My First Helpful Hints for Quitting Smoking

Are you a smoker and have you tried vainly to quit? Have you wondered what has you completely unable to do so? Have you wondered if you are chronically stupid or clinically insane to keep doing this behavior that will eventually land you on a fast track to lung cancer and a painful, debilitating death?

If you are in this situation, you can stop worrying about your sanity because nicotine has been called one of the most, if not the most, addictive substances on the face of the earth.

OK, so that's a lot of talk. But what does it mean?

In essence, from an addiction standpoint, you have about 10 trillion cells in you body. Now with nicotine addiction, it will not take very long before every one of those 10 trillion cells is addicted to that substance. And when that happens, you've got trouble. You have a full blown addiction that is just as strong as any skid row addict's dependency. But unlike the skid row addict, it seems you can operate relatively functionally with this addiction. So there is not the strong pull to get help for yourself. On the contrary, with ten trillion cells telling you to smoke, it's pretty easy to ignore the claims that some day, in the future, you might get sick and die. From your cells point of view, you are dying now if you are not getting it.

Do you, like so many of us, believe that one of the best helpful hints for quitting smoking is to taper off slowly? If so, you should think again. You see in nicotine addiction, as with many other addictions, the body actually grows myriad receptors to handle the overflow of the substance. The only job of these receptors is to take in the drug. Now if these receptors are not fed, they will begin to literally 'scream' for their drug. Now if you quit cold turkey, eventually the screaming will taper off. All you have to do is last it out. Which is the benefit of quitting cold turkey.

Now if we look at the other side, when a receptor gets its drug, but does not get enough, it will continue its metaphorical screaming, until the screaming hits a manic pitch. Like a child in a temper tantrum, the receptors demand the drug with a vengeance, now that they know is out there and available. Thus it is much harder to taper off than it is to quit cold-turkey.

We still do not know the best way to quit smoking. One way that people have met with success with this very physical addiction is the body, mind, spirit method of getting help through the 12-step program, Nicotine Anonymous. Such a program for smoking addiction will also allow you to share your journey with other people in the same boat. And if it saves your life, it is worth the trouble.

There is a brand new method for quitting smoking through Neuro-Linguistic Programming. I hear it is meeting with a high level of success, as the brain and central nervous system is able to override your cells and receptors when they scream for their drug. This may be a mind trick, but in my book it's a good one. If you try it or some other method, and you are able to stop, then for goodness sake don't ever pick up a cigarette again. By now, I hope it is clear exactly where you would be with that. And pretty quickly, I might add.

Article Source: http://www.articlesfeed.com

For lots of help with different addictions take a look at famed speaker and writer Lorelei's blogs at helpfulhintsforquittingsmoking and also at fightingfoodcravings

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