subject: Why Is It So Hard To Quit Smoking? [print this page] People that don't smoke have a very hard time understanding why it's hard to quit smoking. Often, they just think it's because someone lacks the will to quit. It's no secret that smoking is a nasty habit, and even though a person wants to quit, the brain is subconsciously reminding them of the joys of smoking. And one of the most powerful aspects of a human being is the power of the subconscious mind. This comes from the association your brain has made to enjoy smoking. For instance, your brain may associate smoking a cigarette to less stress, therefore when you think of trying to quit smoking, your brain may create anxiety for you. And the first thing you are going to reach for is something to relieve the stress.
There are alternatives when it comes to helping you quit, however they are not fool proof and often times make people feel awkward by having to walk around with a patch on their arm, or even chew bad tasting gum. With the nicotine patch, you have to change it a few times a week, and it does slowly deliver less nicotine to your system, but, it doesnt deal with the mental association that youve made to enjoying the cigarettes. The gum products on the market work the same way by helping to wean you off the nicotine, but some people cant chew gum throughout the day. How professional would it be to chew gum in an office all day, right? And again, it doesnt deal with the root cause, which is the connection you have made in your brain to enjoy smoking. Now, these products have worked for many people, and they may work for you too, but you should know the challenge you face before you face it!
Now, some people will quit smoking and fill the void with food, thus causing them to gain weight. What they have done, is created a new association linking pleasure to food. This is actually a much easier craving to deal with than that of nicotine cravings. Its simple really, now you are putting more calories in, and if youre not exercising, youre not getting enough calories out, therefore causing weight gain. An effective way of dealing with this problem, is using appetite suppressants. The only problem, is most of these products are filled with stimulants as well. Stimulants like caffeine. There are natural herbal appetite suppressants that are stimulant free, and for most people, this would be a simple solution. When you couple this with a steady dose of exercise, and healthy eatingyou will feel great about yourself, and make your transition to being a healthy person an enjoyable journey. Its not just about wanting to quit smoking, you must want a lifestyle change. And once you make that commitment, there is almost no going back.
