Why Do You Smoke?

Do You think of a cigarette as …

1. A Boost
Does it feel like it gives you more energy? Do you smoke when you have to keep on the go, to wake up in the morning, or when you need a ‘pick-me-up’?

The nicotine in tobacco is a stimulant, and it can make you feel temporarily more alert. In the long-term, though, smoking drains your energy. It makes ordinary physical tasks like housework or climbing stairs tiring.

Try these tips to boost your energy instead:
* Get enough rest. With a good night's sleep you're more likely to feel fresh and alert.
* Exercise regularly to raise your overall energy level.
* Take a brisk walk instead of smoking if you feel sluggish. Physical movement is a drug-free stimulant.
* Eat regular, nutritious meals. Smaller meals spaced throughout the day are better than three large ones for keeping energy levels constant.
* Drink plenty of fluid; water is best.
* Boredom can make you feel dull and lethargic, so take regular breaks (just not smoke breaks) from tedious tasks.

2. A security blanket.
Does it "feel right" to have a cigarette in your hand or mouth? Do you feel more at ease socially when you’ve got something to do with your hands? Do you enjoy the whole process: taking a cigarette out of the pack, lighting it, watching the smoke when you exhale?

Many people find the rituals involved with smoking calming and satisfying, and handle cigarettes as a way to feel less self-conscious in public. But of course, there are many alternative rituals and ‘things to do with your hands’:
Find alternative objects to handle.
* For instance, you could keep a pen and pad in your pocket or on your desk. When you want to reach for a cigarette, pick up the pen instead. Write down your reasons for giving up smoking, or just doodle. You could also handle a coin in your pocket, twist a ring or play with your necklace.
* Hold a real cigarette if the touch is all you miss – but not if handling a cigarette makes you want to light up.
* Don't confuse hunger with the desire to put a cigarette in your mouth. Eat regular meals and keep snack foods (preferably healthy, low-calorie ones) on hand.
* Take up a hobby or learn a skill that keeps your hands busy.
* Try creating alternative harmless rituals.

3. A treat, like chocolate.
Do you smoke because it’s pleasurable? Do you associate it with good times, and that’s when you really feel like a cigarette – when you feeling comfortable and relaxed? Does a smoke just seem to make the moment better?

Almost two out of three smokers say they just plain enjoy smoking. When you associate smoking with ‘good times’, it can strengthen your habit further. Keep reminding yourself about the benefits of smoking, and practise enjoying yourself without tobacco:
Focus on the pleasures of being tobacco-free.
Notice:
* How good food smells and tastes
* How you feel (and smell) fresher in social situations
* How it’s easier it to walk, run and climb stairs
* How powerful it feels to be gaining control over the urge to smoke.

Spend the money you save on cigarettes on other pleasures, like a shopping spree or a dinner party.
Remind yourself that the health benefits of giving up smoking will mean that you’re far more likely to be able to enjoy life's other pleasures more, and for longer.
‘Good times’ for many people involve alcohol, which many smokers find makes them smoke more. Swop some of your nights out in bars or clubs for activities where you can’t or are less likely to smoke or drink, like going to the cinema.


4. A tranquilliser.
Do you use smoking to help you relax if you tense or upset? When you stressed out, angry or depressed, does a cigarette make you feel better?

The irony of using cigarettes to calm down is that the way they act on your body makes you more tense. Nicotine, far from helping relieve stress, may actually cause it. Smokers start to go into withdrawal between cigarettes, which gives them false perception that smoking helps with stress-relief. The result is that smokers often find themselves in a vicious circle of smoking to relax because the previous cigarette has made them tense. If you've used cigarettes as a crutch to get you through bad times, you need to find other ways to cope with stress. Otherwise, you’ll likely want to smoke again whenever problems arise. These tips may be helpful:
* Use relaxation techniques to calm down when you’re angry or upset. Deep breathing exercises, muscle relaxation, and imagining yourself in a peaceful setting can all help.
* Get enough rest. Make time each day to relax, no matter how busy you are: have a bath or massage, listen to soothing music or take a nap.
* Exercise regularly. Exercise helps to relieve tension and lighten depression.
* Remember that smoking won’t solve or alleviate a problem that’s causing you stress. Work out what will, and act on it.
* Identify situations that stress you out and might tempt you to smoke, and try to avoid these.

5. A fix.
Are you addicted; do you constantly crave cigarettes? When you run out, are you not able to concentrate on anything properly until you get more? Are you very aware of not smoking when you don't have a cigarette in your hand?

Like many smokers, you may be addicted to the nicotine in tobacco, and when you give up, you’re likely to go through a withdrawal period. This typically involves both physical symptoms (tiredness, irritability, headaches, anxiety) and an emotional need for a cigarette.
It isn't easy to get over an addiction to tobacco, but many people have succeeded.
The longer you stay nicotine-free, the less of a hold it will have over you.
The following tips are intended to help an addicted smoker make it through withdrawal and give up for good:
* Seek help eg. hypnotherapy to change bad habits into good ones
* Go ‘cold turkey’. Tapering off gradually probably won't work for you, because the moment you put out one cigarette you begin to crave the next.
* Tell family and friends you've stopped smoking. Ask for help if you need it. Keep away from cigarettes completely. Get rid of ashtrays. Destroy any cigarettes you have. Try to avoid smokers and smokey places.
* Think of yourself as a non-smoker, and act like one. Put up ‘No Smoking’ signs, and encourage others to stay smoke-free.
* Remember that physical withdrawal symptoms, unpleasant though they may be, only last about two weeks.

6. An extension of you own body.
Is Smoking a habit, something you do more or less automatically without being fully aware of it a lot of the time? Do you sometimes light up a cigarette without realising you’ve got one burning in an ashtray, or you find a cigarette in your mouth and don't remember putting it there?

If you’re this kind of smoker, you’re probably no longer getting much satisfaction from your habit. Unlike people who smoke for pleasure, you might not miss it too much if you stopped.
The following tips can help break those ingrained smoking patterns:
* If you’re not ready to give up completely yet, try cutting down gradually. Smoke fewer cigarettes each day or only smoke them halfway down. Inhale less often and less deeply. After several months it should be easier to stop completely.
* Change your smoking routines to make yourself more aware of when and how much you’re smoking. Keep your cigarettes in a different place. Smoke with your opposite hand. Don't do anything else while smoking. Limit smoking to certain places, such as outside or in one room at home.
* When you want a cigarette, wait one minute. Think of something else to do instead of smoking.
* Be aware of every cigarette you smoke. Ask yourself: Do I really want this cigarette?