Tobacco: behavioral and cognitive methods to stop smoking

To stop smoking, it is always an good idea, but in practice, it is very difficult. All is the head in? Not, because the tobacco is a drug which acts physically. But you can use your mental to stop smoking more easily, in particular thanks to the behavioral and cognitive therapies. It is what details us Dr. Philippe Presles, tabacologist and author of the book “Prévenir Alzheimer, cancers, infarction” published at Robert Laffont.
Cognitive work to stop smoking
You can start to do a work on your thoughts to stop smoking. One speaks about cognitive work, because one calls also your thoughts of cognitions.

Initially, involve you to locate in your head your negative thoughts with respect to the tobacco. Here are some examples:
- to stop smoking, I will never be able there;
- it is too hard;
- I do not have enough will;
- what good is it so much of efforts?
- everyone relapses, it is almost impossible.

Then, after locatehaving located them, you can in the second time to replace these toxic thoughts by positive and realistic thoughts. Here are still some examples:
- I will better feel while having stopped smoking;
- I want to give the good example to my children;
- they is good for my baby if I stop smoking;
- I will find a better level of sport;
- I will have a more beautiful skin when I stop smoking;
- I will find a better erection;
- to become nonsmoker, it is a question of method, not will;
- I want to really stop smoking;
- much of people problems thousand times have more difficult to solve;
- in a few months, this momentary difficulty will appear really tiny to me;
- and during the crisis of lack:
O my desire for smoking quickly will cease (the desire for smoking comes by waves and lasts little);
O I know that the crisis of lack lasts one minute;
O I already exceeded a crisis of lack without smoking, therefore I of it am able;
O think of something of pleasant to cross short to your feeling of lack: at the holidays, with friends, an activity which you love;
O you like a scientific subject of observation take, and instead of seeking to counter the feeling of lack, study it: what do I feel? In the belly, the head, the mouth? What do I feel like emotions, feelings, feelings?
- and when you are stopping smoking: you encourage! You said: cheer, you is brilliant, continues, youpi, you are formidable, hold good, it is almost gained…

Behavioral preparation to stop smoking
On the behavioral level, here how you to prepare to stop smoking and starting to decrease to facilitate the stop:
- locate the automatic cigarettes related to an activity: while raising you the morning, after the meal, or with the coffee, while taking down the telephone, while putting to you at the wheel, while leaving the office, after the love…
- locate the automatic cigarettes related to an emotion: anger, tiredness, stress, hunger…
- and you said: “gradually, I will eliminate one from these automatic cigarettes”. For example: I start to eliminate the cigarette which accompanies the coffee.

Behavior when you stop:
- find a way of changing the context which gives you desire for smoking (ex: I do not have any more coffee after eating!) ;
- find an activity rather pleasant in the place to smoke when you want of it: take a fruit, a fresh drink, made a sudoku or pass sympathetic telephone call, go remaquiller…
- find an physical-activity so that the desire for smoking master key. Garden 5 minutes, jump to the cord, climb, made a little exercise bike…

Thus, to succeed in stopping smoking is not a question of will, but of method. And the behavioral and cognitive methods well used enable you to avoid being your worst enemy to stop smoking, but rather comprising you as a friend who wants you good, encourages you, you helps… and allows you to succeed.