Smoking has serious consequences on you and your life. On a superficial level, smoking affects the way your home, clothes and breath smell. Most importantly, smoking affects your health. Fortunately, many if not all of these negative aspects of smoking, can be eliminated by quitting. If you do not know how to stop, this information can get you started on the right path.
Make your attempts as manageable as possible. Don’t try going cold turkey. By doing this, you are almost certain to fail. Since nicotine is so addictive, it’s important to use a method that includes a prescription or nicotine patches or gum. These will help you through those initial withdrawal stages, which should make quitting smoking easier.
To boost your chances of quitting smoking, make a list of pluses and minuses about stopping. Writing something on paper makes it more powerful, and more real to your mind. Your efforts will be easier this way because you will be focused on your goal.
Replace sweets with fresh produce to prevent gaining weight as you quit smoking. This will assist with keeping weight gain away. Remember that your body is going to crave food when you quit and the best thing to do is give it healthy food to keep you in a healthy state of mind.
Hypnosis can help quit smoking. Many individuals have quit successfully after working with a licensed hypnotist. They’ll place you into a hypnotic subconscious state which allows them to fill your mind with positivity and motivation. This hypnosis will tell your brain that smoking is not appealing, helping you avoid the urge to smoke.
Use one of the many nicotine replacement solutions on the market today. The effects of nicotine withdrawal can cause depression, moodiness and frustration. The cravings you feel for nicotine may be uncontrollable. Nicotine-replacement therapy can help with these feelings. Various research studies have shown that people who use nicotine gum, lozenges or patches double their odds of successfully kicking the habit of smoking. However, do not use nicotine replacement products while smoking.
Be open and let people know about your goal to quit smoking. This can help you to create a support group to facilitate the process. This support may be the additional push that you require to stay strong as you quit.
Another motive for quitting is that it will benefit your family, as well as yourself. Secondhand smoke can lead to many grave health issues. So by choosing to quit smoking you not only lessen the risk of you getting a type of disease, or other kind of illness, but you also reduce the chance that a loved one will too. That means that your whole family will benefit from you quitting.
Concentrate on each day as it comes to help you quit smoking. Make your goals very short and attainable – one day at a time. Focusing on one day at a time is easier than focusing on the long-term. As your physical needs for nicotine diminish, you can set longer term goals to match your commitment and comfort level.
Many people have found that switching brands can help on your quitting journey. Switch to a brand that you don’t like or a cigarette that you don’t like the taste of. Do not smoke a greater number of them than usual or modify the way in which you inhale them. You will be off to a great start in kicking your habit.
If you are trying to stop smoking, see to it that you have plenty of rest. Late nights can provide more time to crave that next cigarette for some individuals. The wee hours are also times when you are more likely to be alone and less likely to be observed by others. Having eight hours to rest every night will keep you focused and it will be easier for you to control your cravings.
Give your home a fresh start, too, by cleaning away the smoky smell. Steam-clean or shampoo your carpet and furniture, scrub the walls and wash your curtains and drapes. Your home will smell fresh and clean, and you will not be reminded of smoking every time you walk in the door.
Ask your family members to get on board with your decision to stop smoking. It is important that you let them know you need their support and that you do not need them to be judgmental. Remind them that you may have times of frustration and irritability and ask them to bear with you. Make sure that you have support from close friends and loved ones during your quitting process, this support can come in handy as quitting is not easy.
When planning your quit, do not forget to factor in rewards for the important milestones you will reach. Choose rewards which will be given when you have quit for 24 hours, 7 days and then 4 weeks. Keep the list on display so that you have to look at it every day. This will give you the motivation you need when you feel like giving in to temptation.
If your cold turkey effort to stop smoking failed, then get some extra help via products like nicotine patches or gum. These substitutes are OTC medications that replace some of the nicotine your body is used to getting from smoking. This can ease withdrawal symptoms, and increase your chances of quitting for good.
The first 7 days of quitting are the absolute hardest. The first two days without smoking is when the body rids itself completely of all the nicotine you’ve been consuming. After that, you will experience mainly psychological cravings. These are easier to resist than physical cravings, though it can still be hard to do so.
Allow your family and friends to know that you are giving up smoking. They will be able to help you stay on track. It’s hard to quit without a support system. Doing so helps maximize your likelihood of success, and gets you closer to your goal.
Quit smoking as soon as possible. Choose today as the day instead of putting it off to a future date. If you quit now, your chances of contracting a serious or deadly illness, due to smoking, will be significantly reduced. Quitting also prevent those around you from inhaling secondhand smoke, which is another important reason to quit.
A strong and positive mental attitude can go a long way in helping you to quit smoking. Think about the improvement to your life you will have. Imagine having breath that does not smell, or how sparkly your teeth can be, and how fresh and clean your surroundings will be. Even though when people know the bad things about smoking they may get scared enough to quit, going over positive changes can help too.
When you think about quitting cigarettes, approach it as a positive thing you are doing for yourself rather than something you need to endure. When you see the benefits of quitting, it will be easier. The benefits are far greater than the temporary difficulties, and it will make a powerful change in your life. This can give you the incentive and the rationale to kick the habit immediately.
One of the best things you can do to help yourself quit is to not falter if you have a relapse in judgement. You must stay motivated, as it is possible to fail at first. Once you have committed to leaving your smoking habit behind, you must do everything in your power to ensure that you to do not fall victim to the habit again. If you fail the first time, set a second quit date immediately. Just recommit every time you quit, learning from your failings as you go. Each time you attempt to stop smoking, you will develop new tactics which will eventually enable you to quit completely.
As a smoker, smoking was probably your primary coping mechanism during periods of high stress. Find other techniques you can use to relax when you feel stressed. You might find that techniques such as meditation, exercise and yoga will allow you to combat stress without smoking.
If you smoke inside your living area, clean everything thoroughly, once you decide to quit. Wash your walls, drapes and curtains and shampoo the carpet and upholstery. Your home will smell fresh and clean, and you will not be reminded of smoking every time you walk in the door.
Try exercising to replace your smoking habit. You’ll get an endorphin boost that will keep you from worrying as much about cigarettes. Exercise can also help avoid possible weight gain caused by the changes nicotine withdrawal can make to your metabolism.
If you’re trying to stop smoking, stay away from situations or places that could tempt you to smoke. Change your routine if it always involved having a smoke. Switching things up a bit, such as staying away from bars, will make it easier to avoid giving in to your cravings.
When you are trying to quit smoking, eat plenty of nuts, vegetables and fruits. Eating low calorie and healthy foods helps in quitting smoking for several reasons. One reason is that it keeps the hands and mouth busy, which can simulate the behavior of normal smoking motions. An additional benefit to eating fruits and vegetables is that the fiber in these food may help curb your appetite, which in turn will help control your weight. You also may experience less withdrawal symptoms if you eat these foods because of the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients they contain.
Try to put quitting in a positive light, as it can serve to be very advantageous to your life. Keeping a positive attitude about quitting can help you stay committed, allowing you to drop the habit faster. The benefits are far greater than the temporary difficulties, and it will make a powerful change in your life. Doing so will reinforce your desire to quit and help you meet your goals this time.
If you are having trouble resisting the urge to smoke, get someone else in on it right away. Whether you call a supportive friend or a relative, reach out to someone and share what you are feeling. Not only does the act of talking on the phone distract you from your craving, you’ll also receive valuable social support that will last much longer than the phone call.
Exercise instead of smoking; this can help you a lot. Your brain releases endorphins after you work out, which will improve your mood. A workout is also an excellent distraction from your cravings. You should also exercise to counteract certain side effects of quitting, such as weight gain.
Prior to giving up smoking, come up with a list of why you desire to quit, and what motivations you have for throwing out the cigarettes. If you end up struggling, you can get your list out and use it to motivate yourself.
It’s not easy to stop smoking, but it can really help your social life and health. Now that you have read the tips from this article, hopefully you are feeling more confident about permanently quitting your smoking habit. Pick a tip, and try it right now.
If you’re experiencing a craving for a cigarette, try taking deep breaths. This allows you to focus on your battle, reminding you of exactly why you decided to give up. Sometimes, simply taking a time out and refocusing may be enough to set you back on track. These techniques are simple, effective and, best of all, free!