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I think it's often a good approach to take the time to understand the current situation, understand the future desired situation, and commit to a doable plan to

by b6 11y ago

I think it's often a good approach to take the time to understand the current situation, understand the future desired situation, and commit to a doable plan to get from the one to the other. For example, if someone wants to quit cigarettes, they could figure out how many they smoke per day. Now, this week, could they smoke only N-1 per day? Next week, could they smoke only N-2 per day? Maybe it seems excruciatingly slow, but is it really? Plan it out. Get a calendar and hang it somewhere prominent and write down what is supposed to be taking place each week. Slow and steady can accomplish anything. No heroics necessary. Just be relentless. Best wishes to your friend. I often thank my parents for quitting smoking when I was born; if they hadn't, they'd be gone now, or in absolute ruins healthwise.

Broken_Hippo 11y ago
This is one method I've known to help people quit. Quitting is a lifestyle change, much like losing weight. While doing the above, the trick is to gradually change habits. Instead of that cigarette, do Something else. Remember to be forgiving - one day messing up is simply one day messing up, tomorrow is a new day. Same for 10 days. An additional suggestion is before or during the gradual cutdown on cigarettes, I suggest breaking smallish smoking habits as well. For example, waiting a little longer every day after meals and after waking (two major habit times), going one workbreak a day without a cigarette (I suggest reading or drinking liquid). And keep in mind that part of the process is learning to be around others that smoke. Smoking can be a social activity and flavors your social life to a point. Lastly, find something to help with the bits of enjoyment/relaxation the person loses through the day. This is, I think, the true reason an antidepressant helps some people quit. Perhaps developing a relaxation technique (used for anxiety or for things like meditation) would help, or having varied little daily rewards. Good luck to them, for sure.
drinchev 11y ago
Good, but this works for a while. The strongest motivation I had when I was smoking was to understand what a cigarette does to your brain and how you actually make a chain of narcotic addiction, which lasts forever. There is actually no joy of smoking, the pleasure that you get is not because you are smoking right now, but because you've been smoking before and the body is addicted to have your next one. When you surrender to that addiction and smoke a cigarette you are thinking "what a joy", but actually what happens is "here's a little more nicotine to you, sick brain". This helped me keep up 2 months no smoking. I later started again, because it really is a fight every day which I lost. I still know exactly what happens when I smoke, though.

by b6 11y ago

Broken_Hippo 11y ago

This is one method I've known to help people quit. Quitting is a lifestyle change, much like losing weight. While doing the above, the trick is to gradually change habits. Instead of that cigarette, do Something else. Remember to be forgiving - one day messing up is simply one day messing up, tomorrow is a new day. Same for 10 days. An additional suggestion is before or during the gradual cutdown on cigarettes, I suggest breaking smallish smoking habits as well. For example, waiting a little longer every day after meals and after waking (two major habit times), going one workbreak a day without a cigarette (I suggest reading or drinking liquid). And keep in mind that part of the process is learning to be around others that smoke. Smoking can be a social activity and flavors your social life to a point. Lastly, find something to help with the bits of enjoyment/relaxation the person loses through the day. This is, I think, the true reason an antidepressant helps some people quit. Perhaps developing a relaxation technique (used for anxiety or for things like meditation) would help, or having varied little daily rewards. Good luck to them, for sure.

drinchev 11y ago

Good, but this works for a while. The strongest motivation I had when I was smoking was to understand what a cigarette does to your brain and how you actually make a chain of narcotic addiction, which lasts forever. There is actually no joy of smoking, the pleasure that you get is not because you are smoking right now, but because you've been smoking before and the body is addicted to have your next one. When you surrender to that addiction and smoke a cigarette you are thinking "what a joy", but actually what happens is "here's a little more nicotine to you, sick brain". This helped me keep up 2 months no smoking. I later started again, because it really is a fight every day which I lost. I still know exactly what happens when I smoke, though.