It does not matter how much attention is given to the downside of smoking, people still struggle to quit. If this describes you, this article has advice on ways to stop smoking for good. Use any ideas which you think can help you stop smoking.
If you want to be successful at quitting smoking, try making a list of all the pros and cons quitting will bring you. Just by creating the list, you’ll perk up your mood. By making this list, you can spark your interest and motivation in quitting, and help you focus on quitting so that you can more easily stop smoking.
You should treat quitting smoking day-by-day. It is a big process to stop smoking. Do not allow yourself to worry about what will happen next week, next month or even next year. Just go through it one day at a time, just getting rid of the smoking habit in the short term.
Make your attempts as manageable as possible. Quitting cold turkey is definitely not recommended. Unfortunately, there is a 95% failure rate among those who attempt to quit without any help. Nicotine is an extremely addictive substance, so nicotine replacement therapy methods may help you wean yourself. These things will help you with any withdrawal symptoms you may experience, and make quitting successfully much more likely.
If you want to stop smoking, tell your loved ones about your plans. When you entrust the people around you with this information, they can do things to help you stay motivated and keep temptation away. This may give you more of a push to keep trying to quit.
You should worry about going through one day after another. There is no need to dwell on stopping forever; simply resolve to quit smoking for the day you are in right now. For many people, a short time frame is easier to grasp and focus on. You can always increase your goals and time horizon when you are ready.
Many people find that taking up a new fitness program, exercise class or physical acivity can make it easier to avoid smoking. Exercising will make your stress disappear. If you are out of shape or in poor health, you should begin slowly and gradually increase the pace and intensity. You should consult a physician before implementing any exercise routine.
Use a good delay tactic when you are feeling an overwhelming desire to smoke a cigarette. If you do something else and then re-evaluate your feelings after a few minutes, you’ll find that the worst of the cravings are gone. If it hasn’t, then just keep repeating this process over and over as often as you need to.
If you are considering quitting, have a frank discussion with a doctor. Your doctor could have quitting resources you might not have in your possession. Your doctor may want you on a prescription medicine to help you quit.
Perhaps nicotine replacement therapy would be helpful. Nicotine withdrawal causes several unpleasant mental symptoms, including restlessness, irritability, depression, and frustration. These cravings can overwhelm some people. You may find that nicotine replacement therapy will help reduce these feelings. People who use these products have twice as much likelihood of quitting for good as those who go cold turkey. Don’t use these products if you’re currently smoking.
Just stop smoking if you really want to quit. Quitting immediately, will provide the best chance for optimal health in the future. Just stop and never let yourself start again. This method may appear somewhat harsh. However, dropping cigarettes altogether has been proven to work quite well.
Do not attempt this by yourself. Seek encouragement from friends and family – let them know you are trying to quit, and allow them to help you. Think about joining a support group in your area. Speak about your predicament and talk about some of the things that you want to change.
Psychologically train yourself to handle any type of stressful situation that might come about. Many smokers naturally reach for a cigarette when they feel stressed. Having a plan in mind for how to handle those stressful moments makes it less likely that you will turn to cigarettes when stress strikes. Have many ideas, just in case your first idea does not help.
Each time you reach a milestone in your journey to quit smoking, reward yourself. For example, treat yourself to a movie after a week of being smoke-free. Once you reach a month without smoking, go to a special restaurant. This will help to increase motivation for your reward in an effort to eliminate smoking from your thoughts.
View quitting as a favor to yourself, rather than a sacrifice. You will be more inclined to push through the hard part and be successful at quitting, when you can see the positive impact it will make. Put the value of quitting in your sights and imagine your life without smoking constantly. This will reinforce your commitment and keep you focused on your reasons for quitting.
Quit smoking not only for your health, but also for the health of all those around you. Your family is exposed to the risk of health problems because of your secondhand smoke. When you’re stopping smoking you will also be stopping how much you expose your loved ones to the dangerous chemicals in secondhand smoke. When you quit, you will be improving not only your own health, but also the health of the people who live with you.
Get rid of anything in your life that reminds you of smoking. Throw out or give away all your lighters and ashtrays. You should also wash your clothes and deep clean your furniture and carpets to remove any remaining smell of smoke. By eliminating the smell, you will be less likely to have a craving.
One strategy to help you quit smoking is to make a brand switch. Consider smoking a brand you don’t like. Smoke them exactly like you smoked your favorite brand, so you get the full experience of their nastiness. This will help you in your efforts to quit.
Eat tons of nuts, fruits and veggies when stopping smoking. This will help you quit for a few reasons. First, you can behaviorally replace smoking motions by keeping you r mouth and hands occupied. Consuming these foods on a regular basis will also help keep you from gaining weight. Additionally, the vitamins and minerals in these foods can offer relief from withdrawal symptoms.
Plan out how you’re going to successfully deal with stress. When a stressful occurrence happens, smokers are typically used to just lighting up a cigarette and smoking their stress away. If you make a plan on the things you will do, you will most likely succeed in quitting smoking. Have many ideas, just in case your first idea does not help.
Counseling might be the thing you need, in order to stop smoking. There may be underlying emotional reasons attached to your smoking habit. And, when these reasons are addressed, your urge to smoke could leave, too. If counseling is of interest to you, speak with your physician for a referral.
Stay away from the kind of situations where you would be tempted to smoke. If you always had a cigarette with your morning coffee or at happy hour after work, try changing your routine. Drink coffee once you get into your office or stay away from the bar to minimize your cravings.
Using these suggestions should provide you with an excellent start to eliminating cigarettes from your life. You deserve a life that is free of the negative effects of smoking. Give yourself permission to quit. You will be rewarded daily in increased health and well being when you stop smoking cigarettes.
It is time to quit smoking. Don’t set a quitting date for sometime in the future, just make today your day to quit. When you quit smoking, your risks for many diseases drops and continues to decrease with each passing day. The quicker you stop smoking, the sooner you free your family from the effects of secondhand smoke. This might be the factor that motivates you the most to stop.