Michael Porteous asked:


If you are thinking of quitting smoking cigarettes then you must know how bad they are for you and those around you and I applaud your decision. You have also probably heard many nightmare tales of how hard it is to quit which may be scary and demotivating. To help you kick your addiction to cigarettes and the addictive component nicotine here are 10 tips and ways to quit smoking cigarettes that can show you it can be done and it is not as hard as people can make it out to be if you have a plan!

1. Write a list of reason you LIKE smoking

It may seem counter to your needs to quit smoking but ignoring why you like smoking and why you continue to smoke is important so that psychologically you can overcome these things or leave them behind or replace them with something. Ignoring them simply means when cravings hit those reasons subconsciously attack your reasoning and resolve.

2. Make a list of reasons it will be hard to quit

Wow, I sound so negative so far which I am sorry for but bear with me! Honesty is massive part of overcoming an addiction to nicotine and cigarettes because many people try to quit without being honest with themselves first and those people usually fail on that attempt. So write down a list of reasons you think might make it hard to quit or the reasons you know from experience have made it harder.

3. Write a list of reasons you want to quit

Ok now we are getting more positive! Again HONESTY is the big word here for the same reason stated before. You need as many solid positive reasons for quitting cigarettes so that these ways to quit smoking cigarettes work! HINT: List them in a positive way so instead of writing “Scared of lung cancer” write “I want to be healthy and live a long life!” … negative reasons are not as strong as positive ones.

4. Write down a list of ways to tackle cravings

When the cravings hit all reasoning and resolve can suddenly go out the window as you may already have experienced and is not something to be ashamed of. You just need a way to overcome these things, having something to distract you from the cravings is a very important things to do whether it is to get your joggers on and hit the pavement or if you are at work to maybe chew some gum, get a coffee or clean up your office space.

5. Compare lists

Now you have a few sheets of paper (or for some people nearly a book!) you can compare your negative and positive reasons. This is important because often if you have more reasons you like smoking compared to reasons you want to quit smoking cigarettes then you may not be ready to quit and might need to find some more reasons and support to quit. Also if your list of things to do to overcome cravings do not have an answer to all your reasons why quitting might be hard then you may need to revisit the former list and add to it. Once you have done this not only have you been introspective enough to see things clearly and plan ahead you have created the base work for a contract with yourself to quit which is a cornerstone of quitting cigarettes for good.

6. Set a quit date
Having firm goals is important when dealing with addictions and when looking for ways to quit smoking cigarettes this is a vital step. Having a set date you set for yourself and can plan for means you will not make snap decision when you are not ready and you will also force yourself to commit to a date than a vague “I will quit next week” then that week never seems to come …

7. Throw out all smoking paraphernalia

Get rid of them when that quit date hits! Get rid of your smokes, if you hold on to any cigarettes it is a temptation and a subconscious easy way out .. if you are serious break the **** and toss them out, if you can’t do that you are not ready to quit. Also get rid of lighters and anything else that has to do with smoking in your space.

8. Busy your hands and mouth

One part of the addiction to cigarettes that people ignore in favor of concentrating on the dependency effects of nicotine is the habit that has formed over many years of the actual ACTION of smoking. IF you carry some toothpicks you can **** on or some nuts you can ***** open and eat you will busy your hands looking for a familiar action, no need for anything terribly elaborate just keep them busy or they may stray to a cigarette.

9. State your intention to quit smoking cigarettes

Tell your friends, tell your family and tell your co-workers that you plan to quit smoking cigarettes for a two reasons. One, you need a support network to help you so it is good to get as many well wishers and helpers as you can. Two if you are not announcing it does not become REAL to you and is less substantial because it is like you are a keeping a secret often as many do not want the stigma of people knowing they failed if it comes to that which is just another excuse!

10. Stay Positive, Quit positive

Research has shown that those that quit when in a good and positive mood stand a much greater chance of achieving their goal. IF you plan to quit and map out your ways to quit smoking cigarettes while under stress of when depressed it does not bode well as a negative reason as has been mentioned is no where near as strong as positive ones!

This list may only scratch the surface of all the challenges and ways to quit that you may need to kick your habit for you particular situation. If you want to be armed with all the tools & information that can give you every chance to be smoke free forever click below to find out more.

http://www.kick-addiction.com/nicotine-addiction/treatment/



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Phoenix Delray asked:


Recovering from addiction is a complex and often lengthy process, involving many steps. In other words, not something that can be accomplished overnight. Many people with alcohol and drug addictions describe their recovery process as ongoing, stating that they are not cured, per se, but rather, continually working toward freedom from their addictions. While alcohol may be legal, it is a very powerful and highly addictive drug, and admitting that you have a problem, the first step in overcoming and subsequently recovering from addiction, is not a sign of weakness, but rather, the sign of a mature acceptance of the situation. Denial is the most common obstacle to addiction recovery.

Addiction is a destroying exercise, both since most drug and alcohol abusers, as previously stated, will deny that they have a problem at all even when this problem creates substantial legal and personal troubles, and because, contrary to what addicts delude themselves into believing, it robs you of your free will. Addiction recovery is a healing exercise, accomplished best through counseling, therapy, and above all with time and understanding on the part of those close to the addict.

The stigma attached to any type of disease or addiction is often a stumbling block on the path to addiction recovery, but one that must be overcome. Individuals need to realize that it is the out of control abuser, who has alienated their family, gotten into excessive trouble with the law, and lost control of their own lives that is truly looked down on by society. Addicts, rather than being perceived as having a failing, are perceived as pro actively, rather than reactively tackling the issues surrounding their alcohol and substance abuse problems. These issues can be explored most effectively within a controlled group therapy and or drug and alcohol rehabilitation setting, as part of an addiction recovery program.

Ultimately, it is the addict who must choose the path to addiction recovery, aided by the support of compassionate and caring individuals, and fortified by newly acquired self knowledge and self worth. Many people who begin but do not finish a drug and alcohol treatment program do so because of a perceived lack of support and a subsequent lack of motivation. These reasons again, point to the benefits of an addiction recovery program within a controlled setting. It is up to the addict to choose to obtain help, but the importance of a support group should not be downplayed when it comes to the myriad of issues and steps surrounding drug addiction recovery.



free from addiction

David Roppo asked:


The disease model has become a common methodology which has been adopted by the National Institute on Drug abuse (NIDA). This agency is solely responsible for substance abuse research and is funded to the tune of billions of dollars. If you visit the (NIDA) you will find countless CT Scans and cross sections of human brains displaying the chemical effects of drug addiction. Not  withstanding the fact that drugs, alcohol, nicotine and other substances are psychoactive in nature and do alter the brain, however, the findings show that not to be the root cause of addiction. To date there doesn’t appear to be one shred of clinical evidence to prove the brain disease conjecture! This demonstrates once again that the mainstream approach to overcoming addiction is not only fundamentally amiss, but it has also exacerbated the situation.

Let’s examine the disease theory by beginning with the definition of disease!

Disease – a condition in humans, plants, or animals that results in pathological symptoms and is not the direct result of physical injury.

Now let’s break disease down to three models that are recognized by the medical establishment and society:

Physical Disorders

This model is generally comprised of illnesses and afflictions that can be pathological diagnosed and treated such as bacterial and viral infections, cancers, or any malady creating a physically adverse change in the body.

Mental Illness

This model is comprised of varying degrees of mental disorders ranging from psychotic disorders, anxiety disorders, adjustment disorders, and factitious disorders. If you examine these disorders you will find that none of the can be pathological diagnosed. Diagnosis is purely a matter of opinion based on the behavior of the patient.

Addictions

Addiction is unlike a physical disorder such as cancer, and is also unlike a mental disorder such as schizophrenia since the first is pathological diagnosed and the second is diagnosed by disordered thinking. The addiction model strays furthest from the original definition of disease because addictions are known purely by the behaviors they describe! One cannot tell if a person is addicted in the absence of habitual behavior, so when a person that has been labeled as an alcoholic hasn’t touched a drop of alcohol in 5 years why are they still an alcoholic! Plain and simple, addiction does not fit the description of a disease, nor should it be listed in this category!

Unfortunately, most psychologists, psychiatrists, interventionists, drug and alcohol abuse counselors, and specialists still believe that addiction is a disease, and an incurable one at that! They believe that there is no cure and there is no such thing as completely overcoming addiction. However, I have a different take on addiction, and I have proven time and time again that addiction is not a disease! And, I believe that treating it as such is not only counterproductive to recovery, but it prevents people from getting help with addiction. Think about it for a moment. If someone is given the grim prognosis that they have an incurable brain disease, what motivation do they have to find the courage to stop their behavior?

In my opinion, treating addiction as a disease has not only exacerbated this health crisis, but it has in turn fostered another disease, which I like to call “wounditis!”

I have proven time and time again that addiction is a psychological and emotional issue that is rooted in a low self-esteem, so accepting this disease prognosis only worsens the situation. This problem is further exacerbated by support groups and 12-step groups that teach people they are powerless and helpless over their addiction! Quite the contrary, you have all the power in the world to stop your habitual behavior. So, what exactly is “wounditis?” Well, it’s no secret that most people feel an incredible amount of shame and guilt for their behavior. Without question, partaking in habitual behavior not only causes you pain but, it inflicts pain on the people around you as well. However, do not allow what you have done in the past, to cause you to wallow in your own misfortune and to seek comfort from others who share your plight. The past is the past, it is over, and living in it does not serve anyone well. Live in the present moment, be kind to yourself, and learn to love yourself. How can you love someone else if you don’t love yourself? The answer is you can’t!!! It isn’t a big secret that you’re feeling shame and guilt for what you’ve done. In fact, you’re probably questioning right now as to whether you should be punished for your past actions. Well guess what, its ok! God doesn’t punish people, we punish ourselves. God is a loving and forgiving being. So if you thought that you would continue to punish yourself with shame and guilt before God gets a hold of you, you can stop right now! We do not have defects of character, are not full of shortcomings, and we certainly are not powerless! On the Contrary, we are all the same, we are all connected, and we all have the same power to change!

Consequently, addiction is not the disease that the medical community has deemed it to be. In fact, it is not a disease at all! Addiction is a choice, or what many view as a solution to temporarily remove their underlying emotional pain! Someone that is suffering from addiction merely has a co-dependency to a substance or compulsion in response to removing their emotional pain. This temporary solution quickly becomes a trap because the body and mind adapt requiring more and more of the addictive behavior or substance to remove the pain! However, if you understand why you made this choice in the first place, you can make another by choosing a better solution that will remove the pain, permanently! Yes, there is a better solution! One that you can work through in the privacy of your home, and one that will give you what you truly desire, happiness!

 

For more information on how to overcome addiction subscribe to my free 5 step E-guide below……..

 

http://www.5stepstoaddictionfreedom.com

 



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