| 80% of smokers want to give up the evil weed. And | | | | GRADUALLY over the next 7 to 14 days, until you |
| as Mark Twain once said, "Stopping smoking is easy, | | | | reach your QUIT DATE. Your body will thank you for |
| I've done it many times." He's right. Many people CAN | | | | withdrawing the nicotine slowly, instead of gong cold |
| quit smoking, but remaining a nonsmoker can be very | | | | turkey all at once. You'll be much less likely to suffer |
| hard. As a clinical psychologist, I've treated hundreds of | | | | withdrawal effects and will thus be much more likely to |
| smokers in both England and the US over the last 30 | | | | be successful in your goal of becoming a permanent |
| years and have found the following tips to be very | | | | nonsmoker. |
| helpful in breaking the habit: | | | | Tip 4: Think of urges to smoke as temporary and as |
| Tip 1: Make sure this is the right time for you. Be | | | | evidence that your body is adjusting to having less |
| honest with yourself regarding how important it is for | | | | nicotine. This is a much better way to think about |
| you and how ready you are to stop smoking. If you | | | | temptation. Tell yourself that the urge will pass, and |
| need to increase your motivation, write down the pros | | | | distract yourself for a little while with doing something |
| and cons of remaining a smoker versus becoming a | | | | else, such as exercising, or, drinking water. |
| non-smoker and then sit back and study this list. This is | | | | Tip 5: Change brands every few days or roll your |
| a crucial step as motivation to change is the best | | | | own. This gets you used to the idea that change is |
| predictor of success. | | | | possible, and rolling your own cigarettes is such a pain |
| Tip 2: Write down the five main reasons you want to | | | | that the enjoyment of smoking will start to fade. |
| stop smoking on a postcard. Copy this list on some | | | | Tip 6: Put $5/pack in a plastic container for every day |
| more postcards and stick one in each place that you | | | | that you do not smoke one pack of cigarettes and |
| used to smoke. These will remind you of your reasons | | | | decide on what to buy with the money. |
| that you want to stop smoking and will increase the | | | | Tip 7: Identify triggers to smoking and avoid them until |
| chance that you will resist the temptation to light up | | | | you reach your quit date. These can be places or |
| each time you see the card. Put one on the dashboard | | | | people. |
| of your car if you use to smoke there; put one on the | | | | Tip 8: If you smoke to relax, or need some extra help, |
| remote control if you smoked while watching TV; and | | | | see a psychologist for a session or two of hypnosis. |
| put one on your computer monitor if you smoked while | | | | The cost will soon be offset by the cigarettes that you |
| surfing the 'net. You get the idea. | | | | will not be buying in future. |
| Tip 3: Cut down the number of cigarettes you smoke | | | | No cigarette tastes as good as being healthy feels! |