Posts Tagged ‘health and beauty’
by Darren Warmuth
First of all, just talking about relapses can be dangerous because once the thought of slips enters the mind it is difficult to get rid of it, and you unconsciously will it to happen. Have you heard the story of a boy trying to learn cycling? He was so scared of hitting against the stone on the road that on a wide road he saw only the stone and banged right into it.
If you are thinking about quitting smoking, do not make plans for, nor allow for any 'slips', 'just ones' or any 'accidents' for that matter. The old saying goes - 'If you fail to plan, you plan to fail' but I would also like to add to that the advice of 'If you plan for slips or accidents, you are more likely to have one as opposed to if you adamantly tell yourself that there will be no allowance for moments of weakness.'
However, it is equally foolish to delude yourself that you cannot go wrong. So, when the slip does happen, chastise yourself until you feel completely guilty. Let the guilt go deep down so that it becomes a loud resisting voice when temptation strikes again. It is for this reason that support groups are recommended. They help you regain strength to overcome such hurdles.
If by chance you have had more than one 'slip' or have repeated 'slips', it is time to be honest with yourself. I know that a lot of people are going to disagree with me on this, but please don't send me any letters because I have probably spoken to more smokers and non-smokers about this subject than most people. My advice is this. Stop trying to fool yourself into thinking that these occasional slips are fine and are just part of the normal quitting process - they aren't!
You have to be continuously vigilant for these slips otherwise you will eventually start smoking as much as you used to smoke, if not more. Whether you like to believe it or not, this happens every time.
Admitting failure gives you strength to start again. If you slip too often, it is time to admit failure and start all over again. But, go slow the second time. Make a note of all that went wrong; try to collect information on how to deal with the specific problems and then start again. It is far better to realize that you have missed your target this time around and get back on a new and better course than to delude yourself that you are succeeding in your resolve to quit smoking barring the few aberrations.
It is much better to realize that you have missed your target this time around and get back on a new and better course than to continue smoking and that too with a guilty conscience. It will shatter your spirit completely.
About the Author:
Is there a magic quit smoking pill? - read some independent reviews of zyban, chantix, hypnosis etc. Also, click here to discover the stop smoking method Darren himself used.
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Don't Quit! Reverse It: How to mentally undo the habit of Smoking Cigarettes. It's no SECRET! List Price: $15.99 Sale Price: $12.94  |
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This book was written from personal experience. I did acquire the habit of smoking cigarettes around age 17 due to peer influence. I did quit several times before I successfully reversed the habit at age 24, it took me less than 6 months... |
by Darren Warmuth
If you want to quit smoking - and truly quit, not just have it as some passing fancy - you must hold yourself accountable not only to yourself but others as well. The nicotine beast, other smokers and your subconscious can all be very persuasive threats on the road to quitting so this is why I so firmly advocate a solid support group of at least two or three other people. Five is even better.
If you only have to answer to yourself when an overwhelming urge strikes, that's only one person the nicotine beast has to overcome, but if you have a group, that's a whole other story.
Being accountable to others in the group
Of course, you begin by being accountable to yourself first. For example, if you've been off cigarettes for a week and then the irresistible urge strikes you, and you make hundred and one excuses, you battle with guilt and frustration, and ultimately, you give in because the nicotine beast is very strong and you are only one person. This is the story of many people who break down at this point.
But what if you had five loyal soldiers standing between the nicotine demon and you? Ah, now that's a completely new ball game.
How to make it work?
Set up a small support group for yourself whether it be via email, telephone, or a support forum. Tell these people your goal to quit smoking but also ask them not to pester you about it - just to be there when you need help and positive support. Use them for encouragement.
Now, with a support group in place, when you again encounter an overwhelming urge to smoke, you will have to get past not just your own guilty conscience, but you have to call these five people and tell them that you have decided to start smoking again.
If you can do this much, you need not do anything else. They will do the talking and you just have to sit back and listen without getting angry or upset. Chances are that they will talk you out of your momentary weakness and encourage you to stick to your resolve. And it may not even take all five voices to convince you. However, if you can make it through all five members of your support team and you still think that you can do with just 'one' cigarette, then you must know that it is not just one " it is always the first one that will get you.
The support system works so well only because of numbers; it is six times more difficult to convince six people (your support team plus you) against the 'one'.
One last point, you must be well informed about the whole process before you try to quit smoking. The more you know about quitting, the more successful you will be.
To your success,
Darren Warmuth
About the Author:
When you are ready to quit smoking check out both Darren's own stop smoking program and also this independent quit smoking reviews site.
