Quit smoking using just your PC

OK, OK, I give in. Not content with making me pay a fortune for cigarettes which I can only smoke outside and only if I promise to put the remains in the bin, the British Government has now decided to introduce picture warnings on tobacco packets. So, before I have to look at pictures of messed-up lungs and dirty hearts, I’ve decided to quit smoking. Maybe.

In order to help make my tortuous mission easier I’ve chosen to enlist the help of some software programs because I’m fed up trying patches and strange potions and my willpower isn’t what it used to be. To start with, I installed the No Smoking Screensaver on my desktop to set out my intent to be fume-free to anyone around me. I then used AntiSmoke to help me track the number of cigarettes I smoke in a day and the amount of money I’m saving by cutting down, which seems to help.

The Quit Counter is another neat utility which helps you keep track of your smoking stats and sends you nice messages of congratulations when you reach certain milestones. I even tried out Smoke Attack, a game devised by the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health to warn of the dangers of puffing cancer sticks. Fighting off evil smoke balls with an oxygen gun certainly helps take your mind off the fact you’re not smoking.

When things get too tough, I’m using Subliminal Messages for Self-Hypnosis to trick my brain into thinking that giving up smoking is a good idea. Hang on, it is a good idea. Woah, this must really be working.