Even people with strong wills can have a difficult time quitting smoking. The fact is that even people who want to quit still feel like they get something out of smoking. If you would like to rid yourself from the emotional attachment of cigarettes and lose this habit forever, the following tips will help you get the ball rolling.
Quitting can be easy if you know how to go about it correctly. Do not attempt quitting the cold turkey way. Only 5% of people who try this method are successful. Nicotine is an extremely addictive substance, so nicotine replacement therapy methods may help you wean yourself. Any of these methods can make your experience with withdrawal easier, helping to ensure that you can quit for good.
Putting things on paper can alter your entire outlook. This can help you to focus your quitting efforts more clearly, and may make quitting easier.
Tell yourself that you have to take a walk before you can smoke, or try to drink a glass of water prior to smoking. If you do go ahead and smoke, at least that was a little longer that you were able to be smoke-free.
As with other addictions, approach each day without a cigarette as a small victory. Don’t think about quitting forever; instead focus on today. A short timeline can help you stay on track instead of worrying about what is coming next. Once you are doing well with short-term goals, you can move on to long-term goals. This will happen easily as your commitment becomes stronger.
Your primary care physician can be a great resource if your are not able to quit when all other strategies fail. There are a number of prescription medicines that will make quitting easier, such as antidepressants, that can help you quit with much less discomfort.
Try eating healthy to combat any weight which results from quitting smoking. This can help control your system and avoid unnecessary weight gain.
Make an appointment with your doctor if you are experiencing trouble with giving up smoking. Prescription medication may make quitting smoking easier to handle. They are not for everybody, so this discussion should also include your detailed medical history. Your doctor can also steer you to support groups, programs and other resources to help you.
Nicotine Replacement
You may want to try nicotine replacement. Withdrawal from cigarettes can leave you irritated, lethargy, or frustrated. Cravings can be very powerful. You can help alleviate these feelings by using nicotine replacement therapy. It is not recommended that you use a nicotine replacement product and smoke at the same time, to protect yourself avoid smoking if you are using nicotine replacement therapies.
As you work on quitting smoking, remember to give yourself a reward every time you hit an important milestone. For instance, once you accomplish your first smoke-free week, take yourself out to a movie. After a longer period of time, you can treat yourself to something more expensive or elegant. After that, lengthen the time between rewards until you no longer want to smoke.
One small step toward quitting is to switch cigarette brands. Consider smoking a brand of cigarettes that you don’t like. Do not smoke a greater quantity if you inhale them. This will get you in your way to stop smoking.
Post this rewards list where you will be able to see it each day. This will be helpful when you’re feeling temptation.
Thinking in a positive way and being motivated are key parts in quitting smoking. Imagine how much your life will improve after you have successfully quit smoking. Quitting smoking can improve the smell of your breath, and the overall health of your mouth. If the side effects of smoking are not enough to motivate you, think about the many different benefits.
Find support through different online forums or communities for those who are trying to quit. There are many websites entirely focused on helping smokers give up their habit. It may be helpful or even cathartic to share quitting frustrations and coping mechanisms with others who understand your struggle.
The first week after you start quitting smoking is the hardest when you stop smoking. The initial 48 hours is when the body rids itself completely of all the nicotine you’ve been consuming. After those physical cravings have passed, expect to experience mostly psychological cravings. It will still be difficult, but they will be much less menacing.
Clean your house, as thoroughly as possible, once you quit smoking. Clean your carpets and furnishings, launder all your curtains or drapes, and wash down all the walls in your home. Your entire house will be refreshed, and the stale smoke odor will not linger around to remind you of smoking.
Even the people who are highly organized sometimes fail. You may find victory in your next attempt to quit smoking.
Instead of thinking that you “must” quit, see it as a gift to yourself. Think of how it will change your life, and how failing to quit will affect your health long-term. You can remain motivated and be more likely to succeed.
Try to find a support group online, there are many forums available. There are a plethora of websites devoted to helping people quit smoking. You can find it useful to compare some techniques with others. Moreover, those who are also quitting are going to be going through the same kinds of struggles you may be experiencing, emotionally and otherwise.
Get rid of all the ashtrays and lighters you may have around your home.Wash all your clothes and remember to clean your house to remove the smoke’s smell. Doing this can ensure you will be reminded about smoking and wind up with a cigarette craving.
Many people that try to stop smoking like to carry around hard candy or gum with them for this reason. Others find electronic cigarettes to be quite useful.
Make it your mantra to never have a puff of another cigarette. While it might seem fine to smoke an occasional cigarette, just one single puff can undo all your hard work completely. Let yourself know that even having one will cause a lot of damage.
Replace your smoking habit with exercise breaks. As your body heals from the damage you have done when you smoked, you will start to see the results as you begin to have more energy and greater workouts. As your body improves, you will be unlikely to want to ruin this by taking up smoking once more.
Take some time to consider why you are wanting to quit. Jot down the most significant reasons and keep them close to you at all times. When you feel the urge to smoke, read your list to yourself instead as a reminder of why you are trying to quit.
The best way to stop smoking is to quit today. Just quit right now. Don’t schedule a day to quit further down the line. If you stop now, you will lessen the chance you will die from smoking. This also alleviates the risks of secondhand smoke, to your family and their health. This is major reason to quit, as well.
When you stop smoking, it does not have to cause stress or seem unattainable. Being driven by your motivation and confident in your success will ensure you meet your goals and never smoke again. Your rapid success may amaze you!