Smoking is an expensive habit in addition to being bad for your health. For some people, however, even thinking about quitting feels overwhelming. If you want to stop smoking but you don’t know what to do, read on. There are lots of techniques to try if you really want to give up.
Remember that smoking cessation is really all about replacing one behavior with another. For most people, it is primarily the physical act of smoking that is the major draw. It signifies “me time” and a break from a hectic schedule or a boring job. Choose ahead of time exactly what behavior you will replace those smoking minutes with, and then do it!
Make sure you have the right attitude. You can not take quitting as a deprivation. Instead, think of this process as a favor that you are doing for yourself. By quitting you are helping your body and making a healthier change that will in turn lead to a healthier happier you!
If you’re trying to quit smoking, take things one day at a time. Rather than focusing on never having a cigarette ever again, just concentrate on not lighting up today. Making shorter goals will make it easier for you to cope, both mentally and physically. Once you feel more comfortable, you can start thinking about long term goals.
To quit smoking for good, you’ll get better results by gradually weaning yourself than you would if you tried to quit cold turkey. Nearly all people that try to quit cold turkey fail as a result of nicotine withdrawal. Cut back slowly and steadily, and if the cravings are still too powerful then subsidize your efforts with medication or other tools.
One of the keys to quitting for good is avoiding the things that make you want to smoke. Change your behavior, so you aren’t tempted, for example, go to new restaurants that do not allow smoking. Find a distraction to keep you occupied.
Quit smoking to improve your smile. People who smoke often fall victim to yellow teeth, persistent bad breath, and even gum disease. In addition, smoking puts you at risk for mouth cancer. When you quit, your smile will have a chance to become whiter, and you’ll feel more like smiling because your body will be healthier.
To cut back on smoking cravings, change the habits that once surrounded smoking. For example, if you always smoked on your breaks then see if you can get your breaks at a different time to make it harder to succumb to those cravings. Likewise, if you always had a cigarette with coffee then switch to a new caffeine fix like tea.
If you are finding that you aren’t enjoying food and drinks as much as you used to, consider quitting smoking. Smoking can cause damage to the taste buds in your mouth, meaning that you don’t recognize tastes in the same way. If you quit, your taste buds will soon recuperate, meaning you will be able to enjoy your favorite meals once again.
Receiving support from friends and family members can go a long way in helping you to quit smoking. It’s especially important to remind them that getting over an addiction can cause mood swings and irritability. If people close to you are understanding of the situation, it will make relapsing that much easier to avoid.
Looking at a picture of smoker’s lungs may be all you need to quit smoking. When a person smokes, their lungs turn black after a while and they could end up with lung cancer. As harsh as it may seem, viewing the picture may set off a signal in your brain to quit.
Take the time to really sit down and think about how quitting smoking will improve your life. This is especially effective if you already have serious health conditions that smoking can exacerbate, like asthma or diabetes. If your family has a predisposition for cancer, then it can also be very powerful for you to acknowledge that quitting now could actually save your life.
When you are trying to quit smoking, sometimes you have to change other habits which trigger your desire for a puff. Instead of that cup of coffee or that alcoholic drink, have a glass of juice or water. Many people still have an urge to have a smoke after finishing a meal. After a meal, take a walk. Not only will it help take your mind off having a smoke, it will also help keep off the weight that is commonly associated with giving up smoking.
After reading this article, you hopefully have some ideas about how to stop smoking. Choose one or two tips at a time to experiment with. If one tip doesn’t work, just try another. Sooner or later you’ll find something that can help you break your smoking habit for good.
