We are simply told "just stop". Stop smoking that is. If
only it were that easy right? But the fact of the matter
is that both psychological changes and psychological issues
play a role in any program to stop smoking. It is not even
easy for the most determined of people to flip a switch and
stop smoking.
However, the commitment to quit has to be part of any
program. On average, only 6% will be successful in
quitting during their first attempt. Finding the willpower
to make the decision a permanent thing is the key to
success.
We all make small choices in any area of life. However,
the big choices are rarely a matter of snapping the mental
fingers and opting for a course of action. More thought
and effort than that is needed. It is those twin helpers
that are the link between willpower and achievement.
One of the major factors as to why people smoke is stress.
And we all know that stress keeps on coming year after
year. Something happens in our lives and we feel stress,
therefore reaching for a cigarette to restore calm.
It is possible to interrupt that journey at several points
along that moving train of events.
Begin slowly. Search for those times when reaching for a
cigarette is just down to habit. The first thing you do in
the morning is reach for a cigarette. If this is the case,
then put them out of the way and exert willpower so as not
to get them.
Delay your after dinner cigarette for a few minutes more to
begin with and then longer and longer. It is these small
victories that will reduce the quantity of cigarettes that
you smoke every day and strengthen your willpower.
As your control over impulses is better gained, your
self-confidence will grow. You will feel in control. This
will reinforce the feeling of willpower, and you can direct
events rather than them directing you.
The next thing to look at is the long term plan. Select a
day to stop smoking. Estimate what date you will run out
of cigarettes. Remind yourself of the high price of
cigarettes, not only in dollars, but also health wise, and
prevent yourself from buying anymore.
The first two weeks will be hard, which will make the
largest demands on your willpower. The cravings will also
be at their strongest during this time. The chemical
changes that take place in your body will adjust to lower
levels of dopamine, therefore flushing smoke
ingredient-created compounds out of your body which will
create an urge to resume.
Think of the long term consequences in order to help
yourself. Keep photos of diseased lungs around the house
and remember the times when you were short of breath when
walking up a hill. Assist your willpower in every way
possible.
Sticking to the plan for life is what follows next. This
is the really hard part. Willpower not only selects an
action today, but directs your life towards a better
horizon.
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