Millio
ns of people smoke, and to many, particularly those that have been smoking for some time, the prospect of quitting seems daunting. An addiction to nicotine is multifaceted: there is a physical component, where your body craves the nicotine the cigarettes contain, and a psychological one, where many habits and situations become associated with cigarettes for the smoker. For these reasons it is important that you come up with a plan in order to quit smoking.
Although the cold-turkey technique works for some people, the vast majority of smokers will have success only with a more comprehensive plan.
When you first consider the prospect of quitting smoking, it's probably going to seem far fetched, but keep in mind that thousands of people - people that are no different from you - quit smoking every year. If they can do it, there is no reason that you can't. Many smokers also feel that after a certain age it is "too-late" to quit smoking. Simply put, this isn't true, and should not be used as an excuse to avoid an attempt to quit smoking: the health benefits of quitting smoking begin the very day you stop.
Spend some time thinking of the reasons you want to quit smoking. Learn about the health benefits of quitting, for both yourself and the people around you. Do the sums and come up with figures for the amount of money you will save by not buying cigarettes, and think of what you can now do with all the extra money.
Your health will improve as soon as you stop smoking. 8 hours after your last cigarette, carbon monoxide levels and oxygen levels in your blood stream will return to normal. At 24 hours after your last cigarette, you statistically reduce your chance of a heart attack. 48 hours after your last cigarette, your sense of taste and smell will improve as your nerve endings start growing.
As you continue to stay smoke free, think of the longer-term benefits to quitting. Other aspects of your health will continue to improve in various ways. The ultimate motivator should be the knowledge that 15 years after quitting, your risk of death is almost the same as someone who has never smoked - a remarkable fact that illustrates the human body's surprising ability to restore itself.
By coming up with a plan to quit smoking you will greatly increase your chances of success. The good news is that hypnosis is very effective in helping you quit smoking once and for all.