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!
Do not quit alone. Tell everyone you around on regularly that you are trying to quit smoking. They can provide support and encouragement and it can make a huge difference. You might also consider a support group or a counselor. Behavior therapy can help you come up with and stick to strategies that will help you quit smoking.
Have a friend or family member quit who smokes quit at the same time as you. Just like other things in life, such as losing weight, quitting is easier when someone else knows where you are coming from. The two of you can share tips or just vent to each other.
Don’t assume that a nicotine withdrawal medication has to have nicotine in it. While it is true that you can find an alternate source of nicotine and reduce your levels of it, you could just try a prescription medication that blocks your need for nicotine. Consult your physician about a medicine that might just kill your cravings.
Plan out your stress coping mechanisms as soon as you quit smoking. When a stressful occurrence happens, smokers are typically used to just lighting up a cigarette and smoking their stress away. You’re more likely to not smoke, if you are scheduled to do an alternative activity. Have multiple ideas you can use in the event the first doesn’t help adequately.
Avoid emptying your ashtrays. If you see how many cigarettes you have smoked laying the the ashtray, you will be less likely to smoke any more. This will also leave the unsightly butts and their smell behind. This can be helpful because it will remind of you how bad the smell of smoke is.
Clean your house and car when you quit smoking. Don’t spend time in any environment where you look at the surroundings and equate them with smoking. Dispose of butts and ashtrays and clean anything with the smell of cigarettes. Your fresh environment should reflect a healthier, cleaner you, and some rigorous housecleaning might just let you power through a craving.
When you have made up your mind that you want to quit smoking, it is important to get some support from others. Let your family, friends, and co-workers know that you are planning on giving up your smoking habit and ask for their support and encouragement. Who knows, some of them may have been successful with breaking the habit and can offer some great advice. With their help and encouragement, it can help you get through the tough days.
Avoid carrying your cigarettes around with you. This makes them harder to get to and you will be able to cut back on smoking by doing this. When they are an inconvenience to get to, you won’t smoke them as often. This will eventually help you quit smoking for good.
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.
Taking away the reminders and triggers that make you want to smoke can also help you to stop smoking. Throw out all your lighters and ashtrays. Clean your home from top to bottom and launder all your clothing to eliminate the odor of smoke. When you can no longer smell smoke or see smoking equipment in your home, your home won’t remind you of cigarettes and end up triggering your nicotine and tobacco cravings.
To optimize your chances of success, don’t try to quit smoking during a stressful time in your life. This is when your nicotine addiction is strongest, and trying to quit only sets you up for failure. Wait until you feel empowered by other successes – regardless of how large or small – and use that success as a springboard for quitting.
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.
