Every time I go in to see a doctor, the first thing their nurse asks is “do you smoke?” That definitely set off an alarm for me that smoking is probably one of the worst habits for your health. I was thankful that I haven’t smoked in quite some time and didn’t smoke very long when I did. There is no doubt that smoking causes us to develop disease and die much earlier than if we don’t smoke. Most smokers know this, but worry more about how hard it is to quit smoking. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance which makes it extremely difficult to quit without some kind of help.
The first step is to decide that you are going to quit smoking and then determine a date. The best way to succeed at nearly anything is to have a solid plan in place beforehand. Mapping out your quit-smoking plan will greatly increase your chances of success. The first thing you want to do is develop a “support” group. That includes friends, family, your doctor, and maybe even a counselor. You need to have people that will hold you accountable to your plan. You can also get support from medications that help with the chemical dependency that you have. Next, you need to determine the most high-risk places for smoking and make sure to avoid them. Making the effort to go to places that ban smoking will definitely make it easier for you to keep your mind off of it. Read the rest of this entry »
