Almost everyone who smokes realizes they should quit. Have you ever heard a smoker talk about how happy they are that they decided to start smoking? People who do not smoke can’t really understand how hard it is to stop, but ex-smokers have lived the journey. Read on to find out what has worked for other ex-smokers.
If you can’t do away with a craving altogether, try to at least hold out against it for as long as possible. Force yourself to do something, whether it is go for a walk around the block or simply drinking an entire glass of water, before you are allowed to have a cigarette. By delaying your actions, you find that you really didn’t want that cigarette after all. You may decide not to smoke it at all.
When you quit smoking, it is a day-to-day event. Quitting smoking is a task that needs to be dealt with methodically. Don’t waste your time thinking about next year, next month or even next week. Do not spend your time worrying about tomorrow; focus on avoiding cigarettes one day at a time.
Enlist in the help of your family and friends to support your efforts to stop smoking. Ask them to provide you with encouragement and not criticism. Let them know that you’ll be moody at the beginning, since your thinking won’t be as clear. It is not simple to stop smoking, you should always develop a support system.
Think about using nicotine replacement alternatives when you quit smoking. Nicotine withdrawal can lead you feeling restless, irritable, frustrated or depressed. Additionally, the cravings can cause extreme discomfort during the day. You can help with the cravings by using nicotine replacement therapy. Studies show that nicotine gum, lozenges or patches can increase people’s success when quitting. However, do not use nicotine replacement products while smoking.
When you commit to quitting smoking, plan out appropriate rewards for every milestone you achieve. For instance, go to a movie after one week that you don’t smoke. On day 30 you can go out to dinner at a fancy restaurant. Continue to give yourself a reward in increasing amount to acknowledge your progress until you don’t think about the urge to smoke.
Staying positive will help you quit smoking for good. Imagine your life after smoking where you’re healthier, happier, and able to stick to your monthly budget with a little left over. Remind yourself of how much better your breath, clothes, and home will smell, and how much easier it will be to keep your teeth white. While knowing the dangers of smoking may scare some into putting the tobacco down, it can be an enormous benefit to consider the benefits of quitting too.
People that don’t smoke will never understand why you continue to smoke, regardless of its dangerous effects. A non-smoker also has no idea how difficult it is to stop smoking. There are people that have quit smoking, and they have used some of the methods explained in this article. Use quitters’ experience and insight to free yourself of this unhealthy habit.
