Breaking The Habit

It's one of the hardest things you'll ever have to do in your lifetime. Quitting smoking is a trial and tribulation that deserves its own category. Especially if you're pregnant, quitting could be the single most important thing you ever do in your life. You just need the strength, a little guidance, and a strong support group and you'll make it through with flying colours.

First Step: Admit you've got a problem

The first step to any problem is admitting that you've got a problem. Sounds familiar, right? However, it's sound advice for anyone in the clutches of an addiction. If you're not willing to admit that you're addicted, that you've got a problem, and that you're ready to receive any and help that you can possibly get, then the recovery process is going to be long and probably more painful than you'll be able to handle.

Second Step: Set goals for yourself

More importantly than when you're going to quit is how you're going to quit. If you tell yourself that you're strong enough to quit in a few months, you're setting your self up for inevitable failure. What you need to focus on is small term goals to reach your long term destination of a smoke free existence. There are a few things you must put your full energy into:

• smoking fewer packs a day

• smoking fewer cigarettes a day

• smoking one cigarette a day

• smoking half a cigarette a day

Setting smaller goals will help you focus your problem and make ensure that when it's time to give up the ghost once and for all, you've not thrust yourself into a torrent of withdrawal and, ultimately, relapse.
Third Step: Remove the urge

Having an addiction is 1/3 peers and 2/3 surroundings. You can easily remove yourself from other people or human influences that are around; however, getting yourself away from influential environments is twice as hard. Everywhere you walk these days there are people smoking on the sidewalks, smoking in parks, smoking in and around common buildings. You can't get away from everybody, but what you can do is make sure that you're not putting yourself in a situation that will trigger a sudden urge. For instance, stay away from bars or clubs because the first thing that people tend to do is order a drink and light a cigarette. If you want to go to a restaurant, always sit in the non-smoking section to remove the temptation completely or say to chain smoker to stop smoking by explaining its hazards.

Fourth Step: Find the proper support

You can't go it alone. It never works. It's always important to have a strong support system behind you. Once you know that you've got people in your corner, you'll find it much easier to get yourself out of any situation in which you may relapse or may have a strong craving.