Quit Smoking: A Realistic Approach

If you are a smoker, you have probably heard these phrases before: "Why don't you just quit?", "Why don't you try the patch?", "You know you're killing yourself right?", etc.

Even though these phrases end up sounding like a broken record over time, I believe they leave a subconscious imprint on your thought process. This imprint makes you constantly aware that 1)Smoking is bad for you,
2)Smoking may lead to personal health problems, 3)Smoking is an annoying addiciton. You may even want to quit, but don't know which route to take, or feel that you have to want to quit in order to do so. This is the reason I am writing this blog. I believe this information will help many people quit smoking, even if you feel you aren't prepared for such a quest.

Although we all know the dangers behind puffing on a cigarette, we continue to smoke because we are addicted. Whether it began by sharing cigarettes with friends after school, occasionally smoking when consuming alcohol, or just out of plain curiosity, smoking eventually intertwines itself into many aspects of your life. You smoke when you wake up, after a meal, while driving, after a good movie, after good sex, during a break at work, or just for something to do when you're sitting around at home. Smoking becomes a major part of your everyday life.

Odds are, you have also probably tried to quit at some point. Most of us have tried going "cold turkey", but have discovered first hand that the success rates are almost non-existent. Some may have tried using nicotine gum, patches, or smokeless cigarettes. Although the success rates for these products are a bit higher, most participants revert back to smoking because of the physical habit that cigarettes provide. "I just didn't know what to do with my hands." Hypnotism has worked for some people, but that requires you to first believe that hypnotism is real in order to even give it a try.

It seems evident that most of the techniques available for quitting smoking were developed by people who never puffed on a cigarette in their life. I came to this conclusion because millions of people have used these products and still continue to smoke. It may make you wonder, "Why can't I just quit?" Well, I believe I have a solution for you. It is a realistic and simple approach that I have used, successfully, and would like to share with all of you.

I smoked for 10 years! This may not seem like a very long time for some people, but it may seem like a lifetime to others. Smoking was involved in every aspect of my life. I smoked every day and everywhere. I tried many different approaches for quitting, but I could not find one that fit my lifestyle and personality. I needed something that worked for me! So, I came up with my own simple approach that proved to be worth the time, and eventually led to a cigarette free lifestyle. It deals with triggers.

Triggers are the reasons you smoke. For example, you smoke when you drive. As soon as you get into the car and start up the engine, you put a cigarette in your mouth, light it, and pull away. You know how many cigarettes you can smoke on your route to where you're headed. If it's a 20 minute trip, you may have it literally mapped out to where you have cigarette #1, and cigarette #2 (and possibly cigarette #3). Driving may be one of the biggest triggers for you as a smoker.

In order to realize what your personal triggers are, sit down with a pen and piece of paper (or use your computer), and make a list of everything that makes you want to have a cigarette. Don't leave anything out. If you have a cigarette while drinking coffee, and also have a cigarette after a meal, list them both. You are in a different mind set for each different trigger.

Once you have your list of triggers, make a new list and rank each trigger from biggest to smallest. For me, my biggest trigger was smoking while driving, so this was at the top of my list. Think, "What makes me want to smoke the most," and start with that.

When you have your ranked list, it is now time to put it into action. Starting with the first trigger on the list was the best approach for me, but this is your personal list, and you should use it in the best way you see fit for yourself. So either start with the first trigger, or a trigger of your choice, and eliminate smoking from that environment. Using the driving example, stop smoking when you drive. If you store extra packs of cigarettes, lighters, or anything associated with smoking in your car, find another place for these items.

Once you have eliminated your first trigger, it is time to move to the next one on the list. If you started small, with a trigger further down the list, try moving to a more challenging one. Approach the second trigger in the same way as you approached the first. For example, say you smoke inside your house or apartment. Start by removing ashtrays that are sitting around your living space. Store them in a cupboard or drawer, or get rid of them completely. Next, change where you keep your cigarette packs. If you normally have them in your pocket or on a table, move them to a desk drawer, bathroom cabinet, or the trunk of your car. The point is to change the comfortable availability you have grown accustomed to. If your cigarettes are not right in front of you at all times, it will enable you to gain a stronger sense of self control. If you must smoke while you are at home, grab one cigarette out of the pack, put the pack back in its new spot, and go outside. Following these steps will help you to smoke less at home, and eventually allow you to fully eliminate this trigger.

After successfully eliminating your second trigger, it's time to continue moving down your personal list. By this point, you will have more motivation and a stronger purpose because you have already quit smoking in two aspects of your life. As you continue moving down your list, make sure to acknowledge the triggers you have already defeated. It may sound silly, but give yourself a pat on the back, take a deep breath, and smile because you are taking control of your life and personal health in your own unique way. Also, there is no "time limit", and no right or wrong for how long it should take you to eliminate all of your triggers. This is because it is a personal quest. You make the rules. Determine a time time limit for yourself if you wish, but only continue down your trigger list when you feel comfortable enough to move on. Trying to tackle too many triggers at once may prove to be too overwhelming, and may negate the positive effects of this approach.

Obviously, I am well aware that quitting smoking is something that is not done easily. But in the same breath, following the approach I have outlined above, will allow you to realize that it is possible to overcome, and will provide you with a sense of accomplishment because it feels amazing when you're doing something that you know is helping yourself.

In closing, I would like to add that this advice is plainly that, advice. You shouldn't look at it as black and white, and as an exact regimen to follow, rather you should take the information and mold it into your own approach. Branch out and try different things that I did not mention above because it will allow the experience to be more personal and adequate for your unique lifestyle. If you don't think you're ready to quit smoking just yet, copy and paste this information into a document on your computer, and save it for a later time. It may be something that you would like to come back to at a later time.

I wish you all the best in trying this approach. It has worked for me, and I have every confidence in the world that it will work for you. Take control, be patient, and most of all stay positive.