Plenty of smokers want to quit, but they often feel that those initial withdrawal symptoms and cravings are too much to overcome. The powerful advice in the article below can be the beginning of a healthy life without cigarettes.
Quit smoking as easily as possible. Quitting cold turkey is definitely not recommended. This method enjoys only a 5 percent success rate. Since nicotine is so addictive, it’s important to use a method that includes a prescription or nicotine patches or gum. These things will reduce the severity of your initial withdrawal symptoms, making it easier for you to quit smoking.
Be easy when you stop smoking. You should never attempt to just quit cold turkey. 95% of the time, people who try to stop smoking using the cold turkey method will begin smoking again shortly after trying to quit. Since nicotine is so addictive, it’s important to use a method that includes a prescription or nicotine patches or gum. You’ll be better equipped to make it through withdrawal and quit smoking permanently.
When you are trying to quit smoking, you have to stay away from the things that trigger you and make you smoke. If you always used to smoke while reading a book, you may have to temporarily put your book down until you have broken your smoking habit. Find a distraction to keep you occupied.
Hypnosis can help stop smoking. Many individuals have quit successfully after working with a licensed hypnotist. The hypnotist places you in a state where you are particularly susceptible to suggestion, and inserts positive ideas into your subconscious. When you snap out of the deep trance, you may find that your love for cigarettes has diminished, making giving them up easier.
Plan out a strategy for dealing with stress now that you don’t smoke anymore. Try going to the gym, taking up a brand new hobby, or getting regular massages when you get cravings. If you know you will have some free time, fill it with fun distractions like a new book or game or coffee with a friend.
Day-by-day is the only way to go about quitting smoking. Instead of focusing on quitting forever, just focus on quitting for today. Making shorter goals will make it easier for you to cope, both mentally and physically. Long term goals will come when you’ve quit for a while and are better able to handle the daily grind.
Tell everyone you know the great news – you’re quitting! They will support you and keep reminding you that you must quit. It’s hard to quit without a support system. This will increase your chances of success significantly, and get you to where you want.
Talk with your doctor if you are having difficulties kicking your smoking habit on your own. Different medications, including antidepressants, can make quitting easier. Aside from informing you of various smoking cessation medications, he or she can also let you know about support groups and other resources in the community that may be useful.
If your goal is to finally stop smoking, you need to practice your skills at quitting. Many individuals who have successfully quit did not succeed the first time they tried. When you quit smoking, try to refrain from smoking for as long as possible. If you do fail and have a cigarette, quickly set a new quit date. Try quitting and remember to try longer each time, as you learn along the way. Eventually, one of your efforts will become permanent.
Commitment is key to quitting smoking, so are you able to commit to never smoking again? You must answer yes to this question before you start quitting. A lot of people are unable to stop smoking successfully because they are not sufficiently committed, or do not approach it with the proper mindset. To stay motivated, it is important to remember why you initially wanted to quit.
If you smoked, inside your house, give it a complete cleaning once you have quit. Wash your walls, drapes and curtains and shampoo the carpet and upholstery. The difference will be evident not only to you but to all your visitors, and you won’t have to smell cigarettes while you are trying to quit.
Talk to your doctor about quitting smoking. Your physician may have resources available to help you quit that you do not have access to. Additionally, your doctor may prescribe medications to make quitting easier for you, so long as he or she feels that such treatments are appropriate for your situation.
Find support by joining online forums or communities for those who are trying to quit. You can uncover a vast array of sites specifically devoted to providing support to people who are kicking the habit. It may be helpful or even cathartic to share quitting frustrations and successes with others who understand your struggle. If you have a support system made up of others that are quitting, this will help you deal with any trouble you may have.
If you reach a milestone while quitting, congratulate or reward yourself for your accomplishments. For example, treat yourself to a movie after a week of being smoke-free. After one tobacco-free month, reserve a spot at a restaurant that you rarely get to enjoy. After that, keep making the reward better until you’re at a point where smoking is no longer an issue.
Whatever activities and locations are most closely associated with smoking in your past, avoid them. If you had morning coffee and a cigarette or went to happy hour and smoked, change your routine. Having your coffee in the car or avoiding the bar allows you to short circuit your cravings.
It is important to find ways to cope with nicotine withdrawals, in order to keep from giving in to your cravings and the stress they may cause. 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’ve got down time, try to surround yourself with some pleasant distractions like going out with friends, playing games, or reading a book.
“Not One Puff Ever” or “Nope” should be your mantra. When you are tempted, a single cigarette might not seem to matter, but it can set you way back after all your hard work. Keep your goals and motivation in mind so that you do not give in and smoke one cigarette.
Develop a system of daily reminders about why you want to quit as well as motivational messages to help you. This might mean keeping an inspirational quote or image at work or in your wallet to remember why you’re quitting. No matter what you chose, having a visual reminder will help you when a craving hits.
Get rid of anything that reminds you of smoking as you approach your quit date. Get rid of any ashtrays and lighters you may have around your home. Make sure you wash all of your clothes and clean your house thoroughly in order to take away the smoke smell. Cleaning all of these items will help keep things that trigger your desire for a smoke at bay.
To help with the motivation factor of smoking cessation, always remember your family and those who would be affected in a big way if your health declined substantially because of this very dangerous habit. Data suggests that about twenty percent of deaths in the United States have something to do with smoking. You do not want to be a statistic.
Discuss with your physician about medications you could possible take to assist you in quitting. There are quite a few options out there for you to help you quit. There are numerous options available to help you as you quit smoking. There is everything from drugs which reduce withdrawal symptoms to nicotine replacement therapies to wean you off slowly. Talk to your physician about what they think you should use.
Don’t decide to quit “someday.” Do it today. Decide to quit today instead of setting your quit date in the future. If you commit to kicking your habit, as soon as possible, you can potentially extend your life by many years. You also keep your family from falling victim to secondhand smoke, making it that much more important to quit.
There are many counselors who offer services to help you quit smoking. Sometimes, people smoke for emotional reasons. As these issues are addressed, the desire to smoke may disappear. If counseling is of interest to you, speak with your physician for a referral.
Always maintain a positive attitude when you are trying to stop smoking. Even the best efforts and the best people fail sometimes. 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.
Some people are addicted to the feeling of having a cigarette in their mouths. If you’re one of those people, put something else in your mouth whenever you feel the urge to smoke. Many people suggest gum or hard candies to do this. While there are those that satisfy their cravings through electronic cigarettes.
Instead of viewing quitting as a sacrifice, think of it as a gift to yourself. If quitting is perceived as a positive force in your life, you can easily stay focused and succeed quicker. Put the value of quitting in your sights and imagine your life without smoking constantly. This will keep you motivated and give you true reasons to quit now.
Pay close attention to your typical “smoking times”. It will be easier to quit smoking when you are aware of the situations that lead you to want a cigarette. If you know when you are most vulnerable to those cravings, it will be easier to prepare yourself to avoid them.
If you can do away with things that remind you of smoking, it will be easier to resist temptation. Things you should eliminate includes removing ashtrays and cigarette lighters. To get rid of smoke odors in your home, clean your house and wash your clothes. Doing this can ensure you aren’t reminded or triggered to smoke.
Don’t compensate for smoking by eating a lot of junk food. By the same token, don’t try to radically reduce how much you’re eating while quitting smoking. Don’t start a new diet while you are in the middle of quitting smoking. However, eat balanced meals as much as possible. There have been studies that have shown that eating low-fat dairy products, veggies and fruits will actually leave you with a bad taste if you are a smoker. Rediscover the pleasures of these simple foods as your sense of taste improves.
The decision to stop smoking can be one of the hardest things you do in your life. However, this does not need to be unattainable. If you have patience and willpower, you can invest the time needed. Having the right tools and information at hand will also help you on your journey. Using the tips from this article, you can be smoke free in no time.
Once you make the decision to stop smoking, make it a point to keep yourself motivated and not give up on this decision. Most ex-smokers had to struggle to overcome their addiction for months or even years before succeeding. If you don’t succeed, analyze why you failed and then try again.