How to Quit Smoking by ‘Focusing on Breathing'

Author: Suryanarayana Chennapragada

I am sharing a proven technique called ‘Focusing on breathing' to gradually get over the urge for smoking, without needing any other aids.

How can I do it?

Try the following modes and use whatever works for you. Keep eyes closed whenever possible. Don't try to change the pattern of breathing except for the ‘911 mode'. Let the pattern change on its own.

Tip mode: Touch the tip of the thumb to the tip of the little finger. Breathe in, breathe out, three times, counting in the mind, when breathing out. During the first out-breath, count ‘one', second out-breath ‘two', third out-breath ‘three'. Repeat the 3 breaths, at each of the next 3 finger tips. When you are at the thumb, place the tip of the index finger at the base of the thumb and breathe 3 times. Then switch to the other hand and repeat the practice. Continue practicing, switching hands.

Segment mode: Every finger has 3 segments, separated by 2 lines. Place the tip of the thumb at the top segment of the little finger. Breathe in and out once, without counting. Shift the thumb to the middle segment and breathe in and out. Move to the bottom segment and breathe in and out. Repeat the same steps at the next 3 fingers. At the thumb, place the tip of the index finger on its segments and breathe in and out once, at each segment. Now switch to the other hand and repeat the same practice. Continue practicing, switching hands.    

Counting mode: While breathing in, feel the faint coolness inside the nose and on the top lip. While breathing out, count slowly in the mind. First out-breath, count  ‘o-n-e', second  out-breath ‘t-w-o-o' and third out-breath ‘thre-e-e'. Now repeat the same steps: count ‘o-n-e' during the first out-breath and so on. Continue the practice as long as you like. Every time you lose focus on breathing or counting, get back to the practice, by counting ‘o-n-e' during the next out-breath.  

Feeling mode: When breathing in, feel the faint cool sensation inside the nose and on the top lip. When breathing out, feel the faint warm or neutral sensation at these places. You can also focus on the slight expansion and contraction of the abdomen, as you breathe in and out.  Don't use fingers. Don't count.

911 mode: This makes a quick impact. Breathe in through the nose or mouth quickly. Breathe out gently through the mouth, with your lips only slightly open. Focus on the sensation at the lips and the bulging cheeks while breathing out. In this mode, the out-breath is slow and long.

Success stories

•    "Several days ago, while waiting to meet with my physician, I read a hand out about the benefits of' counting breaths'. Out of curiosity, I tried several proposed methods, especially the ‘Tip mode'. It seemed to relieve some tension. I was fascinated to test this techniques for ‘smoking cessation' though I was at best skeptical. My first craving for a cigarette began shortly after my appointment. Instead of reaching into my pocket for a smoke, I tried breathing 3 times at each finger tip. At first, it was fast paced, nervous and a bit hurried. Within a few minutes not only did the craving stop, but I felt more energized. That was four days ago. I still have cravings, though less frequent, still conditioned to light up at certain times, but I count my breaths. It is so simple that even someone like me who has no patience and desires immediate satisfaction has found it an "easy does it" resolution to nicotine addiction. Try it just a couple of times and give yourself a chance. You will not be disappointed."

•    "I was smoking a pack and half a day. I was introduced to the 'counting breaths' mode. After just a week of doing the method once in the morning and right before bed, I was able to cut down smoking down to around 15 cigarettes a day, by doing nothing more than the method. I now do it throughout the day and I am down to about 4 cigarettes a day. I am now more relaxed, I don't need to lash out at everybody because I am not edgy. The best part is, it costs me nothing to do, and I didn't need any outside help like gum or patches. I did it on my own which is a great feeling."

More reports of success in quitting smoking as well as tobacco chewing are in this link:
http://countingbreaths.com/annecdotes.html#Smoking

When can I practice this technique?

You can practice it from the time you wake up in bed, till you again get into sleep, 16/7. This unique technique does not need any time allotment, place or  posture and no rules or restrictions for the practice! Use all those bits of time when your mind has no task to do. It will become a spontaneous habit in a few months. Then the practice gets triggered by itself, reduces stress and weakens the conditioned reflex of reaching for a smoke. Here are some proven ideas.

Lying in bed, trying to get sleep: Use this technique when you are in bed and wish to sleep. No more insomnia!

On waking up: Use it again as soon as you are awake but in bed. Continue till you feel fresh and then leave the bed.

Waiting: Wherever you wait, use this technique rather than feeling bored or impatient - stuck in traffic, standing in a line, sitting at the doctor's office, waiting for the computer program to load….so on.

Driving: Every stoppage at a red light is an opportunity for micro relaxation. While staring at the red light, practice the feeling mode till it turns green. Also use it during a traffic jam. No more road rage!

Traveling in Car / Bus / Train/ Air plane: Use this technique to pass time, relax and feel refreshed rather than fatigued at the end of the journey.

Walking: Use the ‘Counting mode'. Every time a foot touches the ground, match it with the number being counted. Repeat that number, till the out-breath ends. For example: during the first out- breath, one-one-one so on.. In a few weeks, you can practice even while running!

Work Place: Whenever you lose concentration, your mind wanders, any part of body feels tight or you feel stressed out, take a breathing break. Break that stress cycle in just a minute or two!

Under stress: Practice specially the 911 mode when angry, anxious, panicky or in some pain, till you regain control over yourself.

When you practice before sleep and on waking up, you will feel a general calmness in the mind and relaxation in the body. The urge to automatically reach for a cigarette gets gradually weakened. Your rate of smoking will gradually reduce, as reported in the above success stories. One person who was smoking 10 cigarettes a day even developed  aversion to smoking! The results may be slow in coming for some people.

One appealing feature of this technique is that it does not prescribe any rules regarding time, place, posture, length of practice or regularity. If you are already using conventional methods like nicotine patches, these relaxation practices will add strength to them. If you have any questions, e-mail through my web site http;//countingbreaths.com.

Good Luck in kicking the butt!

Practicing ‘Focusing on breathing' also relieves some problems like - Insomnia, Anxiety, Chronic pains, Hypertension, Job stress, Migraine, Obesity, Panic attacks, Stuttering, Worry, Lack of concentration, Anger. Difficult relationships, Grief and more.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/quit-smoking-articles/how-to-quit-smoking-by-focusing-on-breathing-989879.html

About the Author

Suryanarayana Chennapragada (short name - C S) has been teaching the simple self-help methods of 'Focusing on Breathing' to children as young as 4 years to adults up to 97, since 2003 at Albany NY USA. He offers on-line coaching at affordable charges.

7 Tips to Help you Quit Smoking for Good

Author: Ron Hel-Or

Quitting smoking is not a easy thing to do. In fact, it can be very difficult. The psychological and physical addiction to nicotine makes it very difficult to just quit. But this can be done, and it was dome by millions of people who regained their health as a result.

There are no easy solutions to quitting the smoking habit. The withdrawal symptoms as well as the psychological need will be there and make it hard for you to quit. But there are quite a few ways to make it easier to go through those first few weeks of being smoke free. If you make if past the first month, your chances of quitting for good are much higher.

Let's take a look at a few of the most valuable tips we can offer:

Go cold turkey - Don't reduce the amount of cigarettes you smoke each day. Just stop totally. This seems counter-intuitive, but it's much better to quit all at once that to reduce the amount. Reducing the amount of cigarettes will not help you quit, it will only make it harder, and claim a heavier price from your health.

Replace your smoking with another habit - this is a useful way of coping with the habit itself. You can replace smoking with eating carrots, for example. Another way is to replace it with physical activity, or drinking water. The important thing is to create new and useful habits instead of the smoking habit.

Quit with a friend - If you have a friend that wants to quit smoking, you can quit together. This will force you to watch each other's backs, and make sure none of you gets back to smoking. Work out a support system that includes meetings once a day, phone calls etc. so that you keep supporting and encouraging each other.

Use nicotine replacement - There are plenty of products out there that make quitting smoking much easier, as they replace the nicotine fix smokers are used to getting. Taking a nicotine chewing gum, pills or patches makes it easier to deal with the withdrawal symptoms. When the physical side of the quitting process is handled, it's easier to cope with the psychological side of the addiction.

Use breathing exercises - Learning to breath correctly and to the full capacity of the lungs makes it easier to cope with the withdrawal symptoms and the dizziness and nausea you might feel. Yoga breathing techniques will do fine for that purpose and you can learn that from every book that deals with the subject.

Quitting smoking is not easy, but the price you might pay with your health is a lot more difficult to handle. Start planning your smoking quitting today, and set a date to do it. In 10 years time, you will greet yourself for doing so.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/quit-smoking-articles/7-tips-to-help-you-quit-smoking-for-good-63404.html

About the Author

Gill Reese is the owner of stop-smoking-101.info. You may visit the site and learn all about how to stop smoking, how to quit smoking, smoking cessation and more.

When is the Best Time to Quit Smoking?

Author: Richard Adams

As a smoker wanting to quit smoking, a common concern is when is actually the best time to quit smoking?

After all, quitting smoking is a big deal and one that requires preparation (both mental and physical) plus a great deal of focus to get the ideal outcome from.

Trying to quit smoking during a particularly stressful period of your life such as after the loss of your job or a familt pet is likely to result in failure.

And yet it is also possible to get too precious about the timing an use this as an excuse *not* to quit. If you're over analysing and looking for the "perfect time" the sad fact is you'll never find it, and so some people go round in circles for literally years using this as an excuse not to quit just yet.

"I really want to, but I'm just going to wait until I get this situation at work sorted out, then I will".

Let's be honest here - there never seems to be a perfect time. There'll always be something getting in the way whatever it might be.

Maybe you've fallen out with your partner, maybe you're going for a promotion at work, maybe you've had some unexpected bills come in. I hate to sound insensitive but that's the way life is and sometimes the best thing you can do to just push ahead regardless. After all, non-smokers manage to cope with these situations every day, don't they, so it must be possible?!

Furthermore, if you do manage to stay off the nicotine during a period of your life like that, there'll be no stopping you in the future. Even better, your confidence in your abilities to get through a difficult situation *without* the need for a cigarette will skyrocket when you have managed it the first time.

So in answer to the questions "when is the best time to qui smoking?" the answer is there *is* no best time.

I suggest you look at your diary or calendar and select a date in a few weeks time. Make it a day such as a Saturday where you'll be off work.

You can then plan toward this date, mentally preparing yourself for what is ahead. Stay focused and on track and don't allow anything to get in your way. Make yourself a promise that you will be giving up the cigarettes on that day.

Tell your friends and family, tell your boss, gather all your smoking equipment (cigarettes, lighters, ash trays etc.) into one place so you can dispose of all of them easily on the day you've chosen and then just take a leap of faith and go for it.

Wake up that day, bin all your smoking stuff and then go out for the day somewhere nice as a treat, where your mind will be kept active (and so off your nicotine cravings!).

Good luck to you!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/when-is-the-best-time-to-quit-smoking-443806.html

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How Does The Nicotine Patch Help You Quit Smoking?

Author: Susan Roberts

There are many people who have quit smoking by using the Nicotine Patch. There is no foolproof way to quit smoking, so understanding the pitfalls can make your next quit attempt a successful one!

First, you have to remember to actually apply the patch. This sounds silly, but I've forgotten to put it on a few times, and ended up smoking for another week because of it. Make it part of your morning routine, right after you step out of the shower. I keep a spare in my wallet just in case I forget.

Second, avoid smokers for the first few days. This may work best if you start on a Saturday morning, and keep yourself busy until work on Monday. The first 24-48 hours are the most difficult part of this, since the levels of nicotine in your body are still dropping, even though you have the patch on. After 48-72 hours, nicotine levels in your body (as a result of smoking cigarettes, not the patch) are nearly normal, so you won't feel the cravings like you do during the first few days.

Finally, remember that even if you mess up once, keep going back to it. It took me a ton of tries before I managed to quit, and even then it wasn't exactly an easy process. It was, however, effective in the end.

If you mess up, make sure to take the patch off before you smoke. I've heard plenty of reports of all kinds of bad things happening as a result of smoking with the patch on.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/quit-smoking-articles/how-does-the-nicotine-patch-help-you-quit-smoking-1479480.html

About the Author

Looking for something more effective? Take a look at these new ways to stop smoking and see if they're right for you!

These ways to quit smoking work in just a few hours, instead of with a long, drawn-out process like NRT.

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