Smokers know they shouldn’t smoke. It is not a common occurrence to have a smoker remark on how much they are improving their health by smoking. Non-smokers don’t understand what quitting entails; however, ex-smokers do. Read on to find out what has worked for other ex-smokers.
Find the method of quitting that will be easiest for you. Do not ever try to quit cold turkey. This method enjoys only a 5 percent success rate. Nicotine is an extremely addicting substance, so medication, patches or therapy may be necessary. You’ll be better equipped to make it through withdrawal and quit smoking permanently.
Create a list of the reasons why you’re quitting. Putting the issue in writing will help you to see it more clearly. It can strengthen your motivation to quit, and reduce the difficulty of quitting, by keeping your attention on your desire to quit.
If you feel you have to smoke a cigarette, then try to put off your first one as long as possible. For example, require yourself to take a long stroll before you give in and have a smoke. If nothing else, pour yourself a big iced tea and promise yourself to finish drinking it first. By the time you get done, you may have the willpower to say no. If, even after the delay, you still have a cigarette, you will at least have taken up some time, meaning you will smoke less that day.
When you’ve made the decision that smoking is no longer for you, seek out a support group for help. There is much strength and reassurance in a group of like-minded folks who are all pushing towards the same goal and dealing with the same challenges. This can help you feel comfortable by associating with people who have gone through the same issues. Support groups can be found in many places, such as your church, rec center or college, ask around.
Understand that quitting smoking will take a long time to materialize. Remember that quitting will always be a process, and it doesn’t usually happen over night. Don’t worry about what will next year or next month. Just go through it one day at a time, just getting rid of the smoking habit in the short term.
Try to distract yourself when you are planning on smoking a cigarette. A simple glass of water first, or putting your smoke off until after you take a walk, can be very effective ways to delay your craving. Sometimes, delaying smoking can help you resist smoking. If you do end up giving in anyway, at least that was a little longer that you were able to be smoke-free.
The delay tactic is a great tool to use when the craving for a cigarette seems overwhelming. Tell yourself how you’ll feel in about 10 minutes and distract yourself. You should see the craving pass within the 10 minutes. If the craving is still there, repeat the process as often as you need to.
If you’re having trouble quitting smoking on your own, talk to your doctor. There are medications available to help you stop smoking or to make the process easier. Your doctor can also point you toward other alternative therapies, as well as toward support groups and other sources of information.
If you have struggled time and time again with quitting smoking, consider scheduling an appointment with your doctor. He can advise you about prescription medications available to help you and may even recommend things such as antidepressants to help with emotional withdrawals. They may also offer other avenues of support or treatment.
Giving up sweets for fruits and vegetables will make it easier for you to keep your weight steady after quitting. This can help balance out your system and avoid unnecessary weight gain. Eating more is okay as long as you make the right choices.
To prevent yourself from gaining weight after quitting smoking, snack on fresh fruits and vegetables instead of sweets or carb-laden foods. You will minimize your weight gain when you do this. When you stop smoking, your body will crave foods. To stay healthy, eat healthy foods instead of junk.
You should not try to stop smoking alone. Having loves ones support you will help tremendously. Consider joining a support group. Discussing how you feel with others who are experiencing the same difficulties can help you power through and beat smoking for good.
Talk to you doctor if you want to stop smoking. Your doctor may be able to refer you to a support group or have knowledge of specialists in your area. Additionally, your doctor might feel that you would benefit from using a prescription drug therapy method to help you quit.
Be sure to reward yourself for small milestones on your stop smoking journey. For example, when you haven’t smoked for a week, go out to the movies. After a longer period of time, you can treat yourself to something more expensive or elegant. Eventually, once smoking is eliminated from your mind, get a big treat.
Consider switching brands when you first think about quitting smoking. Switch to a brand that you don’t like or a cigarette that you don’t like the taste of. Do not smoke a greater number of them than usual or modify the way in which you inhale them. This is the first step to quitting.
Fortify your resolve to not give in, by creating a solid backup plan for when the cravings kick in, or the pressure adds up. You could try going to the gym during a craving or starting a new hobby. When you’ve got downtime, distract yourself with friends, books and games, so you don’t think of smoking.
The best advice you can get for quitting smoking is just to stop. Stopping is the only way to start the quitting process. Quit cold turkey–stop altogether and never pick up a cigarette again. The cold turkey method will seem very difficult. However, this method has been shown to actually be more effective, as time goes by.
Nonsmokers simply can’t understand why anyone would light up when they know smoking causes health issues. These people also can’t understand how truly difficult it is to break an addiction. Some individuals have managed to quit, however, and their strategies were shared here. Apply their experiences to your life and liberate yourself from smoking.
You should find a way to keep your motivation clearly in sight and in mind at all times. Perhaps posting inspirational signs on your wall, or having a piece of jewelry that reminds you of your efforts will help. Regardless of your method, a visual reminder is often a compelling motivator to keep going.