J8A – The following article is the first of a two part series. It has 782 words (including bio). Copyright permission is granted when used without alteration and bio is included.

Get The Monkey Off Your Back!

Five Easy Steps to Eliminate Smoking From Your Life

By Julie Donnelly, LMT

I started smoking when I was 15 years old, I wanted to be a part of the "in" crowd. Of course, at that time we didn′t know that smoking was harmful to our health, but I can′t say that would have stopped me. I smoked for 15 years, then I quit on a dare from a friend. I stayed off smoking for 12 years, and then foolishly thought I could have "just a drag". Well, I learned I was wrong! The next thing I knew I was again hooked. Only this time I was drawn in like never before and stress led me to building all the way up to three packs a day! I tried everything, but nothing worked. I′d tear my hair out for two weeks and then go into a frenzy of smoking, lighting one cigarette with the last.

Even when I got to the point where I could barely breathe, I still smoked. I was told that quitting smoking was even harder than going off drugs, because smoking is legal so you can do it anywhere and at any time. The hints I′ve listed here really work! I realized that smoking is a head–trip, a mental addiction, even more than a physical addiction. Nicotine is out of your system in approximately one week, but the habit is ingrained in your entire being, mental and physical. So, in order to quit smoking you need to change your self–talk.

Smoking is a habit that is difficult to break, simply because it′s legal and you see it everyplace you look.  This article is in three parts so you can inch your way into releasing cigarettes from your experience. It works better this way.

Here are the first five hints:

1. NEVER say "I′m quitting smoking". I found that just thinking about quitting would send me running for my cigarettes. I changed that term to "I′m holding off my next cigarette as long as possible". Then each time I′d want a cigarette I′d see if I could go a few more minutes, then a few more minutes. When I finally got to where I just couldn′t wait any longer, I′d praise myself for the time I delayed, and didn′t hit myself over the head for my weakness. I enjoyed that cigarette, and then I′d start over again trying to postpone the next cigarette as long as possible.
2. Pick one place to totally eliminate cigarettes. I began with my car. I had the car detailed, threw out the ashtray and used a nice air–refresher to make it smell really good. Then I promised to never smoke in the car again. When I wanted a cigarette, and after I′d postponed as long as possible, I pull over to the side of the road and have it. Then I′d get back into the car again.
3. Have an open pack where you know you can find it. I put my cigarettes into the trunk of my car. Then, when I′d decide that I needed a cigarette I′d have to go outside to the car, get the cigarette, and then go back inside again. This also helps with the last hint I just gave you, if they aren′t handy you′ll be more likely to postpone them a bit longer.
4. Change the way you talk to yourself. I helped my self–talk by looking at people who were smoking and thinking how weak they were, and how silly they looked with this white stick hanging out of their mouth.
5. Visualize. Talking about mouths, I made myself a mental image of a classic line "kissing a smoker is like licking a dirty ashtray". It helped.

For now this is enough, just making the decision to postpone your next cigarette is a great beginning. In Part Two of this article I′ll get into a few of the more complex things I did. In the meanwhile, pick up a small tape recorder, you′ll need it for Part Three, if you choose to create your own "meditation" tape.

One last thought, the cigarette industry has put various chemicals into the tobacco to make it more addictive than it already is, so don′t be hard on yourself – you′ve been "duped", but you′re much stronger than you believe and you can take back your health.

© 2003

Julie Donnelly is a licensed massage therapist specializing in the treatment of chronic pain and sports injuries. She has co–authored several self–treatment books, including "The Pain–Free Triathlete" and "Carpal Tunnel Syndrome–What You Don′t Know CAN Hurt You." She teaches Julstro self–treatment workshops nationwide and is a frequent presenter at Conventions and Seminars.  Julie may be contacted through her website: www.julstro.com.

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