Title: Staying Smoke-Free
Article:
Quitting smoking is easy, but what about staying quit? Mark Twain's oft used words, "It's easy to quit smoking, I've done it many times," are a flippant but poor cover-up for the guilt and suffering many smokers go through in their efforts to stay permanently smoke-free.
There's a lot of good material available in the stop smoking market, but how to stay quit and stay sane can loom as a challenge. As the days pass and maybe turn into weeks, months and even years, there's often a yawning gap that smokers previously filled with all the rituals of smoking.
A good solid method for beating nicotine addiction will teach long term strategies for successfully coping. It should teach smokers how to unlearn the habit they have programmed into their brain. It will show ways to toss out the desire for smoking, rather than just toss out the smokes. Otherwise, one little trip-up or a too high stress level, and the person is back to their old way of coping, back to their familiar comforting habit again, back to smoking.
But even with the best of stop smoking programs or methods, whereby a smoker quits and feels safely on track with their future, the road to staying smoke-free can be made more comfortable and fun if follow-up strategies are used and extra quit smoking tips are used. Actively preparing and taking on board ways to fill up that gap left from smoking, can really get an ex-smoker excited about their new life and the possibilities ahead of them.
So what can smokers replace their old smoking habit with? Firstly they can occupy their hands with whatever interests them, be it knitting, puzzles, a stress ball or dozens of other gizmos and creative crafts. The important point is to make sure this is handy to grab when needed.
Simple substitutes work. Use them - for example, common cinnamon sticks that can be bought at a supermarket or health shop are great to suck on. Not only is cinnamon heart healthy, a cinnamon stick is hollow and is a similar size to a ciggie - go suck on that tip! That's just a quickie, and there are many other clever ideas.
What about stress? Nothing beats relaxation exercises or learning to meditate to cope with stress, plus exercise is a winner too. Combine the two and learn Tai Chi or yoga.
How to cope with other smokers, old situations? Easy - keep out of the way or lead the way and watch other smokers be envious of you having a healthy snack instead of them puffing and coughing; and for old situations, here again plan ahead and have alternatives - such as what to say, where to go, what to do.
You're talking about your life here, and that's more important than other people.
Doing a bit of research and contemplation about a new hobby to take up, can reward you with confidence as your skill increases, plus the opportunity to meet new people outside of your old smoking sphere.
Nearly all former smokers have used at least one or two tricks they had up their sleeve which personally worked well for them.
There are some fascinating stories using amazing innovation and imagination that some people had utilized to find the best way for each one of them that often proved a personal life-saver.
For those side-swiping instant cravings, most recent ex-smokers have been told to drink water and breathe deeply. Yes, these are good, but there's a mountain of other fun and effective strategies, plus longer term good habits to get into... and remember the key to staying smoke-free... plan ahead andbe prepared.
About the author:
Megan Carter, the author of this article also wrote 101Terrific Extra Quit Smoking Tips, which can be found at http://www.quitguide.com
This comprehensive website hasinformation on all aspects of quitting smoking.
posted by Quit Smoking Support at 5:37 PM
Comments on "Title: Staying Smoke-Free"
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Anonymous said ... (3:52 PM) :
post a commentWhen we are born our brains are like empty computers waiting to be fed information. As we grow our peers act as our programmers, they supply us with the knowledge which we channel through the conscious mind into the subconscious (our hard drive). The subconscious mind is the biggest hard drive ever developed - it stores everything we come in contact with and by no means is all of this information of a positive nature.
All that we have heard, touched, smelt, tasted and seen are stored in the recesses of our minds. The subconscious mind holds on to this information until we need to recall it. For example when you were young your curiosity lead you to investigate your surroundings. When you approached a substance that was dangerous, such as fire, your parents or guardians would most likely have rebuked or scolded you if you ventured too near the flame. Perhaps you may even recall an incident when you were physically burned. Your subconscious mind then began to relate scolding (or pain) with the intense heat of the fire and would therefore feed the feelings of the scolding incident back to you whenever you got too close to fire again, thus acting as an early warning system.
This is the mechanism used by our brains to learn. It is also the same method employed by the mind in every situation. The subconscious mind has a tendency to emulate what it sees - it tends to replicate its environment. This is why so many people find themselves in similar relationships and situations that they saw their parents in while they were growing up. Most people also hold very strongly or similar views of their parents.
Think of a time when you gave yourself praise. What words did you use? Do you use the same words that your parents or peers used when they were praising you? The same is applicable when you scold yourself.
Watch your internal dialogue. Look at it closely. It takes diligence to change the way you think. When you notice yourself thinking a negative chose to think the opposite. This way you neutralise the negative thought. Now the think the positive thought again! You have just reversed the negative thinking in that moment and remember you only have this moment. No other time exists!
Daydream about what might be. Imagine things they way you wish them to be. If you catch yourself thinking "this is just a daydream - a fantasy" then stop! Think the opposite. It is not a daydream it is your reality. Now think it again.
By doing this simple procedure you will begin to retrain your subconscious mind to think positively and you will ultimately begin to consciously create a life that dreams are made of! Hypnosis Articles