Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Cigarette Addiction

I have been trying to kick my habit of smoking cigarettes, but with many failed attempts. I started smoking cigarettes originally because of curiosity and my environment with both my parents and my friends smoking. I have created the habit of smoking after meals, in my room, work breaks, and while driving. I believe these have all become environmental triggers in my habit. Last summer I was able to stop smoking for three weeks on a vacation to Oregon. The change in environment I believed helped me to overcome, at least temporarily, my habit. This was also reinforced by the people I was with who strongly opposed my habit.
When arriving back home I was smoking again within three days. I believe this is because of my association of the habit with my normal routine, and also a lack peers to motivate me to stop. I am now trying a method in which I put aside money that would be spent on cigarettes(30$ a week) as a visual reinforcement of the money saved. This method has helped me to bring my habit to a pack a week. This form of motivation is between the hedonism of smoking and the long term goal of preventing lung cancer. It appears to be working and hopefully I will kick the habit
completely.

1 comment:

  1. This is really interesting because before I read this post, my boyfriend and I agreed to put $40 aside a week each after the new year to help ourselves quit. I wish you all the luck in the world. There are many websites that can link you to other people quitting that might help you to fuilly stop. Anddd just think about how NOT wrinkly you will be at 35 when you quit!

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