You Will Quit When You Want To
You've heard all about the health risks involved with smoking. You figure your lungs are fine now so maybe you will quit smoking in a few years when your doctor tells you that you have no choice because you've come down with emphysema. Maybe you will quit when you're pregnant or maybe you will quit when your girlfriend moves in. Or maybe you will quit when pigs fly because you believe you're going to get lucky and be one of the rare people who live into their nineties despite having smoked a pack a day.
Don't keep putting it off-you need to quit and you will quit! Your heart and your lungs are damaged each time you inhale a cigarette. You will quit! You're putting yourself at higher risk for a stroke, cancer, a heart attack, cataracts, and even premature wrinkly skin. You will quit! You put others, especially children and the elderly, at risk as well when you smoke around them. You will quit! Thanks to the addictive power of nicotine, you may be thinking you can't quit, that you'll feel sick when you're trying to quit or you're too stressed not to have the option of lighting up to calm you down and give you the energy you need to get through the day. You've probably heard it before, but if you put your mind to it, you will quit smoking! Start thinking about a smoke-free life. You'll be healthier, the people around you will be able to breathe easier as well, and you'll save a sizeable sum of money. Start thinking about smoking with a "you will quit" mentality. It won't always be easy and you may struggle with your desire for nicotine, but if you approach every day with a "you will quit" mentality, you can and you will quit smoking. There are a number of ways to quit smoking-how you will quit depends on what works best for you. Will you quit "cold turkey"? Others have; they stop smoking one day, deal with unpleasant withdrawal symptoms for a few weeks and find themselves free from their enslavement to nicotine. When they feel the craving for nicotine, they wait it out, knowing that the cravings will come and go. They keep their mouths busy by chewing gum, celery, or carrot sticks, and they keep their hands busy by doodling, drawing, or doing puzzles. They find new hobbies to occupy their minds so that they think less about nicotine, taking this opportunity for a new healthier life by walking off, biking off, or exercising away the craving. You can and you will quit, even if this seems too difficult for you to do. There are support groups; nicotine replacement products like gums and patches; laser anti-smoking treatments; and even hypnotism options to ensure that you will quit. Remember, if you approach the task of quitting smoking with the "you will quit" mindset, you can quit and you will quit. It's not too late. To learn more about ways to quit smoking, visit the National Cancer Institute-sponsored site at smokefree.gov. |
