Welcome, dear reader. You’ve somehow stumbled upon this piece, which means your desire to kick that nasty habit is genuine.
Now come on, admit it! We all have guilty pleasures that we can't seem to live without. Whether it's binging on junk food or spending too much money on shopping sprees, it's tough to break these bad habits.
And cigarette smoking? It’s an addiction in a league of its own!
But hey, since you’re here searching for ways out of this vicious cycle - let me tell you something - YOU CAN DO IT! Scratch that itch and get ready to say goodbye forever.
So sit back with your cigarettes (just kidding!) and read through as I take you through various explanations:
Habits Addiction In Brief
Habits are simply learned behaviors repeated over time until they become automatic. Our brains form neural pathways in response to certain stimuli - like receptors firing off every time someone lights a ciggie near us . Over time those triggers ignite cravings; Remember there are multiple habits involved when smoking and each one needs attention- secondly where do u think anything goes? The lungs duh!)
Thus works addiction – keep repeating a behavior long enough till our brain cells make associations between actions & rewards too strongly some even report feeling physically ill when they try quitting(Coins) !
This combination makes stopping difficult because our brains crave the habitual cue-reward pattern — regardless of whether the subject wants it or not (Cazzaroes).
Humans follow two critical structures in their lives- routine acclimation and cognitive development ; hence why unless breaking old patterns humans despise change(Falstie-Jensen).
Here are some steps towards permanently quitting bad habits:
Acknowledge Denial/Change Your Mindset
The first step toward overcoming any habit is admitting there’s a problem in the first place. Changing your mindset is key; recognizing that habits can lead to escalation i.e worse dependencies(Thompson-Kawabori). Once you recognize that you are addicted, it's time to accept responsibility and not fall into self-pity throughout this journey.
Keep A Journal
Well, well! Don't just keep an ordinary journal - it should be one filled with information when analyzing feelings, triggers or episodes. The more comprehensive your recordings become through the days passing by, the higher your chances of predicting reactions and thus finding ways around them (Brenes).
Plan Your Routine / Increase Physical Activity
Evolutionarily speaking humans thrive on routine- I mean if early stage humans weren’t we would probably go extinct before discovering fire!
This natural tendency for repetition finds further sense in having an established structure helping us avoid bad habits.
Furthermore keeping oneself physically engaged with vigorous activities during idle times always helps like those crafty team building exercises at work(Romero). (cough mandatory yoga sessions.. chuckles)
Have A Strong Support System/Community
There isn’t anyone out there actually judging you unless they aren’t of course assuming u smoke cigarettes even then speak up about addiction y'all ! People will listen & many share similar fears specially in going cold turkey (Davis-Ferguson) .
Now having said that coming out upfront can also make space for negative toxic members as well so know thy audience people!
As meme culture would say “surround Yourself with Positivity” (sighs the internet amirite?). Making friends & acquaintances who help support constructive distraction from previous life patterns have been shown helpful(Fasoto-Darko). Because moving bodies are less vulnerable to hotspots(Subramanian)
Small Victories Are Still Victories!
Breaking free from withdrawing is never easy — every tiny victory counts toward creating newer healthier habits (Seligman). Every time our brains follow through with defeating previous urges we strengthen the new synaptic activities.
Get Rid Of Craving Triggers
Seriously everyone does NOT need a cigarette after meals but perhaps choose an alternative - good old fashioned chewing gum, mints or lollipops maybe?
Moreover keeping visuals out of sight ranging from posters of smoking models , visiting no smoke zones created in your own household helps as well(Stewart).
Seek Professional Help
Undoubtedly certain habits are ingrained in traumatic experiences some may require extensive help(ex. youth substance abuse and mental illness; serious addiction cases etc) seeking professional assistance is key.
So why keep it all in? (Stop threatening to push the button dude!) Seeking specialist care will aid eradication goals by precision understanding underlying medical conditions(Mamulu).
Breaking long-formed habits don't come easy however they always bring great rewards for those who put their minds to it . Taking a realistic overview, acknowledging addiction and taking proactive steps even if small ones is how you'll live out a healthier lifestyle.
Cheers