Quitting smoking is difficult for many people, particularly at times of stress and when routines are disrupted, as they have been for most of us over the last few months. With life beginning to get back on track in the UK, maybe it’s time for you to finally break free from your nicotine habit?
I’m sure that you don’t really need me to tell you the benefits that quitting smoking will bring for you but I’ll mention a few anyway….
Regular extra cash in your wallet or purse – think of all you could do with that!
Increased fertility – quitting smoking improves the lining of the womb, making it easier to get pregnant and reducing the chance of miscarriage. The chances of success with IVF treatment are higher in a non-smoker.
Protection for your family – breathing in second-hand smoke increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer. Children who live with a smoker are at increased risk of pneumonia, asthma and ear infections and are 3 times more likely to develop lung cancer in later life, than those who don’t.
And most importantly…........
Improved health, fitness and longer life – giving up smoking improves lung capacity by up to 10% within just 9 months of quitting and dramatically decreases the risk of premature death from smoking related illnesses such as heart disease and lung cancer.
So, you want to give up for these reasons but the mere thought of it fills you with panic – is this you?
If so, you are not alone. For most smokers the only thing which prevents them from quitting is FEAR!
Fear that they will have to undergo an unknown period of time suffering feelings of deprivation
Fear that social occasions will not be quite as enjoyable without a cigarette
Fear that they can’t concentrate or be as confident without that cigarette providing the crutch
Fear that their identity, personality or character will change
Fear that that quitting may cause them to gain a few pounds in weight.
Fear that they will lose the “helpful friend” that helps them to cope with stress.
The thing is that the fear of giving up is actually CREATED by cigarettes.
Falling into the nicotine trap was probably not your intention when you had your first cigarette but nicotine is designed to ensure that you remain there, in fear of gaining your freedom again!
It’s interesting that whilst it may seem that smoking is reducing the fear and stresses around many of the issues mentioned, scientific studies show that stress levels are much lower in people after they stop smoking.
So, you really want to quit but don’t know how?
Some small steps which you can take to become nicotine free are:-
1. Make a list of the reasons to quit, there are probably a number of them - but have you ever actually written them as a list?
2. Set a quit date and stick to it!
3. Change your cigarette brand one week before your quit date, you will find they are not as enjoyable.
4. Try to change the hand you use to hold your cigarette; it will feel awkward but this small change breaks down habits and associations
5. Change your routine, if you normally smoke after a meal, try to break out of this routine. Try reading a chapter of a book, watch a TV show, or retreat to a part of the house where you wouldn’t normally smoke
6. Get active, a five-minute walk or stretch produces chemicals in the brain that reduce cravings
7. Be positive making regular affirmations to yourself several times a day “I am enjoying life as a non-smoker”
8. Consider hypnotherapy which can help you to have your last cigarette ever!
Hypnotherapy will show you the reasons to stop and help you with the motivation to stop smoking - and stay stopped!! It will do this by helping you to break the connections and triggers to smoking enabling you to break free from the nicotine trap and become a confident and positive non-smoker, quickly and easily, without cravings.
So, if you haven’t been able to quit smoking before, it doesn’t mean you won’t be able to do it now!
Why wouldn’t you break out of that habit into a fresher, cleaner, healthier YOU.
Contact me now for a free, no obligation chat about how I can help you to quit smoking for good!
