Kicking the habit can be beneficial to your health, your social life and your wallet. So why is it so hard to do? This article has some great advice on the things you can do to finally quit for good. Keep reading to see what might help you out.
When you are trying to quit smoking, write a list of all of the reasons why you want to stop. Carry that list with you at all times. One of the best place to carry this list is where you used to carry your cigarettes. Whenever you catch yourself reaching for your pack of smokes, pull out the list, instead, and read why you want to break the habit.
Keep a cold glass or bottle of ice water nearby at all times. When you get a craving for a cigarette, take a sip of water–even if this means you hardly put the bottle down at first. This gives you something to do with your hands and mouth, and it can be a useful way to prevent snacking, too.
Get a good night’s sleep every night if you are trying to stop smoking. Staying up late can elevate fatigue, increasing cravings for a cigarette. You may get tempted to sneak a smoke since nobody is around to catch you during these hours. Eight hours of sleep each night will allow you to remain mentally focused, which keeps you in better control of nasty cravings.
Try to get it through your mind that smoking is not the solution to any problem you may encounter, whether it is a flat tire or a family issue. Smoking has never solved a crisis, and it will certainly not begin to alleviate your woes. Remember this when you are on your way to quitting smoking.
In order to quit smoking, find something else you can hold in your hand and put in your mouth. Many smokers find it hard to quit because they have an urge to have a cigarette in their hands and mouth. Rather than a cigarette, you can hold onto a straw.
When you decide to go out with your family or your friends, try to go to places where you cannot smoke. This will prevent you from taking puffs. Try going to a restaurant or going out to a movie. This is a wonderful way to curve your urges, and it is fairly easy. Just make it inconvenient to smoke.
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!
To make quitting smoking seem more straightforward, put the negatives of your smoking habit into numbers. For example, figure out how often you smoke, how many cigarettes you smoke a day and how much it costs you to smoke that much on a daily, monthly and yearly basis. Every time you cut back a little, you’ll know exactly how much you’ve progressed.
Use nicotine replacement therapies to help you quit smoking. The nicotine addiction associated with long-term smoking is strong. You are likely to get irritable, restless and depressed if you stop your intake of nicotine suddenly. Using a patch or gum or lozenges containing nicotine can help you to wean yourself off gradually.
Don’t expect yourself to be perfect about quitting. It’s hard to stop smoking, and most people have intense cravings from time to time while they are quitting or even backslide once or twice. Don’t beat yourself up if you give into temptation. Just get back on track as soon as possible and keep working on quitting.
Look into non-traditional methods of quitting smoking. No one quits smoking the same way and what works for your friend, may not work for you. If you are having trouble quitting with the more conventional methods, take a look at your options. Hypnosis and acupuncture are both highly successful methods to help you quit.
When you decide that it’s time to quit, write a list of factors that motivate you to want to stop smoking. Check that list every time you have a craving and remember why you quit. It’s a highly effective motivational technique!
Become a second-hand smoker. After you make it three weeks and have made tobacco freedom your new habit, you will still have cravings from time to time. You might not want to smoke, but just miss the lovely smell. Stand downwind of current smokers for a brief moment of nostalgic aroma and then move on.
As you can see, it is very important that you find a way to stop smoking. Not only is it bad for your health, but the social and economic consequences can be just as dire. If you use the ideas here you can find a way to finally kick that smoking habit.
