Focus on Quitting Smoking

By Jason D

In 1999 Hatsukami, D. Mooney wrote an article, “Pharmacological and Behavioral Strategies for Smoking Cessation”, that stated, “the more intensively you focus on quitting smoking, the higher your odds of quitting.” Could this be true? Merely by focusing on quitting smoking isn’t really quitting smoking so how could it increase your odds of quitting?

As I contemplated this and reflected on the last time I quit smoking I discovered that what Mooney stated carries a lot of weight. It also occurred to me that focusing on quitting smoking was one of the top reasons why I was able to quit smoking when I did. The more I thought about it I saw just how much I was focusing on quitting smoking months before I even quit. It started out with simply searching the Internet on smoking and methods to quit smoking. Considering what would work best for me. I even tried a couple products that claimed to help people quit smoking only to fail, no fault of the product I just wasn’t ready. This only fueled my passion to quit smoking.

Next, I started to look into the many health risks of smoking and the benefits of quitting. I was excited to see that much of the damage I have been doing to my body all these years was for the most part repairable. And that there were immediate benefits of quitting smoking and that millions of people have successfully quit smoking.

For two months before I actually quit smoking I focused intently on quitting. I look back and remember the pamphlets, brochures, websites, and forums. I thought about quitting smoking every time I had a cigarette. I felt I was always thinking about smoking and looking for information on how to quit. I was mentally priming myself to actually quit smoking and by focusing on it daily even though I had not quit was instrumental on the day I actually quit. If you are considering quitting smoking I would suggest you do the same thing, focus on quitting. Surround yourself with literature, visit informational websites, and even visit quit smoking forums and get involved. Read how others quit and when you feel comfortable start posting yourself. This too helps on focusing to quit smoking by introducing a level of accountability.

Visit Jason D's website for additional information on the Quit Smoking Programs and Effective Ways to Quit Smoking.