Santa Claus Made me smoke - Ian Clark helped me quit by Ian Clark

I am going to start with a number of preconceptions about smoking and start you to think in a different way about some of the most common reasons you will give for smoking. I will open this out further in the subsequent chapters

The Belief

Smoking is Fun

What is the nature of this psychological pleasure? It can be traced to the universal desire for self-expression. None of us ever completely outgrows his childhood. We are constantly hunting for the carefree enjoyment we knew as children. As we grew older, we had to subordinate our pleasures to work and to the necessity for unceasing effort. Smoking, for many of us, then, became a substitute for our early habit of following the whims of the moment; it becomes a legitimate excuse for interrupting work and snatching a moment of pleasure. "You sometimes get tired of working intensely and if you sit back for the length of a cigarette, you feel much fresher afterwards. It's a peculiar thing, but I wouldn't think of just sitting back without a cigarette. I guess a cigarette somehow gives me a good excuse."

The Reality

What started out as fun and excitement quickly moves to a new form of necessity and binding. Fun is spontaneous, it is a feeling that comes from doing something without fear of consequence. Lets face it smoking is no longer fun. It is something that has to be done to feel normal. Yet that is distorted as the real normal should be the times when you are not smoking. What you have done is attach moments and events to cigarettes, It is not the actual cigarette that gives you that freedom, you always had it. You just do not think it will be the same. Try it, you will be surprised how much better those times are, Remember non-smokers are no less relaxed because they do not smoke. You were not born with the need to have nicotine put in your body every hour.

Smoking is a Reward

Most of us are hungry for rewards. We want to be patted on the back. A cigarette is a reward that we can give ourselves as often as we wish. When we have done anything well, for instance, we can congratulate ourselves with a cigarette, which certifies, in effect, that we have been "good boys." We can promise ourselves: "When I have finished this piece of work, when I have written the last page of my report, I'll deserve a little fun. I'll have a cigarette."

The first and last cigarette in the day are especially significant rewards. The first one, smoked right after breakfast, is a sort of anticipated recompense. The smoker has work to do, and he eases himself into the day's activities as pleasantly as possible. He gives himself a little consolation prize in advance, and at the same time manages to postpone the evil hour when he must begin his hard day's work. The last cigarette of the day is like "closing a door." It is something quite definite. One smoker explained: "I nearly always smoke a cigarette before going to bed. That finishes the day. I usually turn the light out after I have smoked the last cigarette, and then turn over to sleep."

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BIO:

I have been helping people quit smoking for over 2 years through my book and support website at http://www.fullstop-smoking. I am married with one daughter.
You can purchase the full book at the website

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