Definition of Addiction

• To be an addict is “to devote or surrender (oneself) to something habitually or obsessively.”

Dr. Oz and Oprah• http://oprah.about.com/od/oprahshowrecaps/p/quitsmoking.htm

• Dr. Oz educated Oprah and viewers about the addiction of smoking - it is as addictive as heroine and more difficult to quit. The act of smoking revolves around forming habits such as where and when a person smokes - the physical motion of hand-to-mouth is also a habit that can be hard to break. Dr. Oz suggests replacing the bad habits with good ones, since a person can never truly break a habit. Addressing the excuses is also something that Dr. Daniel Seidman explained. While some smokers feel that smoking helps them relieve stress, the problems are still there when the cigarette is gone - it has just postponed it.

• Actor and director Ben Affleck had been smoking a pack a day for almost 20 years when he was finally able to quit. He said to himself that he would stop at 25, then at 30, then when he was going to have a child. Friend Matt Damon quit one year before Ben using hypnosis, a method Bed decided to try. November 10, 2005 was the day Ben Affleck finally quit smoking. He now feels better and is in better shape, but he advises to take it a day at a time. Dr. Seidman explained that the reason Ben stopped was because having a child was an internal decision - not an external one where people were hounding him to quit.

Steps to Stop Smoking:

• Figure out what kind of smoker you are: take Dr. Oz's quiz on Oprah.com.

• Prepare yourself mentally and physically: set a quit date and pre-plan healthy habits to substitute.

• Get a check-up from your doctor, seek out support and prepare for the first day of not smoking.

• Figure out how not to relapse: learn how to say no to smoking friends and find ways to distract yourself.

• Many people confuse breaking free of smoking and waiting to smoke. They are not the same thing! Allowing yourself to heal from smoking addiction, both mentally and physically, involves a release, letting yourself off the hook of addiction. This is a different mental approach than "hard knuckle" willpower and toughing it out. The "willpower only" approach can build up tension over time and set you up for a smoking relapse.

How long can you hold onto the side of a mountain? As you feel heavier over time, chances are you will fall of your own weight.

The approach we are suggesting, on the other hand, involves releasing yourself from the addiction altogether. In this approach, the goal is accepting that life will be better without tobacco. This acceptance is emotional, not just in your surface, everyday consciousness. In other words, it takes place somewhere deep inside. So remember you are accepting life without tobacco, not just waiting to smoke.

This exercise is a short-term way to help you prepare for the day you will go tobacco-free altogether.

• The object is to literally schedule your smoking. Count the number of cigarettes you smoke each day. Then count the numbers of hours you are awake each day.

For example, if you are awake 18 hours a day and you smoke 18 cigarettes a day, you would schedule to smoke one cigarette per hour as follows 8 a.m., 9 a.m., 10 a.m., etc. If you miss a strike of the clock, do not double up later. Remember, once you make the schedule, stick with it. The purpose is to begin to wean you from your usual patterns and triggers—like situations, thoughts or feelings—connected with smoking. We want to help take you off automatic pilot and help begin to interrupt these patterns, so you can better ease out of them on the day you choose to become tobacco-free.

Surrender

• One more key to success with this exercise: Don't try to cut down on the number of cigarettes you smoke each day at this point; just stick to your schedule so you can't smoke them when you want to, only when the clock tells you its time. For now, surrender to the clock!

• Commit to Quit Pick a "quit date" and make the pledge to commit to a smoke-free, healthier you!

• Smoking by the ClockYou might not be ready to go cold turkey just yet—but you can prepare for the day you go tobacco-free.

• The Stressed Smoking MythMany smokers believe they need a cigarette most when their stress is highest.

• Walking the WalkTo improve your chances of successfully quitting, hit the road...or the treadmill.

• What to AskIf you've tried to quit on your own and failed, a health professional can help.

• Day OneCongratulations! You're almost ready. But before you kick butts forever, there are just a few more things for you to consider.

Top 15 Reasons to quit

• Here's a way to crystallize the benefits of breathing free—many people who have quit report not only that they breathe better, but they sleep better and have more energy. Many also report less worry about getting sick when living tobacco-free.

Even better, the benefits can extend beyond physical health to an improved sense of emotional well-being.

Looking to find your motivation?• There’s some good blogging at this link below the information.

http://www.oprah.com/health/The-15-Reasons-to-Quit-Checklist

• The Nicotine Dependence Test This minute-long evaluation will determine how addicted you are—and the best way to make sure you quit for good this time.

• Test your dependence

http://www.oprah.com/health/The-Fagerstrom-Test-for-Nicotine-Dependence

• Are You Addicted? Answer this self-assessment about your smoking habits, withdrawal symptoms and emotions.

• It’s time to come clean

http://www.oprah.com/health/Are-You-Addicted-The-Self-Assessment