Why You Should Quit Smoking
Smoking is a highly additive habit, and most people who smoke
find it very difficult to quit. The reason that it is so
difficult to quit smoking is that the addiction is multifaceted:
not only is there a physical addiction to the nicotine, but
there is also a strong psychological component to the addiction
as cigarettes are both legal and in many situations socially
acceptable.
One of the greatest indicators as to weather your attempt to
quit smoking will be successful is how mentally prepared you
are. You have to truly want to quit in order to be successful,
and if you try to quit without this mindset it is unlikely that
it will work. A good way to motivate yourself - to get yourself
to a point where you really and truly want to quit smoking - is
to think of the health risks involved, and the many benefits of
quitting.
The health risks associated with smoking are well known, but if
you are trying to quit it is a good idea to revisit them. By
smoking, you greatly increase your chances of lung cancer and
heart disease. As well as the increased risk of a premature
death, you will also, as a smoker, be plagued with breathing
difficulties. Another thing you should consider is that as a
smoker you are putting others at risk through second hand smoke.
It is a well known fact that second hand smoke can be very
detrimental to the health of your loved ones, especially over
the long term.
Now, if you smoke there a good chance you're aware of these
factors, and the knowledge can be fairly sobering. All is not
lost, however, and in order to motive yourself to quit your
should think about the immediate benefits involved if you stop.
Almost instantly you'll notice that your sense of smell will
improve. Smell plays a crucial role in the taste of food, and
therefore your taste sensation will improve considerably, and
you will find yourself enjoying food more.
Also consider the money that you will save. Depending on where
you live, cigarettes can be very expensive, and the general
trend is that the price will continue to increase in the future.
Even a fairly generous assumption of $5 a pack means that if you
quit a pack a day habit you will save almost $2000 in the first
year. A great technique to motive yourself when you first stop
smoking is to put the money you would spend every day on
cigarettes into a jar, where you can see it steadily accumulate:
even after the first week you'll have $35 - enough to treat
yourself to a nice meal.
By constantly reminding yourself of the benefits of quitting
smoking you give yourself an important mental motivator: think
of not only your own health benefits, but those of the people
around you who suffer from second hand smoke. Add to this the
amount of money you'll be saving, and it becomes hard to justify
a smoking habit. Quitting smoking is a win-win situation, and
thinking of it in this way will provide you with an important
mental weapon in your attempt to quit.