Many people feel that it is hard, or that they lack the willpower to quit smoking successfully. These tips can help you begin ceasing smoking.
When you’ve made the decision that smoking is no longer for you, seek out a support group for help. It can be helpful to you to speak to people who know what you’re going through, who also can identify with the physical and emotional strain you may be experiencing. These people will offer you guidance, support, and advice on how to stop. To find a support group dedicated to smoking cessation, check your local rec center, church or community college.
Break down the benefits of quitting smoking by creating a list of specific pros and cons. By writing these things down, you begin to control the direction of your outlook on quitting. It can also motivate to forge ahead, and may make quitting less difficult by allowing you to keep your eyes on the prize.
Stay in the present moment, and take quitting one day at a time. Giving up nicotine is a slow process. You should not lose sleep over next week, month or even next year. Focus on the present moment and tackle each day as it comes. All of those smoke-free days will soon add up to a smoke-free future.
If you want to quit smoking, join a support group. It can be helpful to you to speak to people who know what you’re going through, who also can identify with the physical and emotional strain you may be experiencing. People who have been in your position can help guide you through the process. Check your newspaper and local hospital for support resources.
When a cigarette craving strikes, try to implement delays. By telling yourself that you’ll see how you feel in 10 minutes, and then distracting your mind and body during that time, you will normally find that 10 minutes later, the craving will have passed. Repeat this step repeatedly if you need.
Understand that quitting smoking will take a long time to materialize. Breaking the habit is a process; it doesn’t happen overnight. Try not to think about next year, or even next month. Just keep your mind and body in the present and take it by the day while trying to get rid of your nicotine habits in the here and now. This will change the outcome of the future.
If you cannot quit cold turkey, replace your cigarettes with nicotine patches or gums. These products give your body nicotine without the need to use cigarettes, helping you avoid withdrawal symptoms while breaking the actual habit of smoking.
Joining a gym, exercising or finding new and enjoying activities, can keep you away from cigarettes as well as improving your overall health. Exercise will also help you relieve stress. If you don’t exercise, start off slowly with a few walks. Ask your doctor, before you start engaging in any exercise activities.
Before you start, you need to make a commitment to quitting. Unless you adopt a positive, optimistic outlook and a willingness to persevere, you will have a difficult time ditching your habit. 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.
Enlist in the help of your family and friends to support your efforts to stop smoking. It is important that you let them know you need their support and that you do not need them to be judgmental. You will also want to let them know you will most likely be in a lousy mood initially, and you may not exactly think clearly at that time. Quitting smoking isn’t easy, and the support of the people you love is essential during the process of quitting.
If you want to stop smoking, talk to your physician. A physician has access to resources that you do not. Your doctor will also be able to write you a prescription for medication to help you quit smoking, if he or she feels that it is necessary.
If you are interested in ditching your unhealthy habit, it is crucial that you are dedicated to seeing it through. Many people often fail at quitting because they did not have the right mindset or they gave up too easily. Remember why you want to quit, and remind yourself often.
To maintain your willpower, despite intense cravings and withdrawal symptoms, look for healthy outlets for your stress. 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 have downtime, surround yourself with pleasant distractions, such as good books, scheduled chats with friends or new games.
When you stop smoking, start by changing brands. Switch to a lighter cigarette or a cigarette whose taste you don’t enjoy. Do not smoke a greater number of them than usual or modify the way in which you inhale them. This will get you started on your way to stop smoking.
Another motive for quitting is that it will benefit your family, as well as yourself. Your family is exposed to the risk of health problems because of your secondhand smoke. When you quit, you lower their exposure to secondhand smoke. That means that your whole family will benefit from you quitting.
Tell everyone you know about your desire to stop smoking. They are there for you and they will help remind you that you need to quit. The more support you have, the more motivation you’ll have to quit. Setting up your support system helps you be much more likely to achieve goals related to quitting.
The best place to start when quitting smoking, is to just stop. In fact, this is the only possible way to start yourself on the road to a smoke-free lifestyle. Once you stop, don’t allow yourself to begin again. This method can appear to be extremely difficult. However, some studies show that quitting cold turkey can be easiest way to quit.
When planning your quit, do not forget to factor in rewards for the important milestones you will reach. Note some goodies that you will let yourself have when you have stop smoking for a month, a week or just a day. Stick your list on the fridge or another place where you will notice it often. It might provide inspiration and motivation during difficult times.
Create a plan to reward yourself each time you reach a milestone in your quitting efforts. Write a list of gifts to give yourself for reaching every milestone. Make sure you can see that list every single day. This could provide you assistance in staying motivated whenever you feel weak.
Stay away from the kind of situations where you would be tempted to smoke. Changing your routine will help to curb your cravings if you associate smoking with things like a cigarette at the bus stop or with your friends in a bar. Having your coffee in the car or avoiding the bar allows you to short circuit your cravings.
You may have smoked when stressed. If this is true, find another relaxation technique when stressed. Meditation or yoga are healthier alternatives you should look into.
You will probably find that the decision to quit smoking is one of the toughest decisions you’ll ever make. Quitting can really work, though. It takes a lot of time and a lifelong commitment. It can never hurt to have good information to work with, as well. By using the information in this article along with some research of your own, you may be able to kick the habit much quicker and easier.
Swap your smoking habit for an exercise habit. Exercising generates a healthy, natural high that is very effective at fighting nicotine cravings. Also, you’ll lose metabolic rate when you quit, and exercise can speed it back up.