27. Public habit?

The main reason why in the UK since the 60s of the twentieth century had quit smoking more than 15 million people, has become the revolution in public opinion that occurred in relation to smoking.

Yes, I agree: health and money - are good reasons why we should want to quit, but because they have always existed. Not necessarily talk about the threat of cancer, in order to prove that cigarettes are destroying our lives.

Our bodies - the most advanced facilities in the world, and any smoker immediately with the first puff, knows that smoking is damaging. The only reason that we find ourselves caught up in smoke - that pressure from friends.

The only ever there were substantial "plus" of smoking is that once it was regarded as perfectly acceptable social habit. Today is generally accepted (even smokers themselves) that smoking - anti-social habit.

In the old days people smoked strong. If you do not smoke, you will be considered a weakling, so we all tried hard addiction to smoking. In every pub or bar, most men proudly inhale and exhale cigarette smoke clubs.

Inside hung a permanent cloud of smoke, and the ceilings are whitewashed rarely, were always yellow or brown.

Today the situation has changed dramatically, and the strong man there is no need to smoke. Today, strong people do not depend on drugs.

Today, as a result of the social revolution, all smokers are seriously considering quitting smoking, and smokers themselves, in principle, regarded as weak.

The most significant trend, which I noted with the release of the first edition of this book in 1985, was the increasing attention to the anti-social side of smoking.

The days when smoking was a proud sign of the sophisticated lady or a tough guy, forever gone.

Today, everyone knows that the only reason why people continue to smoke, is that their failed attempt to quit smoking, or they are afraid to even try.

Since daily smoker condemned by the administrative prohibitions or extended smoking bans in public places, and he constantly suffers attacks from hypocritical ex-smokers - smoking behavior also changes.

Recently, I again witnessed situations that I remember from childhood, but had not seen them for years.

For example, I have long not seen smokers shook off the ashes in your hand or pocket, because they embarrassed to ask for an ashtray. Several years ago I was in a restaurant. It was late, all we finished eating.

At this moment when usually all around smoke cigars and cigarettes, not a single person in the audience did not smoke.

I confidently thought, "Aha! I think I'm starting to make an impression. " Turning to the waiter, I asked if the restaurant smoking. The answer was affirmative.

I thought, "Strange ... I know that many quit smoking, but there must also be at least one smoker." In the end, someone lit a cigarette in the corner, and the result was a flash of lights swept above the restaurant.

Probably all the other smokers sat and thought, "Well, I can not smoke in here alone! "

Many smokers now will not smoke between courses, as uncomfortable.

Many not only apologize to the people sitting with them at the same table, but also look around to make sure that will not cause somebody's disapproval.

Every day, more and more smokers leaving a sinking ship, and so those who are in it are beginning to fear that will be the last.

Not to let you have it!

26. Secret smoker

Secret smoker should fall into the same category as the irregular, but the impact of smoking is so insidious secret that deserves a separate chapter.

It could lead to rupture of a personal relationship.

In my case, it almost led to divorce.

It has been three weeks since my failed attempt to quit smoking. The occasion was the attempt to worry about my wife's constant coughing and wheezing. I told her I do not care about their own health.

She replied: "I know that does not worry, but how would you feel if it was forced to watch someone who you love, systematically causing self-harm? "

I have this argument seemed irrefutable, and where there was an attempt to quit. It ended in failure three weeks after a violent quarrel with an old friend.

Only after many years, I realized that my mind strayed specifically started the dispute. I was terribly upset.

I do not think it was a coincidence, because it was with this friend I have never quarreled, neither before nor after. It is clear that this is - the work of a small monster.

Whatever it was, but I got an excuse. I desperately wanted a cigarette so I started smoking again. I could not bear to think what a disappointment once again bring the decision to start smoking my wife, so I did not say anything to her.

I only smoked alone. Gradually, I began to smoke in the company of friends, until the situation has not reached the point that everything, except my wife knew that I smoke.

I remember how happy I was. I thought, "Well, at least I reduced nicotine intake." In the end, my wife accused me that I continue to smoke.

I did not realize it, but she has listed me all the times when I started fighting, and in a rage flew home.

In other situations, it took me two hours to buy some little thing, and if I just invited my wife to join me, now found vague excuses to go to one.

As soon as there is a growing social gulf between smokers and nonsmokers, there are many cases when socializing with friends or relatives is limited or even ceases due disgusting addiction to tobacco.

The worst thing that a secret smoker smoking support the illusion that he is deprived of something.

In addition, it leads to serious loss of self-esteem: an honest man is forced to lie to family and friends.

Perhaps something similar is happening with you. With me it has happened several times.

Have you ever watched on television detective series "Columbo"? Plot the course is the same for all series. The culprit is usually a wealthy and respected businessman, makes what he considers "the perfect murder", reveal that, in his opinion, it is impossible.

His confidence in the impunity is supported when he learns that the investigation was entrusted outwardly unpretentious and do not produce a strong impression detective Columbo.

In Colombo has a nasty habit of closing the door after the end of the questioning, as if assuring offender, he is above suspicion, but before the face of the killer disappears expression of satisfaction, Colombo appears again with the words: "Only one little misunderstanding, sir, that I am sure you can explain ... "

The suspect begins to falter, and from that moment we and he know that Colombo gradually squeeze it. At that moment I felt completely no matter how heinous the crime was committed, and my sympathies appeared on the side of the killers.

It was like he was at the scene of the criminal - it makes me feel so these attacks secret smoking.

I remember the long hours during which I could not smoke, and then made his way to the garage for tightening by stealth, or ten minutes shivering in the cold, wondering why smoking does not make me normal enjoyment.

I remember the fear that I was caught in the act. What if my wife finds a hiding place where I hide the cigarette lighter and cigarette butts?

I remember my relief when I managed to get into the house unnoticed, followed immediately - again fear that she uchuet nicotine smell from clothes or my breath.

With each new day, living in these fears, I clearly understood that sooner or later I certainly're caught.

The final humiliation and shame I felt when it finally happened, followed by followed by an immediate return to a continuous smoking.

Oh, those smokers joy of life!

25. Irregular smokers, teenagers, nonsmokers

Heavy smokers tend to envy those who smoke occasionally. We all met characters like: 'Oh, I can live a week without cigarettes, and it does not bother me at all. "

We think, "I wish I could, so that I could."

I know, hard to believe, but none of the smoker does not like being a smoker.

Do not forget:

· None of the smoker never took decision to become a smoker (whether regular or any other).

· All smokers feel stupid, and therefore:

· All smokers tend to lie to themselves and others in a vain attempt to justify their own stupidity.

Once I was a fan of golf. But I boasted of how many times I played, and wanted to play more. Why smokers boast how little they smoke?

If it is - the true criterion is to achieve a genuine delight, no doubt, you should not smoke at all. If I told you, 'I know I can survive a week without the carrot, and it does not bother me at all. "

You would have thought I was, of course, crazy. If I like the carrot, then why would I want to live without it for a week? If I do not enjoy it, then why should I make such a statement?

Therefore, when a smoker says, "I can live for a week without a cigarette, and I was, in fact, did not care," he tries to convince you and himself that he has no problem. In fact, he says something like: "I managed not to smoke for a week."

Like any other smoker, he may hope that after this he will be able to survive without smoking and the rest of life. But he was able to spend only a week, so how much value should be acquired for a cigarette, which he had been deprived of for so long?

That's why people who smoke occasionally, the dependence on nicotine is actually much stronger than that of smokers. They have not only greater illusion of fun, but they are practical and do not seek to stop smoking, as spending less money and less risk to health.

Remember: the only pleasure that receives the smoker, is to facilitate the pangs of withdrawal, and, as I have already explained, even this pleasure - just an illusion.

Imagine little nicotine monster inside your body as a constant itch, so small that most of the time you will not even notice. The most natural urge for constant itch - scratch.

When the body is becoming more and more accustomed to nicotine, the habit of smoking one cigarette after another becomes quite natural.

There are three main reasons that keep smokers from continuous cigarette smoking.

1. MONEY. Most of it is simply not affordable.

2. HEALTH. We are forced to take poison, to facilitate weaning flour. A person's ability to cope with the poison varies in different situations and in different periods of his life. It acts as a blanket restriction.

3. disciplined. It is dictated by society or the working conditions of the smoker, and maybe your friends and relatives, or by the smoker - as a result of persistent struggle going on in the mind of every smoker.

I used to think the habit of smoking cigarettes one after another weakness. I could not understand how my friends manage to limit the number of cigarettes smoked per day and reducing it to ten or twenty.

I am sure that I was very strong-willed person. It never occurred to me that a majority of smokers can not smoke without interruption, since you need to have a very strong light.

Heavy smokers tend to envy those who smoke five cigarettes a day. Perhaps these people smoked so little, simply because due to its constitution can not smoke more; or because they can not afford to smoke more; or due to their working conditions or the public.

And perhaps due to the fact that their own hatred of dependence does not allow them to smoke more cigarettes. Perhaps at this stage it would be useful to give some definitions.

Smoking. Man, I never fall into this trap, but that should not boast that. He - a non-smoker only the grace of God. All smokers were convinced that they really something never become addicted, and some non-smokers continue to try to smoke a cigarette from time to time.

Occasional smoker. There are two basic types of occasional smokers.

1. Smoker who has already landed in the trap, but still does not understand this. Do not envy them, they're just trying nectar from carnivorous plants and, in all likelihood, soon will become regular smokers. Remember: all alcoholics begin with random shots and all smokers first smoked occasionally.

2. Smoker, who was formerly a heavy smoker, I thought that would not be able to quit smoking. These, then, smokers and cause the greatest pity. They belong to several categories, each of which requires separate comments.

A smoker smokes five cigarettes a day.

If he gets pleasure from cigarettes, why she smokes five cigarettes a day? If he does not care, then why do smoke? (I hope you remember that this "habit" really means - bang your head against a brick wall with a view to experience the pleasure when you stop.)

A smoker smokes five cigarettes a day makes it easier to own flour withdrawal less than an hour a day. All the rest of the time, though he does not realize he is "beating his head against the wall," and it goes on much of his life.

He smokes only five cigarettes a day since or can not afford to smoke more on monetary considerations, or worried about their own health.

Convince smoker is that it does not get pleasure from smoking - easily, and just try to convince the occasional smoker.

Anyone who has been through an attempt to reduce smoking, knows that it is - the most sophisticated of all the torture that is almost 100% guarantee that you will be addicted to nicotine for the rest of life.