If you’re quitting “cold turkey” it may cause higher levels of stress, just as abrupt withdrawal from any drug would cause in bodily systems. Because your body no longer has the drug it’s addicted to, the need for the stimuli from smoking can become an overwhelming craving. But by the same token, many people find that quitting cold turkey works better for their personalities because it removes the source of their addiction and they can concentrate on getting through the withdrawal period.
If you can address the stress in your life, it can help remove the reasons, or excuses, of why you feel the need to smoke. Perhaps you work at a job you really don’t like. Start making plans to change careers if that’s what it will take - investigate new employment options or educational opportunities that will have the ultimate goal of getting you into a position or job that appeals to you.
But smoking doesn’t just affect the heart and lungs - it affects the entire body system from head to toe. If you’re a smoker, smoking will have a destructive effect on your health - there’s simply no way around it.
The next part of preparing yourself mentally to quit smoking is to be aware that you’re facing a battle - perhaps the most important battle of your life. As with any battle, you’ll need tools and weapons to assist you. From support systems to medications, there are a variety of avenues open to you that will help you succeed.
The first step in quitting is not simply throwing out that pack of cigarettes, but preparing yourself mentally to quit. You must begin to think of yourself as a non-smoker, rather than someone who’s kicking the nicotine habit. What’s the difference? By stating that you’re a non-smoker, you’re announcing it as an established fact; it’s a statement of who you are, similar to saying “I’m a banker,” or “I own my own company.” It’s all about mindset.
The bottom line? Smoking is bad for you. Is that a surprise to anyone? I don’t think so.
Smoking has already been banned in federal offices, and many communities are copying that legislation with bans on local, city and state offices. Some communities are even attempting to pass laws that would forbid smoking in the privacy of one’s own home, although at present most of those laws are meeting with limited success.
Next, change the environment in your home or office - wherever you (used to) smoke. Don’t let other people smoke in your house, or office - don’t hang out in places where smoking is almost mandatory - such as bars or nightclubs. Repaint the inside of your house, clean the carpets, wash the drapes - in short, make it obvious that a non-smoker lives here. After all that work of cleaning up, you won’t want to relapse and return to the habit of smoking.
If you’re in a bad relationship, apply the same principals - make a decision about whether to end the relationship or improve it so you’re not dealing with that stress on a daily basis. If your kids are driving you crazy, don’t just complain about it - get into family counseling or find another avenue to resolve the situation. Simplify your life - get rid of as much stress as you possibly can.