Smoking is a subject that a lot of people want to learn how to stop, yet the problem is they’re addicted and their brain is always stopping them from truly quitting. So use the tips from this article to get rid of that addiction and live a healthy lifestyle for your body.
As with other addictions, approach each day without a cigarette as a small victory. Don’t focus on not smoking ever again. Instead, focus on not smoking today. Short term goals can make the process of quitting both mentally and physically easier. Once you start becoming comfortable with your commitment to stop smoking, you can start to make longer term goals.
Don’t Go Cold Turkey
Do not quit cold turkey. It can be tempting to throw out your cigarettes and say, “I quit!” But cold turkey is not the way you want to go. Studies show that over ninety percent of people who try to quit smoking with no medication or therapy end up relapsing. The reason for this is because nicotine is addictive and your brain craves it. Without it, nicotine withdrawal symptoms set in.
To cut back on smoking cravings, change the habits that once surrounded smoking. For example, if you always smoked on your breaks then see if you can get your breaks at a different time to make it harder to succumb to those cravings. Likewise, if you always had a cigarette with coffee then switch to a new caffeine fix like tea.
It is important to realize that although cold turkey may work for one person, it may not work for you. People think that they can quit smoking on their own and only end up going back because they tried too much, too fast. You may require an aid for quitting, such as a nicotine patch.
Giving up tobacco will benefit your loved ones, and yourself. Secondhand smoke is dangerous, and a known cause of many types of cancer, and other serious health conditions. When you quit smoking, you decrease the amount of time that your loved ones are exposed to that dangerous second hand smoke. This means that not only will quitting make you healthier, it will make your loved ones healthier too.
If you’re a smoker who lights up more in social situations, plan ways to not join your friends for a cigarette when you’re out. While dining, stay at the table if your friends go outside for to smoke. If you’re at a party, if people are smoking, find a non-smoker to chat with. Finding ways to not be around smokers will make it easier for you to quit.
Consider any therapy that can replace nicotine. Smoking itself is kind of disgusting and easy to give up, but the nicotine withdrawal usually proves the nail in the coffin of a quit attempt. Do whatever you can to deal with the withdrawal, from medicine prescriptions to alternatives like the patch, gum or even throat lozenges.
While part of the idea of quitting smoking is to save money, treat yourself to a reward now and again with the money that you haven’t spent on cigarettes. These treats give your something to look forward to and serve as a reminder of the things you may not have been able to buy as a smoker.
The tips from this article have helped you learn how to fight against your addiction to smoking, something that destroys a lot of people in their lives and causes them long term health issues. So if you want to learn what it takes to quit, then the knowledge from this article is going to help you.
