Stop Smoking Once And For All With These Effective Tips

Jul 19, 2012 by xahara77

You do not have to stay addicted to cigarettes, the choice is yours.

If you experience cravings, remember that the strength of the craving should subside within three to five minutes. Any crave episode triggered by habits (for example, an after-dinner cigarette craving) should subside as long as you distract yourself. Conscious triggers like acute stress may need extra work to overcome.

Consider seeing a therapist or life coach to help you stop smoking. Mental health professionals are usually trained to help people overcome addictions. A counselor or coach can help you figure out what’s motivating you to smoke and assist you with coming up with strategies to help you quit smoking.

To help you quit smoking, you should go to use a stop smoking aide. There are many aides available on the market which you can purchase at your local pharmacy. These aides can help relax your cravings while you are going through the quitting process. With the use of help, more than likely you will continue to smoke.

Consult your doctor about quitting. Your doctor can prescribe smoking cessation aids such as nicotine gum or nicotine patches. In addition, your doctor may know some strategies for controlling cravings that you don’t know. He can help you create a plan to stop smoking as well as monitoring your health while you work on quitting.

Sometimes people think they can quit smoking by switching to a product such as chewing-tobacco. This isn’t a good idea because usually chewing-tobacco contains more nicotine. You might end up just replacing one addiction for another. If you really want a product that can help you quit, try nicotine gum instead. You can slowly taper off the gum. They don’t usually sell progressively weaker versions of chewing tobacco.

If you’re trying to quit smoking, stopping “cold turkey” is a bad idea. Quitting without a means of support for nicotine withdrawal is an uphill battle. Because nicotine is addictive, it’s very easy to relapse without some form of support when quitting. It’s best to use smoking cessation medicine, or some type of therapy when you’re ready to quit.

Prove to yourself that quitting is possible by reading some success stories. It sounds sentimental, but you might be surprised by how empowering it is to read about how others have improved their lives by quitting smoking. No doubt you will also recognize some of your own challenges in their stories.

Remember that your attitude is everything. When you are beginning to feel down, you need to try to make yourself proud that you are quitting. Smoking is bad for you and each time you conquer the urge to smoke, you should feel proud as you are taking vital steps toward a healthier you.

Nicotine gum and patches have been around for many years now. They are safe and effective in helping many people to quit smoking. The amounts of nicotine that are released into your blood stream can make you feel a little less on edge. Pick up a pack at your local drug store and see if they work for you.

When you are first trying to quit smoking, try to avoid places that you associate with smoking. This might mean staying away from your favorite bar or the smoking spot at work. Staying away from these places also means staying away from temptation, which can be a very important thing to do when you are first trying to quit.

Reduce smoking gradually. Rather than quitting cold turkey, put together a schedule of giving up cigarettes. Start by reducing the amount of cigarettes you smoke each day – make a note of exactly how many you are smoking, and decide to cut that amount by a third the next day. Keep that up for a week, and then reduce it further until you are only smoking one or two per day. Eventually, you will be able to live your life without the crutch of a cigarette.

The decision to quit smoking entails a massive lifestyle change, so be sure you are ready for the commitment before you plunge into it. You should take time to sit down and create a dedicated plan to quitting smoking. This plan should entail account for your unique situation and triggers as well.

Nobody said that giving up cigarettes would be easy, but it is possible if you really want to.

Use the tips you have read to help you get started in your own personal plan. Today can be the day that you quit smoking and begin living without this painful addiction.

Julian Coram produces e-books on smokeless cigarette