If you have tried to quit smoking cigarettes on multiple occasions, the chances are high that you have treated each one of these starting days as a special event and, at the time, believed you could tackle your problem in a matter of days or weeks. Finally, when you started smoking again, your sadness and disappointment returned with a vengeance. Remember, addiction recovery and abstinence are part of a slow, tedious process and cannot happen overnight. Nicotine withdrawal might end over the course of a few weeks, but your cravings might persist forever. On that note, let’s take a moment to bust some common myths about quitting cigarette use.
It’s Too Late for Me
How many times have you listened to people give this excuse? As callous as this may sound, we can assure you the only time it’s “too late” to quit is when your dead and buried. As you live and breathe, anything is humanly possible. Although you can’t undo some damages inflicted by cigarettes, you can still give your body an opportunity to heal. Besides, once you do quit cigarettes, you might just feel a bit more motivated in other parts of your life.
I Can Cope with One Smoke
Remember this fact: you will never settle with “just one cigarette.” Just a few puffs on that smoke, and you will be reaching for the next one in a matter of hours, minutes, or seconds. If you have recovered from nicotine, you will be especially tempted to return to smoking, an event that can send you into a deeper cesspool than before.
Relapse Strikes Quickly and without Warning
The fact of the matter is that relapses aren’t like lightning. These events do not strike randomly or without warning and can be predicted (quite easily, in fact). If you have been keeping tabs on your thoughts, you will be able to predict when you might be experiencing a pre-relapse event, a time when you feel desperate or sad or are enduring severe cravings. Relapses are as severe as the victim makes them out to be. Remember, you can easily be your worst enemy. All it takes is one puff.
Seeking Treatment for Cigarette Use
Remember that addiction can be triggered by one shot of alcohol or a single puff of a cigarette, but the true danger of this sickness is that you cannot fully determine how much you have to consume before your mind forms an attachment. Social smoking is just as dangerous as chronic smoking, on many levels, but you do not have to smoke to have a good time. Remember, drugs cannot determine if you have fun and do not have control over your life.
If you are suffering from a severe case of drug abuse or addiction, or have a friend or loved one who is coping with this illness, get in touch with Asana Recovery today. Our professional team of counselors and healthcare experts will help you endure the painful process of alcohol withdrawal and detox and guide you along the rocky road of rehabilitation. Soon enough, you will experience a faster and much more efficient recovery.
If you want to find out more about our residential treatment or supervised detoxification/withdrawal programs or enroll in one of these programs today, we are ready and waiting to speak with you at your leisure and your disclosure. Call Asana now at (949) 438-4504 to learn how you can overcome your mental illness and take an extra step toward becoming a healthier person.
