In 2011, the CDC conducted a study and found that almost 70 percent of American smokers want to quit. While more than half of those try to quit each year, only 6 percent succeed.
Of those 6 percent, there are so many variances in the methods used to quit, so many differences in the way we quit, and very different reactions to the withdrawal that accompanies a quit.
See Billy over there? He used Chantix. Nancy used Wellbutrin. Dave and Jim? They went cold turkey. Samantha used lozenges, and her husband Tim used the patch, when he remembered to put it on, that is. As for John, he followed the step-down process of the patch religiously. Tiffany was hypnotized, but had to use nicotine gum as well because it was just too hard to fight the cravings. Andrew, well, Andrew used the patch, then he used gum, then he used Zyban, then he finally just put them down.
They all quit smoking.
Which method was right? All of them. Which method was best? All of them. Which method is fool-proof? None of them.
What made the difference? Billy, Nancy, Dave, Jim, Samantha, Tim, John, Tiffany and Andrew all accepted the fact that they were addicts. Well, Andrew finally accepted it after three failed attempts. They all used the tools that worked for them to help support their decision to beat the addiction.
There are many who try and try and try again to quit, but never fully understand that smoking is an addiction. When you accept the addiction for what it is and stop fooling yourself into thinking that you can beat this "if you want", you'll gain control of your addiction and win back the freedom of your life.
Here was my moment of acceptance; it came months after I quit: The Biggest Lie. Had I not reached this moment, I may not have made it to the 6 percent club.
Our addiction is not the tie that binds us, but rather it is the acceptance of that addiction.
Acceptance is the most powerful tool in your arsenal, but for many, denial keeps it out of reach.
Denial is your addiction's most powerful tool, and you are the only one who can beat it.
If you're struggling with your quit, if you're relapsing, or if you're just here lurking around while you think about quitting, break through the denial to the honesty of your addiction and you've taken the first real step toward freedom.
Acceptance. That is the tie that binds us.
