So you’ve read countless articles telling you how smoking is a damaging habit that not only harms the smoker, but also those surrounding him. You know that it is likely to give rise to various kinds of health-related issues such as cancer, tuberculosis, asthma, heart-attack, oral and dental problems, etc. The biggest irony is in spite of knowing its adverse effects, you may still long for that one drag of a cigarette. What’s the need to smoke? The reason varies from one person to another. Some smoke when they are stressed, some do it socially, some do it to imitate some movie stars, etc.

With all this and more, and not least because of the fact that nicotine is addictive, it can sure be difficult to quit smoking. While research has now shown that most people who smoke regularly wish to give it up, research also shows that almost 80% of smokers wish to quit at some point, however it’s not easy to quit smoking. Coupled with this is the frequent criticism leveled at smokers; that they are irresponsible and hurtful to others and that they aren’t genuinely interested in quitting even when they say otherwise. Thus, the problem associated with giving up smoking becomes a blame-game and many smokers simply refuse to deal with the complexities of the issues involved.

How then can anyone Quit Smoking?

It is important to remember that most people who smoke know how harmful it is to themselves and to others around them. It is most likely that they have also at some point read countless articles on how to quit smoking, the ill effects of smoking, etc and have been accused of being disgusting and irresponsible. Merely repeating this will not only be ineffective, it is likely to do more damage. Anyway, the moral righteousness that the person accusing the smoker assumes can be extremely damaging and is usually a refusal to understand the problem and to provide important support and help to facilitate the process.

Say No to Cigarettes

Giving up requires determination and focus, and not simply on the part of the smoker, but those around him or her. It also requires an effective plan. But most importantly, giving up smoking requires you to change your relationship with cigarettes. Once you understand what is it that makes you reach out for that pack, you can find ways to remedy it, or even prevent yourself from being in situations that will intensify your craving for cigarettes. Of course, there is the problem of nicotine-addiction. Very often one’s resolve to quit and even actual staying-away for several days is broken by the requirement for nicotine the body has learnt to crave. While the nicotine addiction is the biggest physical battle, very probably, the toughest part of the process is to really be able to visualize and then accept life without cigarettes.

Not only does this mean that you have to be focused and put in a lot of hard work, it means having the right support network and all the physical apparatus that’ll make the process easier. So, if you know someone who smokes and care enough about them to genuinely want them to quit, try to understand and support them through this difficult task.
Remember, if you want to live a healthy life, you have cut down on smoking and quit eventually.

Author Bio: For more information please visit our CPR & First Aid Training website.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: healthy life,Cigarettes,Quit Smoking