Smoking is a highly additive habit, and most people who smoke find it very difficult to quit. The reason that it is so difficult to quit smoking is that the addiction is multifaceted: not only is there a physical addiction to the nicotine, but there is also a strong psychological component to the addiction as cigarettes are both legal and in many situations socially acceptable.

One of the greatest indicators as to weather your attempt to quit smoking will be successful is how mentally prepared you are. You have to truly want to quit in order to be successful, and if you try to quit without this mindset it is unlikely that it will work. A good way to motivate yourself – to get yourself to a point where you really and truly want to quit smoking – is to think of the health risks involved, and the many benefits of quitting.

The health risks associated with smoking are well known, but if you are trying to quit it is a good idea to revisit them. By smoking, you greatly increase your chances of lung cancer and heart disease. As well as the increased risk of a premature death, you will also, as a smoker, be plagued with breathing difficulties. Another thing you should consider is that as a smoker you are putting others at risk through second hand smoke. It is a well known fact that second hand smoke can be very detrimental to the health of your loved ones, especially over the long term.

Now, if you smoke there a good chance you’re aware of these factors, and the knowledge can be fairly sobering. All is not lost, however, and in order to motive yourself to quit your should think about the immediate benefits involved if you stop. Almost instantly you’ll notice that your sense of smell will improve. Smell plays a crucial role in the taste of food, and therefore your taste sensation will improve considerably, and you will find yourself enjoying food more.

Also consider the money that you will save. Depending on where you live, cigarettes can be very expensive, and the general trend is that the price will continue to increase in the future. Even a fairly generous assumption of $5 a pack means that if you quit a pack a day habit you will save almost $2000 in the first year. A great technique to motive yourself when you first stop smoking is to put the money you would spend every day on cigarettes into a jar, where you can see it steadily accumulate: even after the first week you’ll have $35 – enough to treat yourself to a nice meal.

By constantly reminding yourself of the benefits of quitting smoking you give yourself an important mental motivator: think of not only your own health benefits, but those of the people around you who suffer from second hand smoke. Add to this the amount of money you’ll be saving, and it becomes hard to justify a smoking habit. Quitting smoking is a win-win situation, and thinking of it in this way will provide you with an important mental weapon in your attempt to quit.