What is it that you need to quit smoking? Everyone has something that will make the difference, the key is finding out what that thing is.
This article has a lot of great suggestions and tips to help you try and find one for yourself and your journey towards better health.
Remember that your attitude is everything. When you are beginning to feel down, you need to try to make yourself proud that you are quitting. Smoking is bad for you and each time you conquer the urge to smoke, you should feel proud as you are taking vital steps toward a healthier you.
Don’t Go Cold Turkey
Do not quit cold turkey. It can be tempting to throw out your cigarettes and say, “I quit!” But cold turkey is not the way you want to go. Studies show that over ninety percent of people who try to quit smoking with no medication or therapy end up relapsing. The reason for this is because nicotine is addictive and your brain craves it. Without it, nicotine withdrawal symptoms set in.
Your doctor may be able to help you quit smoking if you can’t do it by yourself. There are medications, such as antidepressants, which will help to make quitting much 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.
Be cognizant of routine activities that trigger the desire to have a smoke. For some, it is the first cup of coffee in the morning. For others it may be the end of a meal, or socializing with smoking friends. Whatever your trigger may be, this is the time you must remind yourself that you are quitting because you care enough about yourself that you want to.
Find an online forum for quitters. This can provide you with a great amount of support and motivation, while still allowing you to remain anonymous. Online forums can be found everywhere, and you can typically join for free. They will help you to network with individuals all over the world, and you never know what kind of great stop smoking advice you might hear.
Remember the following acronym forever: N.O.P.E. It stands for “never one puff, ever.” This will be a lifelong motto for you to follow, and it should be your mantra when you are tempted to have “just that one” cigarette. Even if you are out drinking with friends, remember to say N.O.P.E. to that puff!
Don’t give up if you slip up. Anytime someone tries to give something up that they have been doing for years, there will likely be a struggle. When that struggle exists, slip ups often happen. If you do slip up, get right back on track and try again. The worst thing you can do is turn a slip up into an excuse to keep smoking, so don’t do it.
Don’t worry if you have a relapse. It’s not uncommon for a smoker to try multiple times to quit before they succeed. Always think about what made you relapse, and try to avoid that situation in the future. Decide on a new day to quit, prepare yourself, and stick with it.
Avoid dieting when trying to quit smoking. A lot of aspiring quitters try to diet while quitting so they can avoid the supposedly inevitable weight gain. However, in doing so, they’re depriving their bodies of too much at once and they wind up relapsing. This just means gaining weight, while they’re still smoking.
Consult your doctor about quitting. Your doctor can prescribe smoking cessation aids such as nicotine gum or nicotine patches. In addition, your doctor may know some strategies for controlling cravings that you don’t know. He can help you create a plan to stop smoking as well as monitoring your health while you work on quitting.
Many people have discovered that counseling can help them to stop smoking. Sometimes, emotional reasons are related to why people smoke. If that is addressed, the need to smoke may go away. If you are interested in this method, visit with your physician, and ask for a recommendation to someone that you can talk to.
List all of the reasons why you should quit smoking. Check that list every time you have a craving and remember why you quit. It’s a highly effective motivational technique!
Don’t give up if your initial attempt to quit smoking fails. Use it as an opportunity to evaluate what aspects of your program were successful and what areas need to be adjusted. Most people try several times before they are successful in quitting. Set a new date to stop and then, try again.
Regardless of your reasons for quitting, it’s not going to be easy. That being said, you can improve your odds if you have some good suggestions in your corner for beating the cravings and the psychological effects that you will go through.
This article has shown you some of those tricks and tips. Pick a few and give it a shot.
