Most smokers find that quitting is very hard. There is no single cure-all. You will most probably have to research various ways of quitting in order to find one that works for you. By taking the tips that are listed below into consideration, you may make quitting a bit easier on yourself.
Quit smoking as easily as possible. Do not ever try to quit cold turkey. Only 5% of people who try this method are successful. Nicotine is extremely addictive, so use a patch, therapy or medication. The most difficult stage is the initial few days and these products can help ease that difficulty and increase your chances for success.
One aid to help you in quitting is to make a list of reasons why you should stop smoking, and also the reasons why you resist quitting. When you go through the tactile experience and physical actions of writing, your psychological perspective is often shifted in the process. Use this as a source of motivation, and build your focus on your daily challenges.
If you are trying to stop smoking, see to it that you have plenty of rest. Staying up late can elevate fatigue, increasing cravings for a cigarette. Sitting alone on a late night also makes you feel like you can sneak a cigarette without disappointing anyone. Getting eight hours of rest each night will help to keep you mentally focused, meaning you’re better able to control those cravings.
Stop Smoking
Consulting your doctor or a specialist can help you get the help that you need to be successful. Prescription medication may make quitting smoking easier to handle. They are not for everybody, so this discussion should also include your detailed medical history. A doctor might also give you information about hotlines, support groups and other resources which can increase the likelihood of success with quitting.
Try to stop smoking by using the method that is easiest for your needs. Quitting cold turkey is definitely not recommended. 95% of the time, people who try to stop smoking using the cold turkey method will begin smoking again shortly after trying to quit. Because nicotine is so addicting, a patch, medication, or therapy may be helpful. Using these aids will make your efforts at kicking the habit much easier than it will be without them.
Talk to your loved ones, in order to garner their support in quitting smoking. It is vital you tell them you need and value their support, and you can do without them being judgmental. Let them know that you might be a bit grouchy at first, and that you might not be quite yourself. Quitting smoking isn’t easy, and the support of the people you love is essential during the process of quitting.
If decide to give up smoking, try hypnosis. Professional hypnotists have been extremely successful in treating individuals who want to give up the habit. When you visit a hypnotist’s clinic, you will be put into a trance state and positive affirmations about quitting will be embedded into your mind. The effect is that smoking does not seem so powerful and appealing once you awake from the trance. This makes quitting for good much easier.
Try therapy that involves nicotine replacement. The effects of nicotine withdrawal may make you feel irritable, depressed or restless. Cravings can be extremely tough to resist. Using nicotine replacement therapy will help to relieve these symptoms of withdrawal. Research proves that nicotine replacement products such as gum, patches or lozenges can double the success rate for quitting. However, do not use nicotine replacement products while smoking.
Perhaps nicotine replacement therapy would be helpful. Withdrawal from cigarettes can leave you irritated, depressed, or frustrated. Cravings for a cigarette can be very powerful. Therapies like nicotine replacement therapy can be helpful. Research has shown that people who make use of nicotine gum, lozenges, or patches can have twice the chances of quitting smoking successfully. Don’t use these products if you’re currently smoking.
Let your family and friends know that you plan to quit smoking. Your loved ones undoubtedly want to support you, and they can serve as reminders of why quitting is so important. The absolute best way to help you quit is to have a strong support system. This greatly increases the chances that you’ll succeed, and it’ll get you where you want to be.
Talk to you doctor if you want to stop smoking. He will have access to techniques and tools that you won’t be able to get on your own. If your doctor thinks that it is appropriate, they may prescribe you medication assist with the quit.
Consider cutting back on your smoking. That way, you can get off to a good start in your efforts to quit smoking. You should try to wait an hour in the morning before you smoke. If it is difficult to reduce the number of times you smoke per day, so try cutting back on the amount of cigarette you smoke per time. Try smoking only half a cigarette instead of a full cigarette.
Plan out a strategy for dealing with stress now that you don’t smoke anymore. You may find it helpful to work out during the most difficult part of the day, learn a new skill or hobby, or book massages on a regular schedule. When you have downtime, surround yourself with pleasant distractions, such as good books, scheduled chats with friends or new games.
The best way to quit smoking is to completely stop. Stopping is the only way to start the quitting process. Once you stop, don’t allow yourself to begin again. This strategy is going to be extremely difficult at first. However, some studies show that quitting cold turkey can be easiest way to quit.
Would switching brands help you in your goal? By switching to a brand you don’t like the taste of, you may not want a cigarette as often as before. By no account should you smoke more of your new cigarette than you did of the last. You will be off to a great start in kicking your habit.
Think of strategies that provide frequent visual reminders to keep your mind motivated constantly. Many people find that placing motivational messages throughout their home and office help on their journey to quitting smoking. No matter what you chose, having a visual reminder will help you when a craving hits.
A major factor in terms of quitting will be your positive thinking and your motivation to quit. Try to think of how much better your life will be once you’ve quit. Imagine having breath that does not smell, or how sparkly your teeth can be, and how fresh and clean your surroundings will be. If the side effects of smoking are not enough to motivate you, think about the many different benefits.
It is important that you stop smoking immediately. Avoid predetermined dates in the future, and just get the quitting process started immediately. By quitting immediately, you lower your chances of succumbing to a possibly fatal disease. You also will improve your family’s health by protecting them from secondhand smoke, making it a greater motivation to quit.
If you smoke in your home, give it a very thorough cleaning when you quit. Clean your carpets, your curtains, your clothes and your furniture. You should even wash the walls. Get the smell of smoke out of everything in your home. Instead of smelling smoke when you come home, you’ll smell clean, fresh fragrances. This will reduce the temptation to smoke.
Quitting may be easier if you get rid of things that remind you of smoking. Toss your lighters, cigarette case and ashtrays. Wash your clothes and remember to clean your house in order to remove the smoke’s smell. By eliminating the smell, you will be less likely to have a craving.
Offer Yourself
When in the process of quitting smoking, indulge your cravings by eating healthy choices like nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruit. Eating low calorie and healthy food help people quit for many reasons. First, having healthy snacks will help you deal with keeping your mouth and hands busy. Eating this type of a diet can also minimize the weight that you might gain. As an added bonus, all the extra vitamins and minerals will help you to detox your body.
Don’t forget to offer yourself rewards when you reach those important quitting milestones. Make a list of the rewards you will offer yourself once you’ve stopped smoking for one day, a week, a month and so on. Make sure you can see that list every single day. This will provide you with some extra motivation, and it might just keep you from caving in and smoking again.
If you feel you are about to crack, call someone who has already quit for encouraging words of support. Let a family member or friend know that you are struggling. Spending time on the phone will distract you while the craving passes, and it is good to know you have support in your battle with nicotine.
Make “NOPE, not one puff, ever” your mantra. It’s easy to convince yourself during the heat of the moment that one cigarette won’t hurt anything, but it can undo days, weeks, months, or years of hard work and dedication. Before the urge hits, remind yourself of all the damage “just one” cigarette can do.
Think about your strongest motivations for kicking your cigarette habit. To motivate you, keep your most important reasons written on an index card or sheet of paper and make sure it’s with you at all times. When you feel the need for a cigarette, read your list to yourself instead as a reminder of why you are trying to quit.
When quitting smoking, keep in mind that the process will be most difficult during the first week. During the first 48 hours after you quit, your body starts to go into detox as all the nicotine leaves your system. From that point on, you will mostly suffer from psychological cravings. It will still be difficult, but the craving will get less as time passes.
Have a reward system set up for when you quit smoking. Quitting cigarettes will give you a bunch of extra money. Buy yourself a treat with the money you save to reward yourself for your hard work and dedication. This material benefit from not smoking can motivate you to adhere to a smoke-free life.
Try exercising to replace your smoking habit. You’ll get an endorphin boost that will keep you from worrying as much about cigarettes. Also, you’ll lose metabolic rate when you quit, and exercise can speed it back up.
Are you quitting smoking for other people? Even though you may love these people, chances are you will only stop smoking when you are ready to do it yourself. It’s the best thing you can do for yourself.
You may want to consider counseling to help stop smoking. There may be an emotional reason which makes you want to smoke. Once you clear up these problems, you’ll be better able to quit. Ask your doctor to refer you to a counselor if you’re interested in this kind of help.
Invest in some hard candies or suckers when you first quit smoking. When you crave a cigarette, try eating a sucker. Having something in your hand will replace the cigarette that is usually there. The candy part can also keep your mouth occupied. Keeping your hands and your both busy will eliminate the cravings much faster.
Quitting smoking is not an easy thing to do and there isn’t a fix that will work for everybody. In spite of the difficulty it is not impossible to quit. You can make good progress by following the tips here and finding positive support and motivation. You might be surprised by how quickly you progress toward quitting altogether.
Learn to stave off the cravings. Nicotine cravings can strike at any time, even years after you quit. This is where it becomes extremely important for you to stay strong, and not give into temptation. Keep reminding yourself how difficult it was quitting and see if it’s worth doing it again.