by 
Cigarette smokers have always had a very hard time kicking the habit. The phrase “I want to quit but I can’t,” has been uttered by nearly every smoker who has tried and failed to quit smoking.
Nicotine replacement, meditation, a change in scenery and even hypnotism and acupuncture have been stop-smoking aids for well over half a century. Nearly every smoker has tried to quit at some point in his or her life, but if unsuccessful on the first attempt, the second and third prove to be that much harder.
No one method promises instant results nor do they guarantee freedom from the addiction. A recent study published August 2nd, 2010 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America says that attacking the symptoms of addiction is the wrong course of action.
According to the study, through the use of cognitive strategies like focus, concentration and visualization patients were able to achieve better results towards quitting smoking for good rather than simply replacing one vice for another as is the case in nicotine replacement.
According to the study’s abstract, the ability to control cravings “lies at the root of substance use disorders and is critical for mental and physical health.” By changing the thought process of the individual and treating the underlying issues of mental or substance abuse disorder, the study was able to make a direct link between the users ability to regulate emotion and the ability to regulate cravings. “We found that the cognitive down-regulation of craving was associated with (i) activity in regions previously associated with regulating emotion in particular and cognitive control in general.”
While no sure fire way to kick the habit exists, this study has brought us much closer to understanding addiction and its ties with emotions as well as giving us a new method with which to fight addiction; changing the way we think.
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I quit by setting a “quit date” which was at least 3 months away. Even when I wanted to quit before the date, I didn’t allow myself to. When the time came, i was truly ready, and haven’t had a craving since. In fact, I never even think about it.
[...] New Quit-Smoking Method: Change The Way You Think! – News By The Second (blog) [...]
[...] New Quit-Smoking Method: Change The Way You Think! – News By The Second (blog) [...]
[...] New Quit-Smoking Method: Change The Way You Think! – News By The Second (blog) [...]
Medications are usually not necessary for smokers to quit. “Speed Limits to a No Smoking Zone,” does not recommend using medications to quit, because this book focuses on the habit, which will in time curb the repetitive act of smoking cigarettes.
I have smoked for fifteen years. I went to the library and found a book that taught me how to change my way of thinking when I craved for a cigarette.
I applied what was taught. I changed my way of thinking when the cravings hit me and I managed to quit.
I am an ex-smoker for 16 years now.
What I added to what I was taught is that a cigarette will never touch my lips again.I made that decision 16 years ago and I am still free.