Smoking is social? What can possibly make people believe sitting around sharing a slow suicide together, while poisoning others around them, is a social event is questionable at best. It certainly seems limited to the human species only. The foul smell, yellow teeth and bad breath are all overlooked by the smokers mind. Smoking is distorted into 'social interaction' (with other smokers only, it must be pointed out) to help justify their addiction.

I always remember seeing a poster as a kid with the words 'kissing a smoker is like kissing the inside of an ashtray'. (Not that it was enough to stop me start smoking of course, but it does illustrate the point).

The real truth being, smoking is used as a social crutch to help with our own insecurities or need to be socially accepted. Smokers group together. It helps them feel better about their own weaknesses. They often started smoking to be accepted into a group. This primitive drive never left, just suppressed into the subconscious.

Use the following set-up statements and add or change them as appropriate to you. Be as specific as possible, imagine yourself in these circumstances.

'Even though I need to smoke with my friends at work/in the pub, I deeply and completely accept myself'

'Even though I feel awkward and have a desire to smoke in social situations, I deeply and completely accept myself'