Posted by Christine (128.192.128.107) on July 12, 2001 at 20:01:12:
...is changing from identifying yourself as "a smoker"
to identifying yourself as "a non smoker". This is a VERY LONG PROCESS. I've been quit for about 6 years now, and the first time I quit lasted for about three years. My mistake was thinking that after a while I was not addicted and could go ahead and smoke "just one drag". I think quitting is a lot easier than staying quit. I think it is important to know that you LOVE smoking, that smoking feels great, that the social event around smoking is fun, and once you quit you are going to WANT to keep smoking. I STILL get cravings for a cigarrette. They pass faster now though. It's taken a long time to get to the point where the HABIT of smoking no longer controls my behavior.
As for quitting... Drink LOTS of water (from a pull nozzel top bottle, to satisfy the hand to mouth thing). Accept that you are going to get bitchy and put on a couple pounds. No matter how tired, angry, sad, full, afterglowing, driving, insecure, social you feel, don't let yourself have the excuse. Distract yourself for FIVE minutes, and let the craving pass. Hang out with non-smokers.
And NEVERNEVERNEVERNEVERNEVER kid yourself into thinking that you can have just one drag, or just one cigarrette. Eventually you won't want one so bad.
blah blah blah. good luck.
Below is a pretty cool website.