BY

THOMAS G RICHARDSON

Once you have stopped smoking that is it. You cannot decide to have the odd cigarette now and again. If you do you will quickly be back to the twenty or more per day that you used to smoke. Being a smoker is a little like being an alcoholic. If an alcoholic takes one drink after stopping he knows that he will quickly be back to drinking day and night. The smoker is the same. To take one cigarette is fatal. The entire craving for nicotine quickly returns and so does your previous habit of smoking twenty per day.

There is never any good reason to re start smoking once you have stopped. Believe me in my years of practice I have heard them all as I am sure you have. The mind is very devious and can find many reasons why we should carry on smoking or re start. An alcoholic can give you many reasons why he should drink two bottles of whisky a day and likewise the smoker can give convincing reasons why he should smoke.

I think many of us have lied to others at some time in our lives although there are some saints out there who will say: "What me lie. Never! Perhaps worse than lying to others we tend to lie to ourselves. That is we find reasons (lies) why we should be doing something that we know is harming us. It is called rationalisation or easing our conscience. Here are some rationalisations specific to smoking:

• I only stopped because I wanted to save money. I started again because I thought I was no better off.
• I don’t need the money so why should I stop.
• So smoking gives you cancer. Big deal you have to die of something.
• I could stop tomorrow but I don’t want to. I enjoy smoking.
• My smoking only harms me so why should you care if I smoke. It's me that will die not you.
• Who wants to live to ninety any way? I might as well smoke and enjoy myself.

When we look at this list a little more closely the reasons given don’t add up. The person who stops to save money must be better off. The chance are that he spends a pound here a pound there and doesn’t see the benefit or feel better off. So he decides to start smoking again. I have never met anyone who can't do with some extra cash. Even millionaires like extra money that is why they stay rich!

There is now no medical doubt that smoking can give you cancer and particularly lung cancer. It is true that you have to die of something but if you have seen anyone die of cancer I doubt you would choose to die that way out of choice.

Then we have bravado. I could stop tomorrow if I wanted to. Every time there is a new cancer scare we see our roving TV reporter questioning people about their smoking habits. There is always someone with a cigarette hanging from his bottom lip who says: "

"I could stop right now (cough) if I wanted to. I enjoy smoking so why should I?"

He is kidding himself and we all know it. He couldn't stop if he wanted to, at least not without help. But he can't admit that can he? That would destroy his macho image. So he lies to the reporter and worse to himself.

So smoking only harms the smoker. Who are you kidding now? What about your spouse and children. They are breathing in your smoke and damaging their lungs in the process. Living with a heavy smoker and breathing in their smoke is estimated to be the equivalent of smoking 5 cigarettes per day. Would you agree to your child smoking 5 cigarettes a day? If not why lie and say you are harming no one but yourself. It is our old friend rationalisation again.

Who wants to live to 90 any way? Wait till you are 90 the chances are you will want to live to 100. Ask the guy who is 89. With modern day medicine and a better life style people are not only living longer but are healthier and much fitter than before. Why not decide to be one of them and stay stopped.

Recent research has now shown beyond doubt that smoking ages. It can add five years to your life you look over sixty when in realty you are fifty five. You often see this in a middle ageperson who has smoked for some time. If you look around the mouth you will see lines brought on by sucking on a cigarette. If it is yourself just look in the mirror!

A Plan of Action

Begin right now to formulate a plan of action and be determined to put it into practice that plan once you have stopped smoking.

To stay stopped you must stop lying to yourself and take positive action. You are probably spending in the region of one thousand pounds or more on your habit per year. When you stop work out exactly how much you used to spend on smoking and religiously save that amount in a bank account. We will say the amount is £25 a week. In ten week when you look at your account you will have £250 and because you have it in an account you can physically see that amount. If you do not do this you will fall into the trap of saying, "I don't feel any better off. So make the effort. Open the account and start saving for a nice holiday, a new car, new furniture what ever you wish can come true. Within a short time you will be able to realise some of your dreams. One smoker I stopped said he had that much money in his pocket he didn't know what to do with it but I bet he found something he wanted!

There are people who are doing menial jobs, which they hate for perhaps £25 -£30 per week on a part time basis. Often they are smoking 20 to 40 cigarettes per day. In other words the money they are getting doing a job they hate is going on feeding their habit. Why not stop smoking pack in the job and go on a holiday. Makes sense doesn’t it.

Once you have stopped smoking your lungs quickly begin to clear the filth and debris away. Within a few weeks your breathing will become better and you will have more energy and drive. Decide to take up some sort of keep fit. Perhaps join a local gym or start jogging or walking more. By taking exercise you will increase your lung capacity, stamina and generally improve the quality of your life. Your sex life will improve dramatically and that is a promise!

FINALLY
If for some reason you feel you are going to fall by the wayside reach for the tape I made for you rather than a cigarette. PLEASE don’t restart surely if you are under stress it would be much better to pick up the phone and I will get you in immediately for a booster believe me it will be a lot cheaper than smoking!

TO STOP SMOKING
RELIEVE STRESS
GAIN CONFIDENCE
SLIM
AND MANY OTHER PROBLEMS THAT CAN BE HELPED WITH HYPNOTHERAPY