Turn Your Next Cigarette Into Your Last With These Smoking Cessation Tips
Most people have a hard time in trying to quit smoking. There is no single cure which produces good results for everyone. Doing some research and finding a list of ideas which can help you to quit, is key in ensuring you do quit for good. Read on for some good tips and advice that may help you to find a painless way to kick the habit.
Make your self a list of the reasons to and the reasons not to stop smoking. Writing it down can affect your mental outlook. This can help you stay motivated, and may make quitting easier.
If you must smoke a cigarette, try to delay yourself first. Tell yourself that you have to take a walk before you can smoke, or even just finish a large glass of water before you smoke. Often, you will find that just giving your mind some time and something to occupy itself with you will be able to get past the craving without having to smoke. If, even after the delay, you still have a cigarette, you will at least have taken up some time, meaning you will smoke less that day.
Stay in the present moment, and take quitting one day at a time. Quitting smoking is a long process. Do not concern yourself with next month or next year. Simply worry about today and take it day by day, trying to eliminate your smoking habits in the present, as this in turn, will change the future.
Make a list of strategies to help you quit. Creating a list based on your needs and goals is a great strategy for helping you stop smoking. Everyone does things their own way. It is very important that you specifically figure out what ways work the best for you. Making a list can help you accomplish this.
Commit your free time and energy to exercising more, both as a means of improving your health and as a means of avoiding cigarettes. A good workout also eases a lot of the stress out of your day. If you do not currently exercise regularly, you can start slowly by walking regularly. Before beginning an exercise plan, discuss this with your doctor.
Consulting your doctor or a specialist can help you get the help that you need to be successful. A variety of medications are available to make the quitting process easier, from anti-depressants to medications that make smoking less desirable. Your doctor can also point you toward other alternative therapies, as well as toward support groups and other sources of information.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
Consider nicotine replacement therapy. The effects of nicotine withdrawal can cause depression, moodiness and frustration. Cravings for a cigarette can be very powerful. You may find that nicotine replacement therapy will help reduce these feelings. Research proves that nicotine replacement products such as gum, patches or lozenges can double the success rate for quitting. Be careful not to use these products while still smoking, though.
You should not try to stop smoking alone. Tell your friends and relatives that you are quitting, and have them give you a hand. You may also be interested in joining a support group. Sometimes by talking to others who are dealing with the same withdrawals and issues that you are will help you be able to lean on each other and finally stop the habit.
The best advice to begin quitting is to simply stop smoking. Stopping is where you need to begin. Just stop and never let yourself start again. This method is notoriously challenging. However, this method has been shown to actually be more effective, as time goes by.
Try giving yourself rewards when you reach important milestones. Plan out those rewards well in advance. Come up with a worthwhile reward for every set amount of days, weeks or months you go without smoking. Make sure that you put your reward list in a spot where you can see it daily. This will keep you motivated when it’s tough to stay on track.
You should find a way to keep your motivation clearly in sight and in mind at all times. Perhaps posting inspirational signs on your wall, or having a piece of jewelry that reminds you of your efforts will help. No matter what you chose, having a visual reminder will help you when a craving hits.
You may want to avoid activities associated with smoking once you decide to quit. Try to alter your activities during the day to avoid situations that you associate with smoking. Drink coffee while driving to work and avoid the bar to reduce cravings, as there will be many smokers in this area.
You should try your best to squeeze in workouts. Exercising can increase your lung capacity and encourage healing, so start a regular exercise routine as soon as you stop smoking. Increased exercise will also ensure that you don’t gain any weight after quitting. The endorphins released during exercising can fulfill your nicotine cravings to a certain extent.
You should ask your friends and family members to help you quit smoking. Let all of your friends and family know about your decision to quit. Others can help you stay on track and make you quit once and for all. Also, consider attending a support group or getting some behavioral therapy to assist you in quitting.
Kicking your smoking habit may very well be one of the most challenging things you will ever do, and what works for one person may not work for another. But it is still possible, and even likely, that you can find a way. Use the advice you read here in combination with your own research to devise a solid quitting plan. Try them out and you might be pleasantly surprised.