Some may think that quitting smoking is merely a matter of disposing of all tobacco products and exerting strong willpower when cravings strike. There are easier ways then brute force willpower alone. There are a lot of methods and things that can help you to successfully stop smoking.
In order to succeed with your goal of quitting smoking, you should do so in as easy of a method as you possibly can. You should never attempt to just quit cold turkey. If you try it this way, there’s a 95% chance that you will fail. Since nicotine is so addictive, it is best to wean yourself off. This will help you to get through the early stages of withdrawal, and will make it easier to quit smoking.
Cold Turkey
Take things day by day. Don’t think about quitting for the rest of your life — just think about today. Making shorter goals will make it easier for you to cope, both mentally and physically. After you feel like you have been successful with your short term commitment, you can try to set goals for long term compliance.
You should try to ease the pain of quitting as much as possible. Cold turkey may not be the most effective approach for you. If you try quitting cold turkey, you may end up relapsing. Since nicotine is so addictive, it’s important to use a method that includes a prescription or nicotine patches or gum. This will ease you through the difficult early withdrawal stages and make quitting easier.
Join a gym or create an exercise routine, not only to get benefits related to your health, but to help you keep away from cigarettes as well. Movement of any kind is also an effective tool for stress relief. If you do not exercise normally, you can start by taking short walks outside daily. Don’t exercise without consulting your physician about what are safe and appropriate exercises for you.
If smoking a cigarette is something you cannot avoid, at least try and stall for time before lighting up. Take a long walk or watch a television program to get your mind off smoking. By delaying your actions, you find that you really didn’t want that cigarette after all. If you do end up giving in anyway, at least that was a little longer that you were able to be smoke-free.
Use a good delay tactic when you are feeling an overwhelming desire to smoke a cigarette. Wait 10 minutes while distracting yourself in the meantime, and you will usually find the craving has passed. If you still feel the urge, repeat the process! Tell yourself you’ll wait five to ten minutes before smoking.
You should try the delay tactic when you feel like you absolutely have to have a cigarette. Wait 10 minutes while distracting yourself in the meantime, and you will usually find the craving has passed. Otherwise, allow yourself another ten minute delay.
Find healthy stress relief methods to help deal with your nicotine cravings and withdrawal. This can mean going to the gym at moments when you tend to experience cravings, or starting a hobby or even having a regular massage schedule. When you are experiencing down time, make sure you are distracted by fun things. Develop a hobby. Start engaging in an old one you haven’t done for a while. Grab lunch with a friend. Read a book. Anything that keeps you occupied is a good thing.
In order to quit smoking successfully, you have to stay committed to quitting. Your commitment should come before you decide how to quit. Many people are not really ready to stop smoking and that is why they ultimately fail. Help yourself stay motivated by remembering everything that caused you to want to quit, and write them down to help keep them on your mind.
Cut down on smoking. This can begin the process of quitting the habit altogether. It is wise to hold off for at least 60 minutes prior to having the initial cigarette of each day. Cut back in halves of cigarettes to get yourself accustomed to stopping.
As you meet your short-term goals for smoking cessation, reward yourself! For instance, once a week has gone by without a cigarette, go to a movie. On day 30 you can go out to dinner at a fancy restaurant. As you meet future milestones, you may wish to either increase your rewards or simply phase them out.
You should find a way to keep your motivation clearly in sight and in mind at all times. You can do this by putting messages on the wall to remind yourself of the goals that you set. You can also purchase yourself a piece of jewelry to wear as a visual reminder of your dedication to stop smoking.
If you really want to quit smoking, get good at quitting. Many individuals who have successfully quit did not succeed the first time they tried. Every time you try to quit, make it a goal to go longer without a cigarette than the last time you tried. If you do experience a setback, set a quit date and get back on track. Each time you stop smoking and have a relapse, learn what went wrong and strive to quit for longer the next time. Finally, you’ll have the success you desire when you quit for the final time and never smoke again.
If you’re going to quit smoking, keep in mind that week one will inevitably be the toughest. During the first 48 hours after you quit, your body starts to go into detox as all the nicotine leaves your system. After that, your cravings will be mostly psychological. While your experience will still likely be difficult to work through, having this knowledge in the back of your mind might make it easier to cope.
Hopefully, you have a clearer understanding of the measures you can take to relieve yourself from the grip of a smoking habit. While some ex-smokers will have cravings for the rest of their life, following the above advice will better equip you to resist those cravings.
It is time to quit smoking. A future date will be too tempting to postpone and put off, so it’s best to decide that today is the day you will quit. If you stop now, you will lessen the chance you will die from smoking. Remember that your quitting will also reduce your family’s exposure to harmful secondhand smoke.