by Mike James
Once somebody decides that it’s time he/she stopped smoking, it is best to begin immediately. However, how do you stop smoking, when you have been smoking for a very long time? Smoking is a very hard addiction to deal with as tobacco contains the substance called nicotine which is addictive to both the mind and body.
Studies have shown that every time you smoke a cigarette, it has cost you about 5 to 20 minutes of your life. Apart from weakening the body, smoking leaves a person with halitosis, yellow teeth, wrinkles, lower bone density, fertility problems that will eventually affect the sexual health of both men and women and a higher risk of becoming infected with deadly diseases such as lung cancer. Smoking is costly and can reduce the life span of a person by around 10 years or even more.
Methods to quit smoking can be seen in various places and there are also many kinds of medication that can be prescribed. Some smokers are given nicotine replacements such as nicotine gums, nicotine patches, lozenges, inhalers, etc. But the problem with all these is that it deals with mainly the physical aspect of what smoking does to the body. The fact is that more than the body, it is the mind that becomes addicted to smoking.
The most difficult part of quitting smoking comes when trying to cope with the mind. A smoker’s mind generally becomes convinced that their happiness, enjoyment and leading a stress free life, all depend on smoking. Understanding that this is just not the case is one of the most important issues in stopping smoking.
One of the most important things to keep in mind when attempting to stop smoking, is the cessation of such relationships in the mind. Smokers think that they have to smoke a cigarette to help them cope with daily issues. Once you are able to overcome this problem, in time your mind will learn to deal with daily activities without needing a cigarette.
A good piece of advice when trying to stop smoking can be to go to counselling classes and get advice from someone who is an ex-smoker, ie a person who has undergone similar experiences. Talking about your problems about stopping smoking and thereby relieving the fears you have by going to such sessions can be beneficial to anyone who is trying to stop smoking.
If you have decided that you ought to give up smoking, don’t hesitate, grab the bull by the horns and start stopping now. You will soon start to notice the difference to your health. Exercise will be easier, your fitness level will rise dramatically, food will taste better and your mouth will be fresher.
