It all begins with personal rationalizations. If a person is more than determined to quit smoking, then it can be achieved, regardless of quit smoking aids and constant counseling. Although kicking the nicotine habit through sheer willpower alone is rather extreme, many ex-smokers have already done so and have even succeeded in keeping episodes of relapse at bay. Other people who are trying to remove their personal tobacco dependence may find themselves facing or giving in to the temptation – and that is all but normal. The important thing is to get back on the path of rehabilitation as soon as possible, and to keep constant from thereon.
Again, it all begins with rationalization. If a person thinks that he or she can kick the nicotine habit, then chances are that that person is right. Here are some mental tips for giving up smoking.
1. A person who is giving up smoking should think of the rehabilitation stage as a blessing, rather than a sacrifice. If a person perpetually thinks that he or she is sacrificing a lot in order to become nicotine-free, then he or she is adopting a defeatist’s stance to the problem. This can only lead to the likely event of relapsing and giving up. It would be best to focus instead on the benefits that the person can acquire when he or she quits smoking – as opposed to thinking about what is to be missed out from lighting one cigarette. In fact, there is not much to miss out from smoking at all – health wise or socially. So the person can start from there.
2. Fighting nicotine addiction (or any addiction, at that) is a daily struggle. There are many instances when falling into the old habits can be easier than walking away from it. It is then important for the person to renew his or her resolve daily; or if the case calls for it, more than once a day. This method is called affirmation. A smoker is affirming his or her goals not to smoke. For some people, simply stating in their minds that they will not give in is more than enough. Others, on the other hand, need to write these down in slips of papers or even on their own quit smoking journals. Whatever works for the person, affirmation is a great way of keeping that resolve.
3. Cravings come and go. However, the important thing to note here is that cravings “go,” which means that these eventually go away – regardless of these being satisfied or not. Cigarette craving is quite normal for people who have just given up the habit, but these can be countered by simply keeping the mind preoccupied with something else. At the very least, keep the person occupied with something productive until these said cravings pass. Some people turn to exercising. Others turn to a new discovered hobby. Others make unique gestures (like pretending to put out a cigarette butt on an empty tray) to satisfy the motions. Whatever the case may be, the person only has to remember that any cravings on their part will go away on its own.
4. Be extra kind to oneself. Many smokers do suffer one or more forms of relapse, and that is normal. However, some people simply do not return to their “mission” of being nicotine-free because they dwell on that failure (relapse.) Many quit smoking counselors usually advise smokers to be kind to themselves, since pitfalls like these are but expected. These relapses do not mean that the person cannot achieve from tobacco dependence. Rather it means that that persons’ physiology is learning to cope with the situation and episodes of relapses are only ways of physically healing from the problem.