While everyone is aware of the dangers of smoking, many people continue to smoke. However, it’s a lot easier to say you’re going to quit than actually doing it. Most of the people who attempt quitting usually end up failing. If you need that extra boost of information to build your motivation, keep reading this article.
Make your quitting attempt as easy on yourself as you can. Quitting cold turkey may not be successful. If you try it this way, there’s a 95% chance that you will fail. Fight nicotine cravings with products like patches or pills. This will ease you through the difficult early withdrawal stages and make quitting easier.
Find a way to stop smoking that works for you, but try to do it little by little. Never try to go cold turkey. Unfortunately, there is a 95% failure rate among those who attempt to quit without any help. Try strategies such as medication, therapy or a patch. You will have an easier time making it through early withdrawal, which will give you a better chance of quitting.
Ensure you go about it one step at a time. Quitting smoking is a long process. Do not allow yourself to worry about what will happen next week, next month or even next year. Take one day at a time. Focus on getting through each day without smoking so that you can build a future that is smoke-free.
If traditional methods haven’t worked, consider hypnosis. Professional hypnotists have been extremely successful in treating individuals who want to give up the habit. One the therapist places you in a hypnotic trance, and they speak to you in positive affirmations that embed themselves in your subconscious mind. Cigarettes are less appealing to you when you wake, making you that much closer to quitting.
Once you’ve decided to kick the smoking habit, tell your family and friends. By letting them know, they can give you the motivation you need. It will give you the ability to ask for help when you need it and aid others in understanding your situation.
Your primary care physician can be a great resource if your are not able to stop smoking by yourself. Different medications, including antidepressants, can make quitting easier. Also ask your doctor for a list of support groups, therapists and any other resources that may be helpful to you.
Speak with a doctor if you are trying to stop smoking but are coming across difficulty. He can advise you about prescription medications available to help you and may even recommend things such as antidepressants to help with emotional withdrawals. A doctor might also give you information about hotlines, support groups and other resources which can increase the likelihood of success with quitting.
If you cannot quit cold turkey, replace your cigarettes with nicotine patches or gums. You can buy these products over the counter. They allow you to get your daily dose of nicotine and work toward getting rid of this habit without suffering from withdrawal symptoms.
Try changing your diet habit by eating more veggies in fruits to avoid gaining the weight which results from quitting smoking. This will help control your weight at this crucial time. Keep in mind that quitting will make you hungry, so you may as well feed yourself something healthy.
If you are interested in ditching your unhealthy habit, it is crucial that you are dedicated to seeing it through. A lot of people aren’t successful because they aren’t in the correct mindset or they easily give up. Motivate yourself by considering each of the powerful motivations that you have for quitting.
If you quit smoking, you’ll be improving not only your own health, but the health of those close to you. Secondhand smoke is dangerous, and a known cause of many types of cancer, and other serious health conditions. It will do well for the health of your entire household when you quit smoking. Quitting smoking provides benefits to you and those you love.
Each time you reach a milestone in your journey to stop smoking, reward yourself. For example, when you haven’t smoked for a week, go out to the movies. When you go an entire month, go to a fancy restaurant you don’t normally go to. Continue working towards these smaller goals until you find you can go without smoking indefinitely.
Make a N.O.P.E. (not one puff ever) resolution. It is easy to tell yourself that one cigarette will be fine, but it may undo all of your dedication and hard work, and it really isn’t worth it in the long run. Remind yourself of the damage that “just one” can do before the urge ever strikes.
If you smoke at home, clean your place thoroughly, so it doesn’t smell of smoke. Wash and paint your walls, shampoo or replace your carpet, and launder your window treatments, too. Your house will smell clean and fresh, and you won’t be reminded of the desire to smoke each time you walk through your door.
It is important that you stop smoking immediately. Avoid predetermined dates in the future, and just get the quitting process started immediately. Quitting can reduce the risk of you succumbing to a debilitating or deadly illness. You will also prevent your family or roommates from being exposed to secondhand smoke, which makes it even more crucial that you quit.
Create a plan to reward yourself each time you reach a milestone in your quitting efforts. Jot down rewards you’ll give yourself after you’ve been smoke-free for a single day, week and month. For motivational reasons, make sure you have your reward chart somewhere it is easily seen by you. Looking forward to your rewards can help you stay motivated during the moments you feel like caving.
If you do not succeed at quitting initially, don’t beat up on yourself or get discouraged. It is normal for many efforts to fail, no matter how organized. Examine where you felt your weakness was, and figure out how you can learn from your experience when you try again. You may experience a bigger triumph down the road.
Use the Internet to find online support groups and forums. There are hundreds of useful websites that are dedicated to furthering your goals of smoking cessation. Learn what approaches have worked well for others; it may help to model your own after these methods. You will find comfort in talking to people who are going through the same kind of struggles.
Don’t think of quitting smoking as giving up something. Think of it as gaining something. When you see the benefits of quitting, it will be easier. Think of how it will change your life, and that the benefits of smoking are so important compared to the few detriments. You will stay motivated and be more likely to succeed.
Stop depending on a cigarette to help you cope with stress, though it may be a long time habit. If so, you will have to replace that with some other form of relaxation. Try yoga or meditating and it can aid you in relieving your stress levels and it is a healthier alternative to smoking.
Make sure that you speak with a medical professional about different ways to stop smoking. Lots of medical advances have been made in quitting smoking. These options might be prescription or over-the-counter and many are quite new to the market, meaning you’re likely to find one that works for you. Discuss all of your options with your physician to find the strategy that will help you kick the habit once and for all.
Ask your doctor if they recommend subsidizing your quitting efforts with medication. There are several products available for those trying to quit. Nicotine replacement therapy and pharmaceutical medication can help ameliorate some of the troublesome effects of withdrawal. Discuss all of your options with your physician to find the strategy that will help you kick the habit once and for all.
Counseling may be what you need, to quit smoking. Sometimes, people smoke for emotional reasons. Once you deal with the issue at hand, it may be easier for you to quit. Your doctor can help direct you to a counselor.
To help you in your efforts to stop smoking, ask for the emotional support of your family and friends. In fact, make sure everyone is aware of the fact that you are quitting. They can provide you with the support and encouragement that can make you successful. You may also think about joining a support group and even check into behavioral therapy to help you quit.
When you make the decision to quit smoking, write down all of your motivating factors. Every time you question your motivation, revisit the reasons on that list.
Write down the benefits and reasons why quitting can improve your quality of life. When that urge to smoke hits, review your list for a little inspiration to stay on track.
When you are planning to stop smoking, it is crucial you think about the many difficulties you might encounter right after you quit. Usually, when a person quits smoking and then starts again, it happens in the first couple of months. Stress and exhaustion are just two of the factors that may weaken your resolve, and cause you to give in to your craving for a cigarette. When you are trying not to smoke, it is important to know the situations that are most likely to make you want a cigarette.
Deep Breathing
Try to switch from smoking to exercising. You’ll notice you have more energy and longer workouts as your body beings to reverse the detrimental effects of smoking. Once you see the benefits of quitting cigarettes and you begin to live healthier, you will be even more motivated to not return to smoking and lose what you have gained.
Deep breathing exercises can help you get past a cigarette craving. This allows you to focus on your battle, reminding you of exactly why you decided to give up. It can also help to push oxygen to your lungs, which will make you feel refreshed. Deep breathing strategies are rather simple, and you can do them at any time.
To keep irritation and agitation to a minimum while you quit, use nicotine replacement products. You can avoid withdrawal with things like nicotine patches and nicotine gum while also breaking your smoking habit. Once you quit the habit of smoking cigarettes, you’ll be able to wean off the nicotine as well.
You should now understand that quitting smoking is possible if you put in the effort. Keep your focus on the goal and stick with your plan. If you can do this and implement the tips found here, you should be able to stop smoking permanently in a short time.
When you are quitting smoking, you may experience many different emotional changes along your journey. Cravings are sometimes challenging; however, they can be overcome. Keeping a journal documenting your cravings, including the time of your craving, how strong it was, what you were doing and how you were feeling, can help you become more aware of when and what is causing you to want to smoke.