If you want to really quit smoking, you must first be clear that you are serious about it, and it is not just a passing fancy. In order to test your resolve to quit smoking you should form a small support group that will be there for you when you start to feel weak and find it difficult to stick to your decision. After all, it is not easy to break a habit. You need to be answerable to yourself and others to be able to battle with the so-called nicotine beast, other smokers and your subconscious. They can all be very persuasive threats on the road to quitting. That is why it is absolutely essential to have a solid support group of at least two or three other people. If you can have five, it is even better.

When you try to do it alone, you are more likely going to succumb to the overwhelming urge because you are answerable to only one person. But if you have a group, that's a different ball game altogether.

So how do you hold yourself accountable to others?

Actually, it’s all about holding yourself accountable to others. If you have been off cigarettes for one week and then your mind comes up with some silly reason that you need a smoke. It will very cleverly convince all the dissenting voices trying to remind you of your resolve so that you become weak and break down before the urge and take a smoke.

On the other hand, if you had five loyal soldiers standing between the overwhelming urge and you, then it would be an entirely different story.

The process

So, it is best to set up a small support group for yourself via email, telephone, or a support forum. If you can find people who have gone through similar experience, they can be very supportive and encouraging. Once you have a group, tell them your goal to quit smoking. Let them know that you need them at times when you are feeling weak in your resolve, but they should not to pester you about it. They should just be there when you need help and positive support.

Now, let’s see what would be the scene when the overwhelming urge strikes you to have a smoke. Now, you will have to fight not only your own guilty conscience, but also get past five people. You will have to tell them that you have decided to start smoking again.

Once you have got it off your chest, you need not do anything more. You can sit back and listen to five voices reminding you of your resolve. Then, it is up to you to decide whether they are unfair and misguided and your deep down beliefs that you should quit are suddenly wrong. And, if you think that just that 'one' cigarette will do no harm to your determination, you are wrong. Because it’s never one; it’s invariably the first one that will get you.

The support system works so well only because of numbers; it is six times more difficult to convince six people (your support team plus you) against the 'one'.

As I say, the more you know about quitting, the more successful you will be. So get all the information you need before you try to quit. It's much easier, believe me.

Best of luck,

Darren Warmuth

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When you are ready to quit smoking check out both Darren's own quit smoking program and also this independent quit smoking reviews site. Feel free to grab a unique version of this article from the smoking Articles Submissions Service