Ways to Avoid Starting Smoking Again

It’s a great achievement for every person to quit smoking,but not all of us have the will to carry on and never do it again.I haven’t smoked for almost a year and I’m very confident that I won’t ever light a cigarette again,but I met people who claim that once a smoker,always a smoker.I met a person who started smoking again after a two years break,and who pretends that you could not get rid of this bad habit forever,all it takes is just one moment of weakness to start again.However,I strongly disagree with that point of view and I believe there are much more people who succeeded in quitting smoking and will never smoke again if they have enough will.

It’s certain that after we quit smoking we feel a certain discomfort,but that mustn’t be interpreted as a sign that we can’t abandon our vice.Psychologists claim that when we feel the need to light a cigarette we must find behaviors that will reduce our urge to smoke,and there are several methods which can be applied to prevent us from starting smoking again.They say that it’s important from the very beginning to understand that quitting is a difficult experience,for some smokers even very difficult.The fact that they continue to feel the need to smoke is normal and it shouldn’t frighten them,they shouldn’t perceive it as an indicator that they won’t be able to stop for good.Understanding that the physical and psychological discomfort we feel in this situation is normal and we must assume it and not be scared of it, is a very important step forward.
It is a proven fact that smoking causes physical and psychic addiction,and the lack of it creates chaos in our brain and it completely messes with our well established habits,which obviously included cigarettes smoked at certain hours,for example.That’s why there are anti smoking programs which offer not only pills and nicotine patches,but also counseling to those who want to quit smoking,which allow counselors to identify the problems which may occur in the process of quitting and try to solve them.

Psychologists also make the difference between the need to smoke and the appetite for smoking,the former being a constant presence for a smoker because the body constantly asks for its habitual dose of nicotine,which makes the unpleasant sensations appear every two or three hours.Whenever the need occurs,the person has to know that it lasts for about 5-10 minutes;in this critical interval we should be occupied with other activities,such as drinking a cup of tea.Once the need passes and the person sees that it’s possible to defeat that need to smoke,the confidence will grow and it will gradually become easier to fight the addiction.

Unlike the need,the appetite for smoking only appears in some contexts,usually when we have a cup of coffee or go out for a couple of beers.Some people try to avoid these situations once they decided to quit ,but that’s not the best idea because giving up on other pleasant moments of live is perceived by the brain as an extra punishment,and it’s better for our mind to get accustomed to the thought that it is possible to enjoy a cup of coffee or a beer without smoking.That’s exactly what I did,and now I can consume a cup of coffee and appreciate its taste better than before.

Quitting this nasty habit is definitely not easy,and people who were wise enough not to try a cigarette in their entire lives might not understand how difficult it is to do it and how easy it is to start again,but it can be done if those who want to quit for good understand the problems they have to deal with and ask for assistance.All those who manage to do it are true winners and their stories can serve as examples for others who care about their health and want to live longer.