Stop smoking in three easy steps

It's easy to quit smoking - I've done it 100 times! - Mark Twain

Key Concept

Smokers are nicotine addicts.
Addicted thinking is not rational thinking.

In my profession of Clinical Psychology it is crucial to assess a problem before planning a treatment approach. If your assessment is wrong then your treatment will be unhelpful. Using sheer willpower to quit is an approach that comes from misunderstanding cigarettes. Willpower quitting accepts the 'pleasures & benefits' of smoking at face value.

It implies that

there is genuine enjoyment in a cigarette

there are terrible cravings in withdrawal

Therefore you need willpower and you need to come to terms with losing genuine benefits. People's inability to do this simply strengthens the view that these 'benefits' are so powerful.

However Free Yourself From Smoking describes a different model of smoking – The ‘Smoking Triangle’.

chart depicting the triangle of psychological dependence, habit and physical addiction to nicotine

The triangle represents 3 separate problems that smokers have to overcome to free themselves from smoking.

1) Physical addiction

Cigarettes are addictive. So part of the problem is that you need nicotine in order to feel okay.
You feel anxious or edgy without it.

This can be seen as Nitch-whinging.

2) Psychological dependence

You have strong positive beliefs about smoking that makes the prospect of quitting seem scary and miserable

This can be seen as Nitch-Propaganda.
Go to NitchArt to see how he operates!

3) Habit.

You tend to smoke in the same places and at the same times, and those situations feel weird or difficult if you stop smoking.

To successfully quit, you need to tackle all 3 angles of the problem:

Treating physical addiction:

Go to your doctor or the chemist and ask about nicotine replacement therapy (patches, or gum) or other treatments for smoking. Ignore people who say this is unhelpful. The evidence for the effectiveness of these products is overwhelming.

But they are not enough on their own….

Psychological Dependence:

You have to DITCH NITCH. Do this by understanding how he works and ignoring his propaganda.

To overcome habit just quit and be patient: The links between your favourite things and smoking will fade and disappear over time.

For more information get Free Yourself From Smoking!

DitchNitch.com was designed by Retiarius Internet Design, Buxton