THE RISKS
IF you smoke:
You will be twelve times more likely to die from lung cancer.
You will be ten times more likely to die from some form of lung disease.
You will be ten times more likely to die from cancer of the larynx.
You will be six times more likely to die of heart disease.
You will be twice as likely to die of a stroke.
Let me explain:
If you smoke one pack of cigarettes a day at $2.00 per pack, you spend $730 per year. If your habit has continued for a period of 20 years you will have spent an incredible $14,600! If you smoke two packs for that same period of time, you will spend $29,200!
SELF CONFIDENCE
Let’s talk for a moment about your self confidence. How can you help yourself to be successful?
You need to be able to answer the following questions:
What can you do to reduce the desire to smoke every time it hits you, and what will you do until the urge passes?
With the information contained in this book, I will give you the ammunition you need in this war against tobacco. You will be able to resist the urge to smoke every time it hits you and you will be able to resist it until the urge passes.
Next, you will need to deal with the reasons that you smoke now. What kind of satisfaction does smoking give you - physical, mental, or emotional?
Now it is time to take a brief quiz to realize why you smoke.
QUIZ - MY MOST IMPORTANT REASONS FOR SMOKING
Circle the appropriate number:
1=Never
2=Sometimes
3=Frequently
4=Always
1. a.) I smoke when I need a pickup. 1 2 3 4
b.) I smoke to keep from slowing down. 1 2 3 4
2. a.) I smoke for the pleasure of it. 1 2 3 4
b.) I like to light up when I am comfortable
and relaxed. 1 2 3 4
3. a.) I smoke when I’m angry. 1 2 3 4
b.) I smoke when I’m anxious. 1 2 3 4
c.) I smoke when I’m tense. 1 2 3 4
d.) I smoke when I’m depressed. 1 2 3 4
4. a.) I get anxious when I think I might run out
of cigarettes. 1 2 3 4
b.) I get anxious if I must go someplace where I
will not be able to smoke when I really want to. 1 2 3 4
5. a.) I smoke a cigarette within thirty minutes of
getting up in the morning. 1 2 3 4
b.) I smoke when I’m not feeling well. 1 2 3 4
c.) I smoke a pack or more a day. 1 2 3 4
6. a.) Sometimes I smoke just to keep my hands busy. 1 2 3 4
b.) I smoke when I get bored. 1 2 3 4
EVALUATION
A high ranking in one or both the questions in group one (1) indicates that you use cigarettes for stimulation or extra energy. You might smoke to help to stay awake or for a boost of energy to complete a task. You may use them when your body says it needs rest, but you have work to accomplish.
A high rating in group two (2) indicates that you use smoking to help you to relax, whether it is physical, mental, or both. You may use cigarettes during breaks at work, after you have completed a difficult job, or when you have that cup of coffee or alcoholic beverage.
High scores in group three (3) indicates that you use smoking to deal with negative effects in your life. Smoking gives you a lift when you become angry, depressed, tense or anxious.
The questions in group four (4) reflect your psychological dependencies. You are concerned that you will run out of cigarettes before it happens and way before you have any nicotine deprivation.
Group five (5) suggests that you have a chemical dependency. If each of your answers was high in this group, it means that without an occasional smoke, you begin to experience withdrawal symptoms and occasionally fell a little uncomfortable.
Group six (6) tells us that you use smoking to have something to do with your hands when you are nervous or uncomfortable, maybe in social situations, or something to do when you are bored.
The different categories of questions in the quiz give a great variety of reasons why people with different needs smoke. Nicotine is an extremely powerful drug! It is more addictive than heroin or cocaine. If you read the papers you know cigarette manufacturers manipulate the amount of nicotine in their cigarettes to provide a consistent flavor and also to insure that you get the same dose with each cigarette you light up.
KNOW THE ENEMY
What makes smoking so habit forming ?
Even if you only smoke a few cigarettes a day, why do you feel so bad when you try to quit?
Nicotine creates a biochemical reaction in your body that has an immediate effect on your mood, your ability to reason, and your metabolism. The more that you smoke, the higher level of chemical dependency will be reached. Light smokers can also become just as dependent on cigarettes because of nicotine’s psychological impact. In this way it can affect moods and feelings in certain situations.
