Most people know why smoking is bad for you, but quitting is still very hard. If you are trying to stop smoking, you may just need a nudge in the right direction. The advice below will help you get started.
You should try to ease the pain of quitting as much as possible. Do not ever try to quit cold turkey. Many people who attempt to quit will fail on their first try. If you do fail, talk to your doctor about using a nicotine patch or prescription withdrawal treatment. This will ease you through the difficult early withdrawal stages and make quitting easier.
Make your attempts as manageable as possible. Don’t try going cold turkey. 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 early withdrawal stages and make quitting less difficult.
Understand that quitting smoking will take a long time to materialize. It is a big process to quit smoking. Do not even think about the future. 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.
When you’ve made the decision that smoking is no longer for you, seek out a support group for help. These new ex-smokers can be a valuable source of support when faced with the various challenges that confront you, as they have or are dealing with them as well. These people can offer tips, support, and guidance for quitting. Support groups are universal, as you will find there are many people who have quit smoking. Try looking for one online, or at your local college or church.
If you’re trying to quit smoking, take things one day at a time. Focus on giving up cigarettes for the day rather than for the rest of your life. Focusing on one day at a time is easier than focusing on the long-term. Once you are committed to short term quitting, thinking about the long term will be easier.
If decide to give up smoking, try hypnosis. Many people have found success with professional hypnotists. The hypnotist will induce a deep trance, and then repeat positive affirmations that will lodge themselves in your mind. Cigarettes are less appealing to you when you wake, making you that much closer to quitting.
The delay tactic is a great tool to use when the craving for a cigarette seems overwhelming. Tell yourself you will wait about 10 minutes and then assess how you feel. During that time, distract yourself and chances are, after the 10 minutes are up, the craving will be gone. If that is not the case, repeat that step as many times as necessary.
Smoking cessation is one of the few times when it is best to procrastinate; delay tactics are often an effective strategy. Tell yourself to wait five or ten minutes when you feel the urge to smoke. It’s possible that when five to ten minutes rolls around, the urge will have passed. If the craving hasn’t passed, then repeat the first step again.
Remaining upbeat and staying motivated are two of the biggest parts of smoking cessation. Make the effort to imagine all the ways that your life can be better after you’ve quit smoking. Your breath will not smell like stale tobacco any longer, nor will your home. Your teeth may even be whiter! Seeing the negatives of smoking can frighten people into quitting, but imagining all the positives can be just as helpful.
Your doctor may be able to help you quit smoking if you can’t do it by yourself. He can prescribe you a medication to help ease your anxiety, withdrawal symptoms and even irritability. 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 want to give up smoking for good, you may need to practice quitting. Very few smokers are successful at quitting the first time they try. Instead of expecting perfection from yourself, just quit for as long as possible. If you do fail and have a cigarette, quickly set a new quit date. Quit each time that you restart, and learn from your mistakes. Eventually, you will quit for good.
Stop Smoking
Look at stopping as a finite choice. The most effective way to begin a smoke-free life is to just stop the habit. Stop yourself, immediately, and never look back. This method is notoriously challenging. However, dropping cigarettes altogether has been proven to work quite well.
Have loved ones support your decision to stop smoking. You need to let them know that you want their support, not their judgment. Tell them that you’ll probably be irrational and in a depressed mood first. It is not simple to stop smoking, you should always develop a support system.
Clean your house, as thoroughly as possible, once you quit smoking. This includes carpets, curtains, walls and even furniture. This will make your home smell clean, and the absence of the smell of the cigarettes will help you avoid being reminded of the habit that has plagued your life anytime you enter your home.
If you find it too daunting to stop smoking cold-turkey, consider helping the process along by trying replacements like nicotine patches or gum. These over-the-counter products will supply nicotine to your body during your quitting efforts. They can ward off the maddening physical withdrawal symptoms.
Each time you hit a landmark in your regimen to quit smoking, reward yourself. Take some time to make a list of the rewards that you really want to enjoy. Make a promise to yourself that you will be granted one of these rewards after a week has passed, and then again after a month has passed. Put this list on the refrigerator and look at it every morning before work or school. This could provide you assistance in staying motivated whenever you feel weak.
Cut back on smoking. That will help you slowly begin your journey to quit smoking. Wait one hour after waking to have your first cigarette in the morning, and stop smoking after dinner. You can smoke just one half a cigarette rather than a whole one to cut down on your smoking.
Seek out support through online support communities and forums. You will find an abundance of websites created to assist people with their desire to stop smoking. It might help you to compare quitting strategies and coping mechanisms with others. Furthermore, other quitters will be poised to offer guidance as you all face the same challenges and hurdles.
Stop smoking as soon as possible. Don’t set a date in the future that hinges on something else, start today and create the plan and backups that you need to be successful. You can reduce the risk of smoking-related death by quitting smoking, as soon as possible. You will also be protecting your family from the dangers of secondhand smoke. These things should make quitting even more important to you.
Consider ahead of time how you are going to handle stress in your life. When a stressful occurrence happens, smokers are typically used to just lighting up a cigarette and smoking their stress away. When you have a concrete plan, it is much easier to avoid smoking. Keep a list of several distractions that you can use in case one doesn’t work.
Quit Smoking
Quitting smoking is done not only for yourself, but also for your loved ones. The people who care about you want you to have a long, healthy life. Studies have shown one in five people that die in the U.S. have to do with smoking. Don’t be a statistic.
When attempting to quit smoking, stay positive. Plenty of people that did eventually quit smoking failed the first time they tried. Identify where your moment of weakness went wrong, and learn from this incident before you try to quit again. If this happens to you in the future, you will know exactly how to overcome it.
It is time to quit smoking. Choose today as the day instead of putting it off to a future date. If you quit now, your chances of contracting a serious or deadly illness, due to smoking, will be significantly reduced. Remember that your quitting will also reduce your family’s exposure to harmful secondhand smoke.
Know that when you quit smoking you are improving your life, as opposed to making a noble sacrifice. You will be able to stop smoking sooner and remain smoke-free, if you think positively about quitting. Think about the pros rather than the cons. Do not dwell on the deprivations, think about the positive aspects of a nicotine free life. Repeating these ideas to yourself will help you maintain your motivation and dedication.
Always maintain a positive attitude when you are trying to quit smoking. Most people quit several times before quitting successfully. Make a note of what triggered your relapse and make an effort to avoid it in the future. You may have an easier time overcoming the same hurdle if it arises again.
Eliminate items, smells or behaviors that trigger memories of smoking. Get rid of any ashtrays and lighters you may have around your home. 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.
Speak with a medical professional about any stop smoking aids that are good for quitting. There are many products on the market now available to help you quit for good. 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. Talk to your doctor and find out what they recommend for your situation.
Getting rid of your smoking habit can be a difficult process, but knowing effective techniques might make your task easier. If you follow this advice, you can quit smoking with success. Use the above suggestions to not only protect your health, but also the health of your family.
Talk to loved ones when you want to stop smoking. Inform everybody who is close about your plan to quit cigarettes for good. They can cheer you on and give you support, and that can be a big help for you. You may also think about joining a support group and even check into behavioral therapy to help you quit.