Let’s get one thing straight: Quitting smoking is not going to be easy. In fact, it’s one of the hardest things you’ll ever do. So it’s time to stop searching the internet for miracle stop-smoking products, and face up to the fact that this is going to be a challenge. But if your spirit is strong, and if you truly want to quit, you’ll get through it. You’ll even come out stronger.
Bracing Yourself
If you haven’t yet accepted the difficulty of what you’re about to do, you might want to take some time to think about it. Step away from the internet—with all its chaotic noise and mixed messages—and take some quiet time to have a conversation with yourself.
Say, “Self, we’re going to do this, no matter what it takes!” Try to bring yourself to a point where you feel this sentiment deeply. Make no more half-felt promises. It’s time to know, with no uncertainty, not only that you’re ready to quit, but that you are going to quit. No more doubt.
Once you have that out of the way, it’s time to look into ways to stop smoking—various quit smoking methods and products for nicotine replacement, herbs, hypnosis, patches, therapy, etc. I can’t recommend any single quitting method, as you have to make this decision for yourself. Different things vary in effectiveness for different people, and you have to determine what you think will work best for your body and your mind.
Nicotine Replacement is Not the Answer
But what I can say is this: 90% of the time, nicotine replacement therapy doesn’t work. I’m talking about quit-smoking products like nicotine gum, patches, lozenges, nasal sprays, and all the rest. I don’t want to knock these products, but let’s think about this for a second. If you’re trying to end your addiction to nicotine, why use products that just fill your body with more nicotine? Does this make sense? That’s no way to make a clean break.
Too many people make the mistake of thinking that the most popular stop-smoking products are also the most effective. It’s simply not true. Nicotine replacement products are so popular because they’re brilliantly marketed and very easy to get. Plus, they’re perfect for people who want to look like they’re trying to quit smoking but who are not actually ready to do so. In other words nicotine gum and patches are an effective and relatively painless way to fail, for anyone so inclined.
Going Nicotine-Free
If you’re truly ready to face up to this challenge, you’ll go nicotine-free right off the bat. Depending on how you choose to quit, you may invest in herbal products to quit smoking, or you may use things like stop smoking hypnosis, acupuncture, meditation, or therapy.
All of these things work. They may be more painful than using nicotine replacement products, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Pain is just the first stage of healing, and you’ll never heal from your nicotine addiction if you don’t steel yourself for a week or two of hard times. After all, there are worse things in the world. So just think of all the benefits you’ll get from quitting, and know that every hour of every day brings you one step closer to being free to live a long and nicotine-free life.
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