Many people want to get out of the habit of smoking. Smoking is incredibly unhealthy, and prolonged exposure will damage your lungs over time. So, check out the tips and good advice this article has to offer. Then get on a program to kick that smoking habit forever!
Give hypnosis a try if you want to quit smoking. Acquiring the services of a licensed hypnotist has been proven to be effective for many others. The hypnotist places you in a state where you are particularly susceptible to suggestion, and inserts positive ideas into your subconscious. When you come out of the trance, cigarettes could be less appealing, which means you are that much closer to quitting for good.
To increase your chances of being successful in your efforts to quit smoking, consider writing out a list of pros and cons of quitting. Putting the issue in writing will help you to see it more clearly. Quitting smoking can be difficult, as this can help facilitate the process.
Let the people around you know that you are quitting the nicotine habit. Entrusting familiar people with this information can let them motivate you, along with helping you beat temptations. This can be the little nudge you need to keep you on the straight and narrow.
Find the easiest method to quit smoking. Trying to quit by going cold turkey is never a good idea. Quitting cold turkey is only effective about 5% of the time. If you do fail, talk to your doctor about using a nicotine patch or prescription withdrawal treatment. This will ease you through the early withdrawal stages and make quitting less difficult.
Joining a gym, exercising or finding new and enjoying activities, can keep you away from cigarettes as well as improving your overall health. Exercise can go a long way to reducing the stress brought on by nicotine withdrawals. If you are out of shape, and have not exercised in a while, you can start slowly by simply going for a walk every morning, or every other day. Before beginning an exercise routine, consult with your doctor.
Get lots of sleep every night if you’re quitting smoking. The longer you stay up, the more cravings you’ll face. Later at night always seems to be the time nobody else is around, so sneaking in a cigarette is easier. Having eight hours to rest every night will keep you focused and it will be easier for you to control your cravings.
Try therapy that involves nicotine replacement. The effects of nicotine withdrawal can cause depression, moodiness and frustration. The cravings you feel for nicotine may be uncontrollable. Using nicotine replacement therapy will help to relieve these symptoms of withdrawal. Research has shown that people who make use of nicotine gum, lozenges, or patches can have twice the chances of quitting smoking successfully. But, you should never use these nicotine replacements while you are still smoking.
If you get the urge to light up, try using a delay tactic. Force yourself to wait at least ten minutes before you give into the urge. Typically, you will become distracted with something else and will wait longer than the ten minutes. If that is not the case, repeat that step as many times as necessary.
Avoid some of the places and behaviors that can lead to smoking cigarettes. If you like to have a cigarette with coffee you can switch to tea, for example. Try to use other things to distract your thoughts, if you are thinking about smoking.
Nicotine Withdrawal
You should not try to quit smoking alone. Let your family and friends know that you have decided to quit, so that they can support you through the process. Having a support group is the single best thing you can do for yourself. Speak about your predicament and talk about some of the things that you want to change.
You may want to try nicotine replacement therapy. Nicotine withdrawal is very powerful and can lead to depression, feelings of restlessness, and becoming frustrated or irritable. Cravings can be difficult to ignore. You can try nicotine-replacement therapy if you are having nicotine withdrawal. Studies show that nicotine gum, lozenges or patches can increase people’s success when quitting. Don’t use these products if you’re currently smoking.
In your process to quit smoking, grant yourself rewards along the way to enjoy at the milestones towards your goal. For example, after a week without smoking, treat yourself to a movie. Once you reach a month without smoking, go to a special restaurant. After that, continue to reward yourself once in awhile until smoking is no longer on your mind at all.
Giving up tobacco will benefit your loved ones, and yourself. Secondhand smoke causes lung disease, cancer, and other health problems to everyone around you. By reducing the smoke that you generate with your cigarettes, you are reducing the amount of secondhand smoke that you have exposed your loved ones to. This means that not only will quitting make you healthier, it will make your loved ones healthier too.
Let your family and friends know that you plan to quit smoking. The people who care about you will remind you of your need to quit. The most effective way to quit is by having people around who support you. This will make it a lot easier to succeed in your quitting smoking goals.
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. Just try to stop completely and never pick up another cigarette. This way may seem difficult at first. It has been shown that this method can be quite effective.
Give your home a fresh start, too, by cleaning away the smoky smell. Steam-clean or shampoo your carpet and furniture, scrub the walls and wash your curtains and drapes. This will make your house smell clean and fresh, and a smoky smell will not greet you whenever you enter your home.
Set up a reward system for yourself whenever you reach a particular milestone. Make a list of important goals and the rewards for reaching them. Put that list somewhere where you can see it prominently each day. This will give you the motivation you need when you feel like giving in to temptation.
Stay motivated with reminders. You can put up motivational messages in your office, or wear a piece of jewelry that represents your goals. This can curb your temptations, which are the primary culprits for smoking cigarettes.
You should find a way to keep your motivation clearly in sight and in mind at all times. Many people find that placing motivational messages throughout their home and office help on their journey to quitting smoking. Whatever method you choose, this type of visual reminder may help you ward off craving and temptation.
Get support through online forums and support communities. There are quite a few websites entirely focused on helping smokers give up their habit. You might see that it will help to look at the ways others have quit. Furthermore, you can rest assured that the people you discuss your issues with will understand where you are coming from.
Plan ahead for how you will handle stressful events that might arise. For smokers, the way to deal with a stressful situation is to light a cigarette. If you develop an alternate plan, however, you will be better able to avoid smoking. Have a lot of ideas, in case your initial idea does not help.
Remind yourself of the bleak consequences smoking has on your health. Statistics show that one in five Americans die because of cigarettes. No one wants to be known as just a statistic.
48 Hours
Many people have discovered that counseling can help them to stop smoking. Sometimes, people smoke for emotional reasons. As these issues are addressed, the desire to smoke may disappear. Ask your doctor for help getting started with this program if you think it might work for you.
Remember, the first week without cigarettes will be the most difficult. During the first 48 hours, your body will be eliminating its buildup of nicotine. Once 48 hours have passed, your craving for nicotine will usually just be psychological. This means you will have no physical trauma from resisting those cravings.
Deep breathing is one effective way to cope with cravings. This distracts you from the discomfort, and allows you a moment of serenity in an otherwise stressful situation. Filling your lungs with oxygen will allow you to feel reinvigorated. Deep breathing exercises are very easy to do, and you can practice them at any time.
Don’t think of quitting smoking as giving up something. Think of it as gaining something. When you view quitting in a positive light, it becomes easier to stay on task and quit sooner. Your life is valuable, and will be vastly improved if you stop smoking. This will keep your motivation up while giving real reason to stop now.
Consider keeping a journal of the smoking habits you have developed. By understanding when the temptation to smoke is strongest, you will be able to plan how to quit. Tackling the cravings for tobacco can put you in the best position to quit and stay away from cigarettes.
If you can do away with things that remind you of smoking, it will be easier to resist temptation. Clear your house of ashtrays, and take that lighter out of your purse or briefcase. Clean your home from top to bottom and launder all your clothing to eliminate the odor of smoke. This will help you to forget about cigarettes and ensure the time between cravings becomes longer and longer until they go away.
Follow a sensible diet. Do not diet and try to quit smoking simultaneously. You should eat in a balanced way. Studies show that tobacco residue in your mouth makes veggies, fruits and low-fat dairy items have a bad taste. If you eat these items, it will boost your immune system and help you quit.
With any luck, you now think differently on what is involved to stop smoking permanently after reading the above article. Remember to stay strong as you work to stop smoking. Motivate yourself with thoughts of your loved ones and how important it is to you to live a healthy long life. Use the above tips to help you accomplish that very worthy goal of stopping smoking.
Have a plan to reward yourself when you are trying to quit smoking. One of the great advantages to quitting is your ability to save money. Treat yourself with money you would have spent on nicotine. Few things speak as loudly as financial freedom, which makes this method especially effective as a motivational tool.