How is it possible that people are so keen to smoke when they know for a fact that smoking breeds disease and death?
How can it be explained that people refuse to acknowledge this fact and often turn irked when they are challenged on these grounds?
Or, otherwise, why is it that people who fully acknowledge smoking bears disastrous consequences still find themselves helpless when trying to give up the habit?
We have learned that the strongest instinct and prime motivation of all species, including the human race, is to survive, to stay alive. How is it possible, hence, that about a quarter of all adult men and women on Earth are engaged in an activity that entirely contradicts this prime motivation?
To be clear about it, let us repeat - the cardinal and unrivaled purpose of living for the human race, like other species, is to survive and preserve life.
Smoking breeds disease and premature death.
The discrepancy is obvious.
So why do people smoke?
Smokers smoke for one cardinal reason:
Smokers smoke to get nicotine into the brain.
This is the reason why smokers smoke.
This is a fact.
But some people will resist the above assertion! Some smokers think that they smoke for totally different reasons, however, they too inhale cigarettes that contain nicotine.
Nobody smokes nicotine-free cigarettes!
Please carefully consider the following information.
Years ago the tobacco industry managed to develop a nicotine-free cigarette: the same sort of concept as decaffeinated coffee. The product was thoroughly and widely experimented with, and yet never developed commercially and never released into the marketplace. The tobacco industry research clearly demonstrated that nobody wants to smoke a nicotine-free cigarette.
People smoke for one reason - to get nicotine into the brain.
Therefore all talk about psychological dependencies, behavioral habits, social and environmental cues, or the Freudian theories of perpetual longing for mother's nipple, may be valuable but secondary. One has to firstly acknowledge the fact that smokers smoke for one major reason - this is to get nicotine into the brain.
If one truly acknowledges this fact, one will then realize that she or he is addicted, chemically dependent on one of the most powerful and destructive substances known to mankind, nicotine.
The next step is to understand how this addiction occurs. Its origins and mechanism, its location in the brain, its functions and, finally, what it takes to rid oneself of it and be free.
Such understanding brings enlightenment. Such enlightenment makes action feasible.
Thus we call it:
'Information that leads to transformation."'
Please also consider that it is an unnatural action to quit smoking!
A natural action is simply to seek pleasurable experiences and avoid painful ones.
In essence, an established smoker realizes that the most natural thing to do is to keep on smoking because smoking is a most gratifying and rewarding experience, while an attempt to quit is an agonizing experience.
Nicotine affects the brain faculties that are responsible for the release of 'feel-good' substances. Upon inhalation of nicotine, an immediate chain reaction occurs in our brain, consequently releasing certain substances that induce suppression of stress and a sensation of pleasure. This makes smoking a very satisfying experience.
Secondly, and equally importantly, is the understanding that an attempt to give up smoking not only deprives one of the immediate rewards and suppression of stress, it also inflicts the agony and pain of withdrawal and craving.
In short, quitting smoking is an unnatural act as it deprives one from pleasure and, moreover, it inflicts pain.
When one attempts to quit without being well aware, prepared and supported, there is not much chance of success. It's not surprising, although most unfortunate, that about 95 per cent of all smoking cessation attempts fail. With such a grim success rate, why even bother to try?
It can be done!
If one is made aware of relevant information, and prepared and trained gradually and thoroughly, one can consciously choose to give up the immediate short-term pleasures of smoking and bear with dignity the short-term pains associated with its cessation. One is then on the path to victory over addiction - an empowering victory that yields freedom, growth and a better quality of life.
We introduce here a 36-day program that leads to a nicotine-free lifestyle. There are no tricks and no miracle cures, and no external substances such as nicotine patches, chewing gums or pills, just the power of your intellect to undo the conditioning.
You may embark on the program yourself by clicking the 'Embark' icon on the home page. If you wish to invite someone who you would like to benefit from this program to join, click the 'Invite' icon; or you may inform other people about it by clicking the 'Inform' icon.
Joining the program costs just $36 and it is open to participants for one year. (See About Fees for more information.)
Meanwhile, if you would like to learn more about the structure of the program please visit The Framework.
