Quitting Smoking Advice

 Quitting Smoking is a BIG Deal

      I think the first step is to realize that you have a problem, just like with alcoholism.  To quit, you must first recognize the importance that smoking has played in your life, and how you rely on it for support, strength, happiness, to kill time, to crave hunger, to feel secure in social situations, etc.  Taking cigarettes out of your life means you have to learn how to live all over again.  If you’re 2 months into quitting smoking and someone close to you dies, you will immediately think of turning to cigarettes.  I once heard that cigarettes are just as addictive as cocaine, and I believe it.  I also believe that being an ex-smoker is like being an alcoholic.  You’re never truly out of the woods; you must always remain vigilant.  Realizing that this may be the hardest thing you’ll ever do, is a good first step in being successful. 

Why Should I Quit?

      Realizing you have a problem is a good start, but realizing that problem is killing you is even better.  Obviously the number one reason to quit smoking is that you want to live, not die.  However, we often feel so invincible that fears about dying don’t make that big of an impact.  But how about the embarrassment of hauling your oxygen tank with you when you walk your daughter down the aisle at her wedding?  I always thought I’d smoke up until I ran the risk of something being seriously wrong with me – like emphysema.  Well, I have asthma now so you can see how effective that resolution was. 

      I think another reason to quit is the smell.  A smoker SMELLS BAD.  Smokers smell dirty and poor.  It is a repugnant odor, even to other smokers.  That brings me to my next reason which is social perception.  Smokers are a dying breed socially speaking.  It is very taboo, no longer fashionable unless you’re John Travolta in Pulp Fiction.  I think if you dig deep, you’ll find that there’s a perception that smokers are weak, stupid, and low on the social ladder.  I want to be socially acceptable; no longer an outcast.

      Another reason to quit is to regain control and feel the strength again that you lost a long time ago.  I hate feeling held hostage by smoking.  It affects far too much of my life, and I’m sick of quitting over and over again without success.  I want to feel STRONG.  I never want to resign myself to a lifetime of smoking.  I surely enjoy it enough to support that kind of commitment, but that just seems so… what’s the word…DEFEATED.  Don’t quit quitting – that’s what they say, but this year will be that last time I tell myself that.

When is it a Good Time to Quit?

      The answer is both NEVER and ALWAYS.  It’s never a good time, because there is always some event for which you’ll want to be smoking (trip to Vegas, upcoming class reunion that’s stressing you out).  Alternatively, it’s always a good time, because every cigarette you smoke takes time off your life.  Personally, I think New Year’s Day is a horrible time to quit smoking.  If you really want to quit, you won’t have to wait until a Monday, or after the holidays, or after your parents visit next week, or when you finish this pack/carton.  If you’re smart, you’ll quit when you have the urge.  However, some people do a little better with a deadline, so considering that, may I suggest waiting a couple days after you’ve just drank and smoked and Lord know whatever else.  Think about it:  on New Year’s Eve you go to a party and really have a good time smoking and socializing.  The next day you wake up on the opposite end of the spectrum:  the party’s over and so is your love affair with cigarettes.  Yeah right.