Why smoking is so hard to quit

<h1>Why smoking is so hard to quit</h1>Author: <a title="Mairead Russell" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/mairead-russell/144511.htm">Mairead Russell</a> Why is Smoking So Hard to Quit? By Mairead Russell   QUIT SMOKING - REPLACE YOUR EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT TO CIGARETTES I am one of the unfortunates who discovered smoking in my late teens via peer pressure. My boyfriend at the time smoked and I believed I would be more attractive to him if I smoked and besides, it gave me that little extra boost of confidence too. As is the case in our youth - health warnings and good advice generally get overlooked as we begin our 'habit' but it is also something that we turn a blind eye to as we get older too.Why? Because the smoking habit has become so ingrained in our life that it becomes virtually impossible to give up. Us human beings are creatures who seek pleasure and try our utmost to avoid pain, which means that most of us continue to smoke for the 'pleasure' it gives us and avoid giving up due to the 'pain' it will cause us to do so. So I avoided pain and continued to smoke until I became pregnant. Fortunately for me, I could not stand the smell of cigarette smoke during my pregnancy let alone actually smoke a cigarette and I must admit I do feel for those women who struggle to quit smoking for the well-being of their baby. I did not have to battle on an hourly basis to quit the 'bad' habit during my pregnancy however, I did have to struggle to keep off the cigarettes once my daughter was born. So why exactly is it so difficult to give up smoking? We are led to believe that it is due to the addictive nature of the nicotine however, according to latest research nicotine is not that addictive so why do people become 'addicted' to smoking? It has more to do with our emotional attachment to it than the nicotine itself. In fact nicotine only stays in our system for up to 72 hours and then the body is free of it. Many of us give up smoking relatively easily in the first few days, which technically should be the hardest time to quit, only to start again months later when our physical body no longer 'craves' nicotine. So why do we find it so difficult to stop smoking? Unfortunately smoking is a ‘learned’ behaviour which over time becomes a habit. Habits are rooted in our unconscious mind and run automatically in the background without us consciously being aware of them at times. Think about when you reach for a cigarette. Is it when you are stressed, out socializing or when you need a ten minute break from work? It is these ‘reasons’ why smoking becomes a part of your life and it is for these same reasons why it is so difficult to stop. It is not the ‘addiction’ that’s hard to overcome but the benefits that you gain from this unhealthy and expensive habit. So in order to break the smoking habit we need to replace the benefits that we gain from smoking. If you use cigarettes as a stress release, which I know many people do, or as a 'time-out' - then finding alternative stress release (such as deep breathing exercises, exercise etc) will ultimately mean that your 'emotional' attachment to the cigarette is weakened and your ability to quit increases. An excellent way to do this naturally and effortlessly is to turn to hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy can help you give up smoking for good. Why? Because it looks at the real reason why you smoke and seeks to replace the benefits you gain from your cigarette. Hypnotherapy works by reprogramming your mind to become a relaxed and positive non-smoker and stop smoking permanently. There are also some other benefits to gain from quitting smoking too such as:- · feelings of achievement as you have quit the habit  · feeling healthier and fitter  · enjoying the taste of your food  · having more money in your pocket to spend on something you want · feeling more in control of your life  · becoming confident in the ability to socialize with smokers and still say no. In order to produce lasting results you need to be motivated and 100% committed. You have to want to stop. If you genuinely want to stop smoking then hypnotherapy can help you. Hypnotherapy is a fast, effective and painless way to stop smoking. Why battle with willpower when hypnotherapy can ease your struggle and give immediate success? Furthermore studies have shown hypnotherapy to be the most effective method of smoking cessation. I was one of the lucky ones who has finally kicked the habit more through good luck than hard effort, however for those that struggle every year to quit, hypnotherapy offers real hope and with it, a real sense of achievement.About the Author: Mairead Russell is a qualified and registered hypnotherapist (GHR) who works in the Central Manchester area. Mairead specializes in emotional and bevioural issues, including depression, anxiety disorders and stress. Mairead also has success in smoking cessation and weight loss. For further information please visit her web site <a target="_blank" href="http://www.mcrhypnotherapy.com">http://www.mcrhypnotherapy.com</a> or email at <a href="mailto:mairead@mcrhypnotherapy.com">mairead@mcrhypnotherapy.com</a>Article Source: <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/">ArticlesBase.com</a> - <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/quit-smoking-articles/why-smoking-is-so-hard-to-quit-869887.html" title="Why smoking is so hard to quit">Why smoking is so hard to quit</a>

Why is Smoking So Hard to Quit?
By Mairead Russell

QUIT SMOKING - REPLACE YOUR EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT TO CIGARETTES

I am one of the unfortunates who discovered smoking in my late teens via peer pressure. My boyfriend at the time smoked and I believed I would be more attractive to him if I smoked and besides, it gave me that little extra boost of confidence too.

As is the case in our youth - health warnings and good advice generally get overlooked as we begin our 'habit' but it is also something that we turn a blind eye to as we get older too.Why? Because the smoking habit has become so ingrained in our life that it becomes virtually impossible to give up. Us human beings are creatures who seek pleasure and try our utmost to avoid pain, which means that most of us continue to smoke for the 'pleasure' it gives us and avoid giving up due to the 'pain' it will cause us to do so. So I avoided pain and continued to smoke until I became pregnant.

Fortunately for me, I could not stand the smell of cigarette smoke during my pregnancy let alone actually smoke a cigarette and I must admit I do feel for those women who struggle to quit smoking for the well-being of their baby. I did not have to battle on an hourly basis to quit the 'bad' habit during my pregnancy however, I did have to struggle to keep off the cigarettes once my daughter was born.

So why exactly is it so difficult to give up smoking? We are led to believe that it is due to the addictive nature of the nicotine however, according to latest research nicotine is not that addictive so why do people become 'addicted' to smoking? It has more to do with our emotional attachment to it than the nicotine itself. In fact nicotine only stays in our system for up to 72 hours and then the body is free of it. Many of us give up smoking relatively easily in the first few days, which technically should be the hardest time to quit, only to start again months later when our physical body no longer 'craves' nicotine.

So why do we find it so difficult to stop smoking?

Unfortunately smoking is a ‘learned’ behaviour which over time becomes a habit. Habits are rooted in our unconscious mind and run automatically in the background without us consciously being aware of them at times. Think about when you reach for a cigarette. Is it when you are stressed, out socializing or when you need a ten minute break from work? It is these ‘reasons’ why smoking becomes a part of your life and it is for these same reasons why it is so difficult to stop. It is not the ‘addiction’ that’s hard to overcome but the benefits that you gain from this unhealthy and expensive habit.

So in order to break the smoking habit we need to replace the benefits that we gain from smoking. If you use cigarettes as a stress release, which I know many people do, or as a 'time-out' - then finding alternative stress release (such as deep breathing exercises, exercise etc) will ultimately mean that your 'emotional' attachment to the cigarette is weakened and your ability to quit increases. An excellent way to do this naturally and effortlessly is to turn to hypnotherapy.

Hypnotherapy can help you give up smoking for good. Why? Because it looks at the real reason why you smoke and seeks to replace the benefits you gain from your cigarette. Hypnotherapy works by reprogramming your mind to become a relaxed and positive non-smoker and stop smoking permanently. There are also some other benefits to gain from quitting smoking too such as:-
· feelings of achievement as you have quit the habit
· feeling healthier and fitter
· enjoying the taste of your food
· having more money in your pocket to spend on something you want
· feeling more in control of your life
· becoming confident in the ability to socialize with smokers and still say no.

In order to produce lasting results you need to be motivated and 100% committed. You have to want to stop. If you genuinely want to stop smoking then hypnotherapy can help you. Hypnotherapy is a fast, effective and painless way to stop smoking. Why battle with willpower when hypnotherapy can ease your struggle and give immediate success? Furthermore studies have shown hypnotherapy to be the most effective method of smoking cessation.

I was one of the lucky ones who has finally kicked the habit more through good luck than hard effort, however for those that struggle every year to quit, hypnotherapy offers real hope and with it, a real sense of achievement.

Mairead Russell is a qualified and registered hypnotherapist (GHR) who works in the Central Manchester area. Mairead specializes in emotional and bevioural issues, including depression, anxiety disorders and stress. Mairead also has success in smoking cessation and weight loss. For further information please visit her web site http://www.mcrhypnotherapy.com or email at mairead@mcrhypnotherapy.com

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Article Tags: Hypnosis, Hypnotherapy, Hypnotherapist, Stop Smoking, Quit Smoking, Smoking Cessation, Manchester

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