Everyday can be a New Year resolution day to de-addict oneself; one certainly need not wait counting the days and months to do it. Where there is a will there is a way may sound cliché so let’s term it as where there is addiction, there certainly lies de-addiction.
There is no “tomorrow” if one decides to quit either smoking or drinking, it has to be today and right now. But then how do you tackle the so called ‘withdrawal symptom’? One must catch the bull by its horn. Every addicted smoker or drinker has a set pattern of his or her day. If you pick up a stick everyday on your work to light from a particular shop, do visit it as usual. But, this time don’t buy a cigarette but rather buy a chewing gum and spend exactly that number of minutes you would usually be there smoking.
Wow, you have just taken the first step towards de-addiction. Repeat the same exercise for the rest of your day at various places you visit.
Obviously one is not expected to enter the bar and ask for a tea or coffee, but one can certainly opt for an aerated drink or best a mocktail. One more important tip, do not de-socialise in the name of de-addiction. Rather be with the clique with whom you love to hang around with even if some of them smoke or drink. It will only help you push you to the wall, with regard to self-control. Just as you followed religiously a set pattern to drink and smoke, follow this new changed pattern also seriously. Now, start counting the days you have managed to win over your urge to smoke or drink.
The day when you feel like giving away, simply think the number of days you could manage to stay clean. And say to yourself, that if you get back to even smoking a single stick or having a drink, you shall ruin all the efforts and pain you took to stay away from it. Feel proud of the number of days you could do without a smoke or a drink, tell this to your near and dear ones. So there is also a self infused fear that if you give up on your determination to quit, those who have been supporting and encouraging you all these days will look down upon you.
And finally, ‘No Smoking’ and ‘No Drinking’ will be your new addiction. Just like a fairy tale ending, you shall leave rest of your life not just happy but healthy too.
