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Exposing the Lies: the common misconceptions of Smokers

	As with most things in life, it is all in the way that you look at things. If you truly believe that you are being deprived of your cigarettes or that something has been taken away from you, you will either be an unhappy nonsmoker or you will eventually go back to smoking. Our program attempts to permanently remove your desire to smoke by reversing the brainwashing that you have been exposed to by years of cigarette advertising. In fact, cigarette companies spend almost 16 million dollars a day to brainwash us. The result… It worked. Even as a physician, I believed that smoking was soothing, satisfying and relaxing. Here are a few common misconceptions. We go into this in more detail in the AMI Program.
	I can't stand to be without my "best friend". The truth is some people go through a whole mourning process when they give up smoking. They feel that they have lost "their best friend". In reality, it is not your best friend. How would you feel if you learned that an enemy of yours who was trying to kill you had unexpectedly die? Possibly elated? Free? Unencumbered? This is how you feel after getting rid of cigarettes. This is how you will feel on your day of freedom.
	My cigarettes are so satisfying. Is this right out of a cigarette commercial or what? The fact is they do not satisfy anything. They create a want and need for another cigarette.
	I find cigarette smoking relaxing. Think about all of the cigarette smokers that you know are these "relaxed people"? In general, no they are usually rather high strung individuals. Cigarette smoking is not relaxing at all. It just eases the pain from the previous cigarette. In other words smokers like another cigarette in order to feel like nonsmokers! Do you really think that it is relaxing, satisfying, glamorous or cool to be inhaling poisonous fumes into your lungs?
	It helps me think. How can inhaling poisonous fumes into your lungs and depriving your brain of oxygen help you think? In reality, it does not help you think. However, for smokers who are addicted they are so obsessed with their next cigarette that it decreases the mental process. Feeding the fire by smoking another cigarette will only temporarily satisfy this obsession. When you become a permanent non smoker, you will no longer have this obsession in your mind & will be free to concentrate on more important tasks. If you have fallen into the trap of believing that smoking actually helps concentration, and you become a non smoker you run the risk of exaggerating the myth that you cannot concentrate without a cigarette. When in fact, you are concentrating better as a non smoker than you ever did is a smoker.
	I needed to relax me. Nicotine does not cause you to be relaxed. It actually causes you to be more anxious. Nicotine is a stimulant — it makes your heart race. In fact, it is actually the environment of the fresh air and outdoors that many people encounter on their smoking breaks this is true relaxing factor. Smoking does not relax you, it merely feeds the addiction process and columns the anxiety caused by the previous cigarette.
	I smoke for the satisfaction. This is pure myth created by the advertising industry. The only thing that smoking satisfies is the urge created by the previous cigarette there's nothing satisfying by destroying your lungs by inhaling poisonous fumes. You actually suffer the illusion that you are enjoying them, in fact there's only one reason your smoking them... To feed the addiction caused by the previous cigarette.
	I needed to calm I'm nerves. In reality, it actually adds to your nervousness. It is a stimulant. It actually worsenes your nerves by decreasing your self-confidence and energy level.
	I'm afraid to quit. These people do not have a fear of dying; they have a fear of living.
When our clients quit smoking, an amazing transformation occurs. They become more self-confident, they have more time, more energy and more money. They feel clean and free and their self-respect again is returned. This can be just as important as a health benefits and decreased risk of cancer. They feel as if the shackles of slavery had been cut free. They have more energy and confidence.