The Mental Barriers To Giving Up

Everyone who has tried to give up smoking has faced the full gamut of demons that can stop you from making a clean break. There are so many of them that it makes smoking cessation seem like an insurmountable obstacle. It really isn’t, though, and if you are resolute you can overcome the issues.

A lot of people are concerned that their appetite, and as a result their weight, will increase if they give up smoking. This is not necessarily true. While cigarettes are an appetite suppressant, the fact is that going on food binges as a result of giving up is not guaranteed. Your appetite may increase, but only if you are idle will it result in binges.

If you find things to take up your time, you will deal with the psychological desire to eat. Eating healthily at meal times will take away a lot of the physical compulsion to over eat, and the increase in appetite from smoking cessation is usually short-lived.

Similarly, people worry that when they give up smoking, they will replace it with another vice like alcohol. This is a danger. Replacing the buzz of cigarettes by increasing alcohol intake does happen – but the truth of the matter is that this compulsion is relatively short-lived, and getting over the initial problem is something that can be achieved if you are ready to fight.

Most of the barriers to smoking cessation are mental – if you are ready to take on the mental fight, then you will be successful.