Stop smoking ?

[dirtfan50]

Hello all im new here and may be in the wrong area. I just wanted to see if anyone has used hypnosis for stopping smoking? In feb this year I had my first heart attack and at 44 it scares me but not enough to quit yet. I think about it all the time but not strong enough to do it. I had pannic attacks well before my HT but the DR has me on effexor to calm me down and it has worked very well. Thank you for any help.

[Poodle]

Certified hypnotists and hypnotherapists with a whole host of other qualifications. We do have excellent results with smoking cessation but we really would not want to stop you from doing something unless you really, really wanted to stop doing it.

A heart attack has not really sesmed to get your attention nor your doctor's advice so why are you asking? :)

[Don]

I just wanted to amplify our Poodle's comments.

Due to movies, TV, novels, comic books, etc., many people have the wrong idea of what real hypnosis is. Hypnosis--or rather hypnotherapy--is not a magic wand that will force you to do anything. It won't make superficial wishes come true.

So what can hypnosis do? Everyone has certain desires, but simply wishing for them doesn't make them come about. Let's take the case of smoking. As you say, it scares you, but not enough to quit yet. Even so, you've contacted us to see if a hypnotherapist could make you stop smoking. As Poodle wrote, we're not going to change your from one behavior (smoking) to another (non-smoking) "unless you really, really" want to make that change.

So let's assume that you reach the stage where you "really, really" want to make that change. The question is, how do you do it? If everyone knew how the mind works and who to easily and efficiently make changes in their lives, we'd have a lot fewer clients! But the fact is, school don't teach people how to make changes in their lives (they should!). But hypnotherapists spend hundreds of hours in training and practice with just one goal: becoming able to help people make changes in their lives.

That's it. We learn how the mind works and how to help it change. So when you're ready to stop smoking, for example, we can help you to quickly become a non-smoker--without gaining weight, without getting nervous, without withdrawal symptoms. You'll do all the work--we just help you in the process.

By the way, while you're waiting until you feel you're scared enough to really want to quit, consider this: If you smoke one pack of cigs a day, at about $5.00 a pack, that's $1825 per year. Add to that the loss of clothes, furniture, and carpets from burns and then excess money spent on cleaning the surviving clothes, carpets, drapes, and furniture. Add to that all of the time spent buying cigarettes and smoking that you could be spending doing other things, the anxiety you feel over impending further health problems from your smoking, not to mention the costs of the heart attack and all the time you were off work. Oh, and don't forget the people who think you stink because of the smell from the smokes and all of the people you're poisoning with second hand smoke. And now, think for a moment about the very first cigarette you ever had and how it made you cough and burn your lungs. You may have gotten used to it but it's still doing that to you.

And after you think of that, think about being free from all of that wasted money and having more time to be with friends and loved ones. Think of the compliments and admiration of all the people who tell you how fantastic you are now that you are a non-smoker. Think of how great food will taste and how you'll have more energy and be able to breathe more easily. And think of how easy this will all be to achieve in just a session or two with the help of a hypnotherapist.

So when you know you're ready to change, there will be hypnotherapists waiting to assist you and bring back personal power to your life.

[dirtfan50]

Poodle I thought I would get a reply like that ( and your correct ) Don also thank you for your info it makes me think about how dumb I am. I am lucky to be here after what happened and your input from the both of you really makes sense . Thank you

[Poodle]

Neighbor across the street had sister that died from lung cancer but sissie kept on smoking. Soon sissie had lung cancer not to mention heart problems and then she was dead. Daughter and granddaughter were both still puffing away. Daughter's husband recently had a triple by-pass and he's not that old. That was sufficient for the whole family to quit FINALLY. TWO DEAD and a TRIPLE BY-PASS BEFORE THE MESSAGE REACHED HOME.

What's it gonna take for you to understand the same message? I'm also a little nicer than Don. I allow 5 pounds weight gain. Not 4, not 6 but 5.

Please also know if you have a family, second hand smoke is just as dangerous. Do you really want to do that to your family?

[Needadvice]

but unfortunately the fear of harm for health or even death doesn't work well for every smoker as a good reason to quit or would there still be smokers?
If dirtfan comes out of the hospital after his(?) heart attack and sticks a ciggarette in his mouth he must be really really terrified by the thought smoking causes heart attacks and cancer.
As a person who DID QUIT smoking a few years ago, I will tell you why I succeeded: I believed I was strong enough to do it (so are you!), i really wanted to become healthier (so you'd better) and the simple calculation of how much money is wasted for ciggarettes, as the one Don made for you, made me right away set a date on which I would stop smoking totally.
So, if none of what you have read makes you really want to quit smoking, doesn't it piss you off that you sound like those losers that whine they would like to acheive something and then find excuses why they cannot and then whine again ...and instead of looking for help they look for someone who would make them WANT to stop whining and really do something, with a magic stick of course.

[Poodle]

to the cost of cigarettes. Person smokes ONE pack a day for 20 years. Doesn't seem like it was all that much money does it? If one were to take that exact same money and HAD invested it in a mutual fund over the 20 year span one would find out it was a ONE MILLION US DOLLAR habit up in smoke!! How many people have screwed off a million dollars without realizing it. Gosh darn. That includes me too -- started at 19 and quit at 37. I still have that last empty pack. Some of my clients go: "How'd you do it? I made up my mind that was it and stuck with it. Maybe in about '93 or so I had a really bad day at work and I knew the mail lady smoked so I went to bum one. About two puffs and I ran to the bathroom "tossing my cookies". YUCK! Anyone want to calculate the figures for a two pack a day smoker? Pood :D

PS: Our Merlin does have a magic wand but unfortunately it is getting it's sparkler fixed right now.

[Jack]

The problem with any addictive behaviour is that many of the normal, logical, rational reasons for stopping the behaviour are not strong enough to overcome the totally logical, rational and subconsciously embedded reason for continuing.

Or at least so your subconscious believes. It is acting quite honestly on incorrect beliefs and a professional hypnotherapist will change those beliefs, with your compliance, so that you no longer feel the need to smoke.

As you say, even though you are threatened with imminent cardiac arrest and possible death, this is not enough for you to quit.

Find what makes you want to smoke, and you find the key to quitting.

Jack

[Simple Guy]

Hi Jack,

You used the words "addictive behavior." I'd have been more comfortable
with "habitual behavior." Though not wanting to quibble, thought it might
be worthwhile to say this.

[Needadvice]

I also must tell you the nicotin patches (you can buy them at a drug store) worked wonders for me when I was quitting, I practically didn't have any symptoms of withdrawal at all!! Hope they can help you too. And whatever you take from your anxiety, have it, in case you need it. And maybe a headache medecine. Those bad symptoms are supposed to go away in a few weeks, so, if you make it there there is a good chance you are the winner.
yeah, almost forgot, stay away from alcohol!

[MarkyV]

Hmm - I'm not sure that patches are a good idea - the last test results that I heard about, success rates were as low as 15% - I may be wrong on this if anyone has any alternative info - but that sounds worse than the placebo effect usually produces.

The patches approach also seems to me to be a "replace drug with drug" therapy, which I don't really agree with.

[Don]

The problem... is that many of the normal, logical, rational reasons for stopping the [undesired] behaviour are not strong enough to overcome the totally logical, rational and subconsciously embedded reason for continuing.

Or at least so your subconscious believes.


I agree (and I've also generalized the statement). It's not just habitual or "addictive" behaviors for which this is true, it is accurate for all such unwanted behaviors. If we could simply and logically determine how we should behave, there would be no hypnotherapists at all! :D

I have no idea what will suddenly strike a chord in the unconscious of the original poster without actually doing an in-person interview. So I threw out several concepts for him to consider (and perhaps all smokers reading these posts to consider). I have no idea if any of them will, but perhaps one or several will have a positive effect on someone and they will move to change.

All it takes is for the unconscious to decide to change. All change is instantaneous...but it might take years before someone comes to that instant of change.

[Poodle]

I'm glad the patches worked for you. They do have a miserable failure rate. I do agree with the words by Simple Guy "habitual behavior". It was sooo welcome to have him log in today.

[Henrik]

All change is instantaneous...but it might take years before someone comes to that instant of change.

Hi,

I often read this. Sometimes I believe this to be true and sometimes I think it's not totally in congruence with my own experiences. I think I view the subconscious a bit like a muscle, that you can build and shape and make stronger. Actually I think I think this muscle always builds and gets stronger, but not always stronger in a way one like. As you (Don) wrote in another thread "Success encourages success and failure encourages failure".

Sometimes I believe one has to give the subconscious enough reasons to change and accept a new idea, and only then the real change happens. And with that last sentence I guess I said that all change is instantaneous. After all. And also maybe that last part of the quote equals what I said about "enough reasons".

Hopefully I will now about all this when I get old and wise.

Henrik

[Needadvice]

I agree, without one's mind being set on success and believing in himself the patches don't work, they add to the measerable failure rate.

[Jack]

Hi Jack,

You used the words "addictive behavior." I'd have been more comfortable
with "habitual behavior." Though not wanting to quibble, thought it might
be worthwhile to say this.

Well, SG, there ar several schools of thought vis a vis 'addiction' and 'habit' when used in connection with smoking.

My take is that there are two elements to smoking. One is the habitual subconscious need to hold and light tobacco, and the other is a psycho-physical addiction to the sensation created by nicotine and the complex c ocktail of chemicals present in tobacco.

Sometimes the former is the key to quitting and sometimes the latter, but they are intimately connected and both are behavioural, since they have a resultant behaviour or are the child of a behaviour.

I could have said 'addictive and habitual behaviour' I suppose, but I picked one. How about 'addictual'? 'Habddictive' is not very elegant:)

Jack

[firegold]

I could have said 'addictive and habitual behaviour' I suppose, but I picked one. How about 'addictual'? 'Habddictive' is not very elegant:)

Jack

No, but 'habbictive' might work.

Joshua

[Simple Guy]

Hi Jack,

One of the tobacco companies put out "educational" material that
included advice from a credentialed professional to parents of
teenagers with regards to smoking. Among the "gems" was to
ask one's teenager if he/she is having a difficult time stopping smoking.
And if the answer is in the affirmative, to then let the teenager know that
he/she may be addicted. This makes about as much sense as informing
a teenager who is not performing well in sports that he/she may be spastic.

I agree that there are several schools of thought on this. People become
habituated to bio-chemical response patterns of emotions, foods,
coffee and, yes, smoking (in addition to holding cigarettes in the hand, etc.).
Often, though, "addiction" language is part of a frame that serves the best
interests of those who gain by keeping people smoking and/or spending
money on pharmaceuticals for behavior that becomes ossified as an
expression of a medicalized condition -- a handy "excuse" for failure
for some. Hence, my sensitivity to the language and with regards to
you, who I regard with much respect, maybe a bit of non-preening nit picking. :)

[Connie]

Wonderful point, Simple Guy! It's the identity vs. behavioral issue. Is this simply something I do, or is it WHO I AM? "I'm an addict." vs. "I smoke too much." It's easier in my opinion to deal with and effect change in behavioral issues.

I'm sure this activity, having teenagers label themselves as "addicts" is thoroughly researched and intentional---the cigarette companies know full well what they are doing. (and it's sickening)

[Simple Guy]

Connie,

Yes, and positive behaviors tend to reinforce positive aspects of self-image.

[Jack]

Ah, I see from whence you are coming and how your 'nit-picking' was engendered:)

You are quite right. The word has become something other than it was through abuse.

But.. I don't think we can get around addiction simply by calling it habitual behaviour. It is habitual behaviour of course, but that explains only a part of the meaning. I have a habit of taking a cup of tea at around 10.30am and again at 3pm, but I do not need to do so; I could and have stopped doing so today because I am not addicted to tea, but 25 years ago, as a smoker, I could not have stopped my 40 a day habit simply by deciding to do so since I was addicted to nicotine, or rather the chemicals in tobacco.

Your metaphorical teenager. if told that smoking is just a habit will wonder why if it is so, they cannot break the cycle just by wishing, but you and I know that apart from the psychological parameters the smoking teenager's brain has been assaulted by an incredible array of chemicals, some psychoactive, which have created other chemicals and led to a dependency on both the perceived psychological buzz and the actual chemical requirement needed by the brain within newly created neural nets.

To me, the description of this state is an habituated addiction, since it is a requirement or need rather than a habit.I have no objection to it being called solely a habit, but I think this description is not accurate.

Spastic!!!:eek: :eek: That is one big nit, SG, let's not go there!

Jack

[Poodle]

My most difficult client had a "ROMANCE" with smoking cigarettes and there was NOTHING on this earth that "mind" would rather do. It was definitely an addiction in that mind. Client would get up in the night and drive 50 miles for one pack of cigarettes. Bless creative Merlin's heart as she gave me a little suggestion that did work. 10 whole words repeated over and over and over. WOW!! A belated thank you my lady.

[MrDigital]

I tried the patches they were very effective. I put one on each eye and couldn't find my cigs..

[Henrik]

Were you able to drive your car?

[Needadvice]

I tried the patches they were very effective. I put one on each eye and couldn't find my cigs..

do you still wear them? If you do, you blind type very well.

[Poodle]

Mr. D is very correct. He only needed them for a total of FOUR DAYS so he took a little time off from work. I also see humor with language skills. Kewl move! :)

[firegold]

My most difficult client had a "ROMANCE" with smoking cigarettes and there was NOTHING on this earth that "mind" would rather do. It was definitely an addiction in that mind. Client would get up in the night and drive 50 miles for one pack of cigarettes. Bless creative Merlin's heart as she gave me a little suggestion that did work. 10 whole words repeated over and over and over. WOW!! A belated thank you my lady.

You've mentioned those 10 words in a previous post, iirc. I'm curious now as to what those are. Would you mind sharing them, or are they something specific to that case?

Joshua

[Needadvice]

http://www.hypnosisforum.com/images/icons/icon1.gif Dirtfan
The problem with any addictive behaviour is that many of the normal, logical, rational reasons for stopping the behaviour are not strong enough to overcome the totally logical, rational and subconsciously embedded reason for continuing.


Well, SG, there ar several schools of thought vis a vis 'addiction' and 'habit' when used in connection with smoking.

My take is that there are two elements to smoking. One is the habitual subconscious need to hold and light tobacco, and the other is a psycho-physical addiction to the sensation created by nicotine and the complex c ocktail of chemicals present in tobacco.

Sometimes the former is the key to quitting and sometimes the latter, but they are intimately connected and both are behavioural, since they have a resultant behaviour or are the child of a behaviour.

I could have said 'addictive and habitual behaviour' I suppose, but I picked one. How about 'addictual'? 'Habddictive' is not very elegant:)

Jack


What if it is the 'addiction' to men, and none of the normal, logical and rational reasons for stopping it are not strong enough, is it 'addiction' or 'habbiction'? Not sure which is stronger, the habitual subconscious need to hold or psycho-physical addiction to the sensations. Can hypnosis help me?

[Simple Guy]

Needadvice,

I wouldn't concern myself, too much or at all, in what was a discussion between some hypnotherapists that have had success in helping people to stop smoking. What we discussed, is more on the line of "shop talk" and what will matter to you is finding someone qualified to help you stop or, if appropriate, stopping on your own.

[sibirskikozak]

dirtfan50 (http://hypnosisforum.com/member.php?u=8804),

Before we move on I want to let you know that you are smoking a neuro toxin, so enjoy :D

Yes, nicotine is a neuro toxin that tobacco plants develop to kill and paralyze the bugs that attempt to eat it, and yet humans smoke it yum

Cigarettes and nicotine do not actual relieve stress or relax the smoker, it is the deep breathing that the smoker does during the 5 minutes that he/she is smoking. When my friends ask me how they should quit I tell them instead of smoking BREATHE for five minutes, the relaxation will be the same.

Light cigarettes are a joke because when the average smoker places the cigarette in between his/her lips they close the air holes that are supposed to make the cigarette light.

Tobacco companies add lots of chemicals to tobacco, like SUGAR to make the cigarette more addicting. Sugars like high fructose corn syrup, apricot extract, apple extract etc. etc.

So in reality a smoker is getting into a vicious cycle because as you begin smoking the nicotine will attack you nervous system making it weaker and making you more co-dependent on smoking to relax.

A lot of smoking has to do with habits and not chemical addiction I have ran across a small number who did have a chemical dependency, but most of it is habit and it is in your head.

Try breaking the habit by, not going to the same spot during work breaks, putting the pack of cigarettes into a plastic bag with a note stating that you want to quit. That way you are reducing the subconscious smoking that occurs. A lot of clients say they automatically pull out a cigarette and light it, with out even consciously acknowledging the fact they are smoking. Take as many steps as you can to make smoking a conscious act so that you can consciously decide whether or not you are going to smoke.

Tell as many people as you can, peer pressure works, you will feel guilty if you lie to your family and friends.

If you cannot go cold turkey choose a different brand of cigarettes that you smoke, usually getting natural tobacco is good because they taste different and are usually harsher.

Nicotine patches help, but make sure that the patch that you get delivers/contains less nicotine than the cigarettes. A lot of the patches have higher nicotine dosage than the light cigarettes so double check before you try them.

Hope this helps...

[Poodle]

may I ask just what is your success rate with tobacco users? Try looking for the complete list of ingredients in a cigarette. How is tobacco grown? How is it cured? Have you ever smoked and if so, how did you quit? You take something away, what are you going to put in it's place? Could it not be fun to let the subconscious mind come up with three resources it would rather have?

Do you put your clients into a Chinese headlock and force them to stop tobacco now? Nicotine is a poison but it also produces lovely endorphins in the brain. You are working with more than a "habit" whether you realize it or not.

[Connie]

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/7414/headlock2px7.jpg

I haven't learned that technique!! Maybe hubby can get me up to speed with his knowhow from martial arts training. :)

[pmdigi]

To quit smoking, the nlp guy I went to had me imagine what would happen to me if I didn't quit smoking, then say all the things I got from smoking, then imagine the future if I did quit smoking, then create a "new self" with all the attributes of what I got from smoking without the smoking plus all the health benefits etc. of not smoking. The idea then was whenever I wanted to smoke a cigarette
I was to "breathe in my "new self" instead.

[Poodle]

isn't it! Modern Psychology is correct in writing: NLP is the fastest vehicle for change.

[sibirskikozak]

may I ask just what is your success rate with tobacco users? Try looking for the complete list of ingredients in a cigarette. How is tobacco grown? How is it cured? Have you ever smoked and if so, how did you quit? You take something away, what are you going to put in it's place? Could it not be fun to let the subconscious mind come up with three resources it would rather have?

Do you put your clients into a Chinese headlock and force them to stop tobacco now? Nicotine is a poison but it also produces lovely endorphins in the brain. You are working with more than a "habit" whether you realize it or not.

I agree but most of the people that are smoking right now are doing so out of habit, clients will go hours with out a cigarette if they are doing something but after that need a cigarette immediately. With habitual clients I use a 2 hour power session that uses a variety of approaches and both cognitive and hypno therapy.

If the client smokes because of a chemical addiction there is a 14 day or week method that I learned, I have not learned NLP yet I plan to do that with in the next few months. I am entering my residency, so right now I am just focusing on setting up my practice all the way.

My teacher for introductory NLP was horrible, he was all over the place and I really missed the whole concept :( but if anyone wants to suggest some NLP books or sites I would be forever great full. I just want to make sure that when I do the NLP training its 21 day, includes NLP practitioner, Master NLP practitioner and Time Line Therapy but I want to make sure I can dedicate all of my time and attention to it before I start.

As for smoking, well I started at 6 kept on till 19, it was mostly a habit so I quit easily. Cold turkey!

I know how tobacco is grown because I used to live near a tobacco plantation in KY, yes yes I'm a hick :D

In therapy you replace the cigarettes with relaxation and anchors.

I am seeing my first client with in the next month, once I start residency :cool:

But the teacher that taught me the Smoking Cessation techniques is at 95% after 1 year, I was pretty amazed. He said that most people will not quit unless they quit now, we run a 2 hour power session and we have questionnaires to identify the smoker as chemically based/coping mechanism/habitual

[Don]

2 hours seems like an unbearably long time to me. But if it works for you and your clients, more power to you.

[Poodle]

I've done lots of two hour sessions but we usually work on more than one issue as often times they are linked. I don't watch the clock and ones coming in know to sit down until I come out with the current client. I would guess the first one runs about 2 hours as we have paperwork, etc. pre-inducton and I want to know everything they have to tell me cognitively. When they start going into therapeutic mode, it's time to get to "work". I also don't shove 'em out the door as soon as trance is over. We talk about whatever until I am really sure it's time for them to leave.

[Poodle]

Look around please. It takes exactly two weeks to learn NLP. It's more of an "unconscous installation". In those two weeks also included is Deep Trance Phenomenon. When it comes to time line work, I believe it was 3 days for the Master course or maybe less). Bandler's time line work can be taught in one day and Tad James' is a little longer.

We here really LOVE those southern "hicks" as our wonderful Skip is in Tenn. Also Carmine was (is) in Georgia and I used to live in NC.

Am I understanding your communication correctly? You will be a licensed professional that will use hypnosis, NLP and TLT in your practice?

NLP really is incredibly easy to learn. Yes, it has silly words but it is divided into two basic parts. The most important part is the Practitioner Course as that is where you will learn the skills of NLP. After you have learned the skills you can learn "techniques" or you will have the basic NLP skills to make up your own techniques. I know my original training textbook was terribly confusing and I think Connie thought so too. It does not have to be that way. Skip did not even understand the need for a textbook. I much prefer the KISS methodology - keep it simple sweetie.

If you are really lucky, Skip may have a class. Pood :)

[tomlondonuk]

hi everyone I finnished a smokeing cessation masterclass yesterday that was based on cbt and hypnotherapy which was very evidenced based and Im studying an ericksonian type smoking cessation home study course that as well as reading a through books on stop smoking treatments.

on the course yesterday the in structor said that the debate over habit vs addiction has been prooven and disproven many times and there is no deffinitive answer to wether it is a habit or addiction. But research has shown that if the client thinks it is an addiction then they normally find it harder to stop smoking.

also the instructor started the class by asking what everyone throught was the most important thing about stopping smoking and motivation was the thing that came up most because without motivation the client will find it harder to stop and be more likely to relapse.

in response to the original post you should write down a list for reasons to stop and reason why you still smoke and make it as detailed and specific to your self as possible.

for example think of what you want and why you want it.

''I whant to live longer so that i can watch my kids grow up and be there when there get married, have children, graduate etc''

if this does not get you motivated maybe be adding something to the list each day will give you something to motivate you to stop.

[Poodle]

would you please PM me the name of your Ericksonian type home study? Thank you. I never get enough of Milton! Pood

[sibirskikozak]

:DLook around please. It takes exactly two weeks to learn NLP. It's more of an "unconscous installation". In those two weeks also included is Deep Trance Phenomenon. When it comes to time line work, I believe it was 3 days for the Master course or maybe less). Bandler's time line work can be taught in one day and Tad James' is a little longer.

Can you PM me the information for those courses ?

We here really LOVE those southern "hicks" as our wonderful Skip is in Tenn. Also Carmine was (is) in Georgia and I used to live in NC.

Glad to know that I am not the only one here :)

Am I understanding your communication correctly? You will be a licensed professional that will use hypnosis, NLP and TLT in your practice?

I plan to, because I believe that NLP/Timeline/Ericksonian are very effective methods.

NLP really is incredibly easy to learn. Yes, it has silly words but it is divided into two basic parts. The most important part is the Practitioner Course as that is where you will learn the skills of NLP. After you have learned the skills you can learn "techniques" or you will have the basic NLP skills to make up your own techniques. I know my original training textbook was terribly confusing and I think Connie thought so too. It does not have to be that way. Skip did not even understand the need for a textbook. I much prefer the KISS methodology - keep it simple sweetie.

Well I have picked up some techniques, but I do not know the exact workings of it. My teacher was great at it, he did an in class demonstration and he was great. But when he taught it I really could not understand how everything worked :( that's why I am looking to take the full certification course.

If you are really lucky, Skip may have a class. Pood :)

Like I said above if you know any NLP going on in the L.A. area let me know I will definitely try to check it out.

KA3AK '87

[tomlondonuk]

this may be interesting

http://www.hypnosis101.com/smoketalk.htm

[Poodle]

I am glad you found Keith. He is a friend of mine and I do think the world of him. I know I am not the only person around here that believes it either. I don't know if the link will get to stay as it goes into a commercial site. Keith held my hand for the first six months of my practice. I know that had much to do with my success. I'm remembering one that is now funny -- Keith, I think my client went to sleep. What should I do? You may find it in his archives as he was given permission to use it in case anyone else ever came across such a thing. Ahhh, the things one does not learn in training. What a honey! Pood

[Connie]

Another vote here for Keith being a sweetie-pie deluxe. LOVE him. :D

[Terry]

First of all, nasty bugger though I am, I see it as very unfair of anyone to kick a person because they are unable to remove an addiction. If it was easy it wouldn't be an addiction would it.
As for the magic for quitting, there are as many ways to quit, and as many reasons as there are smokers. Though the poster has come here for advise, I don;t see that as much of a desire. What you really want poster, is someone to say the magic words so you have nothing to do, and we do it all for you. Fair enough, there are many just like you, but forgive me if I tell you that it is your attitude that will prevent you from becoming an ex smoker, and your attitude that will kill you eventually. You show,(and please don;t argue, i do know that of which I speak,) a complete disregard for your own value. I can't change that, you must if it is to change. You see yourself as of less value than the fleeting pleasure of a cigarette, and nobody can do anything but watch as you die. Now I see that as quite fair for you, but I am concerned for your family, and those who love you more than you love yourself, are you being fair to them I wonder?
No, the best in the world couldn't intervene successfully with such an attitude, so give up and stop wasting time, for at this point you are not worth the time of day, and my commiserations go to your family and friends. You my friend are a loser. Now, should you feel I am being my usual nasty self, and unnescessarily rude, let me tell you why I quit so you will understand. After my heart attack, my doctor said some very simple but true words to me as he prepared to release me from hospital. He said, ONLY A FOOL SMOKES AFTER A HEART ATTACK. Now them's powerfull words to one who places extreme value on himself, and my reply was of course. WELL DOC, MY MOM DIDN'T MAKE NO FOOL. Flipant you say, and yes it was, but heartfelt also. No damn cigarette is worth the snot off my nose never mind my life. Yes I will die some day, and I have no fear of that, but how would I show myself as of true value to the world if I allowed a cigarette to be the cause of my death? Would you sell me an arm please, I know someone who has non. Perhaps an eye for a blind friend? Would a million dollars clinch the bargain? How much for your mind if I may ask, you it seems you place little value on it, but I know someone who could really use yours instead of the useless one he has. I suppose a pack of cigarettes might do it do you suppose?