How do we control our addictions? Like cigarettes, going to spa every day ?

How can we control addictions? Especially smoking. I try to quit all the time but some some activities in my daily life are dependent on it.How do we control our addictions? Like cigarettes, going to spa every day ?
SiteKing, Smoking addiction can be extremely serious. Many everyday people have lost jobs, homes, family, and loved ones because they could not tame thier smoking habits. I suggest you seek some help. I found a site that has addiction information and a list of addiction treatment clinics so you can help. http://www.addictionselfhelp.com



Good LuckHow do we control our addictions? Like cigarettes, going to spa every day ?
I quit smoking after 3 years by dissociating associations with smoking, and reinforcing resisting smoking by positive affirmation.





First off, I don't recommend going cold turkey, It's difficult, and at the moment derived motivation, and it is unlikely to succeed. I tried it and succeeded but after I think 3 attempts.





Here's my pseudo psychological explanation as to how addictions become so strong and control us in a certain way:





If you smoke all the time everywhere, when you're relaxing in the spa, after a meal, or any countless number of locations/activities that you smoke at/after/during, your brain subconsciously associates a certain feeling (such as being full after eating) with smoking, and the cravings kick in, especially if you do it repeatedly with that activity or location.





Hence, it becomes a physical, habitual, psychological and chemical addiction, a strong potent combination for almost irreversible addiction.





With something like eating, it stimulates the same reward centre of the brain as sex and drugs, so the cravings would be stronger to smoke after eating, and you can see it in society.





You can undo and dissociate these activities and associations one by one, and I mean one association by one, especially if it is difficult for you. When you succeed at fighting off the cravings, reward yourself with something such as a massage, sex, or doing your favourite activity.





Having a significant other help you is very helpful. That is the main thing that helped me quit. I had long deep and meaningful talks about life, spanning many hours and to become a highly desired partner I realised I had to quit.





You smoke more the more bored you are. It's a subjective experience but people I know who smoke agree. Being occupied all the time would help curb the habit, even small things like waiting for the train you can do something productive, e.g. I do xcm/card manipulation. Gives me something to do and focus on, rather than sitting there and feeling bored and wanting to smoke.





If you hang around other smokers, no matter how hard it is and how difficult it will be for you socially, ask others to refrain from smoking around you. If you are serious about smoking this is a must. Subconscious peer pressure is what got me started, and what will keep reinforcing that smoking equates to social interaction and belonging.





Adopting an overall healthier lifestyle is a big benefit. Modify your diet and start exercising regularly, for me it made smoking extremely repulsive because I was set on having an optimal health state. My goal wasn't to quit smoking, but to have be the best I can be, and quitting smoking was something that hindered that.





For some, smoking is a stress relief method. Finding alternative effective stress relief methods such as deep breathing and exercising are vital if you smoke to temporarily calm elevated stress. If you would like more information on proven effective stress relieving methods please feel free to ask.





I'm telling this to help you, its up to you to physically carry yourself out. Examine where your motivation lies, and answer truthfully if you actually want to quit smoking. If the answer is yes, then let no one stop you, not your smoking friends or family. In the end, it's the easy way out, and if you want to take it no one really cares about you enough that they actively help you to quit. Do it for yourself.





So to sum it up, be serious about quitting, cut down slowly and use patches if you have to, exercise regularly, eat healthy, find someone will strongly support you, and dissociate indirect associations by not smoking where you normally smoke, one place at a time as you start cutting down. When you are at a confident quitting stage, remove ALL reminders such as lighters and ash trays etc. and continue functioning through life, and believe me, you will never think about it again.





Reread what I've written if you have to, I think each point is very helpful and valid, even subconsciously. Remember, you don't have to quit in a month or two, give it time, but start cutting down from today, even if its one cigarette. If you don't start now you never will.





Other psychological addictions can be treated accordingly, with the same principles mentioned above. Some addictions aren't really addictions if they don't significantly hinder your everyday life e.g. spending money for groceries on cigarettes. I don't see anything wrong with relaxing in the spa everyday, apart from it lowering your fertility.





The difference I feel after I quit I can't even describe, it's like a rebirth. I always read testimonials and was quite skeptical, but don't even listen to them, find out for yourself.





Good luck