I hate weaning and counting. You know why?
because you are making a point of taking something away from yourself by so much everyday. That eventually makes smoking a prize you don't want to give up. Start taking the power away from smoking by not thinking about smoking or not smoking all the time.
I cut down, but I didn't count. Counting puts stress on you because if you go up instead of down, you now have a negative in your head like you didn't do something right.
Also, If you don't sit around counting how many cigarettes you have left, you aren't constantly thinking about smoking or not smoking all the time.
You want to catch yourself just as you think of smoking and say "I'm going to wait awhile longer (and not watch the clock) and figure out something to get your mind busy so you aren't focused on smoking
because
That's what you're going to have to do when you quit.
In four weeks I was down from a pack a day to 5 a day without ever counting.
Counting stresses you out. Seeing yourself go 3 or 5 hours without a smoke is proving to your psyche that you have some control over smoking.
That's what empowers you to actually begin your quit, seeing yourself in charge.
That's when you know you're ready. It's not so overwhelming when you take control instead of letting it control you.
