hold a cigarette, overcoming the habit can be a major hurdle. Quitting smoking is not an easy task as it requires lots of courage and patience, not only by the smoker as well as the people around him. But if you did decide on quitting smoking, I’m sure anyone would say that it was one of the best decisions to make in life.
Addictions are hard to stop. But if you do try to stop it feelings such as fear might be evoked which is quite normal. But don’t let this fear control you and let it become a barrier in making the most important decision in life. Remember that although the fight to overcome your bad habit takes time and your patience, in the long run it is definitely worth the effort.
Studies have proven that there are three basic steps that you can follow if you are willing to quit smoking. The first step is to get ready. This can be done by setting up a specific date where you will actually begin your ‘quitting smoking’ process. Try your best to change the atmosphere of where you live in. Surely the place would be filled up with cigarettes, ashtrays, etc. If you search properly, cigarette buds,etc would be found not only inside the house, but in the car and even the workplace. If you really want to stop smoking, make sure that there aren’t more people in your house who share the same bad habit.
The second step is to get support. This support and encouragement should come from the people who are around you, be it family, your friends, or your colleagues. You can’t expect anyone to know that you want to stop smoking unless you tell them that you are on the road to quitting smoking and are in need of their help. You can start by simply telling them not to smoke or leave cigarettes around you. If you have a doctor or a psychologist, get support from them. The increased awareness has opened up new doors for people who are quitting smoking. Today, you will find thousands of institutions offering counselling sessions, mostly free of charge to the patients who come in. So try and get information regarding such places and try to enrol in such a program.
Quitting smoking can be a very trying situation mainly because the body has become so used to inhaling the product. This is where the third step comes into practice. Learning new skills and behaviours can help the person in overcoming these urges. Changing the daily routine, go out for a walk, get busycan help the person keep their mind away from what you are trying to stop. Each day can be an adventure if a good plan is initiated to doing something new and enjoyable. During the same time you practice your steps in overcoming your addiction, make sure to read some books regarding quitting smoking as these can help you build up your knowledge as well as courage.