Can You Ever Say You’ve Quit Smoking For Good?
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This is a serious question. Everyone knows that smoking is one of the most difficult dependencies to overcome. There are many methods that will help you quit smoking cigarettes and most of them work very well. But can you really say that you’re off the butts for good? If you look at the five year stats things are pretty bleak. Even if you quit smoking successfully, in five years the odds of your smoking again are greater than 60%.
My cousin started smoking in his early teens and smoked over ten years, then quit, and stayed off the smokes for over ten years. One day he crashed a small plane with his pregnant wife on board. The first thing he did after they were all safely removed from the plane was bum a smoke off one of the firemen who attended. That got him back on the rails and he smoked for another fifteen years before quitting again. He’s presently not smoking. Good for him.
The problem is that a smoker (ex or not) is fundamentally different from someone who has never inhaled tobacco. Smoking works and we can never wipe that memory from our brains and bodies. No matter how long it has been since we last smoked a cigarette, the right set of circumstances can, and probably will, arise and having a few drags will seem like a good idea. You will falter. That’s just the nature of the game.
Given the fact that there will be relapses, it’s very important not to take them as a sign of personal failure. The most important factor in long-term success is to get back on the horse as quickly as possible and not attach too much importance to these setbacks. This teaches the brain something new and reinforces the importance of the goal. It also builds your self-esteem and lets you define yourself as someone who goes after goals and who can’t be derailed by lack of short-term results. That kind of self-image can do wonders in all areas of life and is one of the hidden benefits you’ll get by giving up smoking.
You have to develop the attitude that failure is not an option, that you’ll pick yourself up and keep going regardless of what obstacles you encounter. That’s where the gold is, so let’s get digging!
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