If you want to stop smoking, the word for you is "No". Every time you're tempted you have to disallow yourself the ability to say "Yes" to a cigarette. If your only answer is "No" you'll find that you can't cave in to a craving. No cigarettes, no "Maybe", leads to no smoking!
Smoking cessation is one of the few times when it is best to procrastinate; delay tactics are often an effective strategy. Tell yourself that you will wait 10 minutes and then find a way to distract yourself for that time period. Usually, after the 10 minutes have passed, any craving will have gone away. Repeat this step repeatedly if you need.
Don't Go Cold Turkey
Do not quit cold turkey. It can be tempting to throw out your cigarettes and say, "I quit!" But cold turkey is not the way you want to go. Studies show that over ninety percent of people who try to stop smoking with no medication or therapy end up relapsing. The reason for this is because nicotine is addictive and your brain craves it. Without it, nicotine withdrawal symptoms set in.
Make a list of reasons that you want to quit smoking, and keep them http://www.healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Topic.aspx?id=24 in your wallet. Your reasons may include your family, living to see a special event, or anything you find meaningful. Whenever you have moments of weakness, pull out your list for several reminders of what you are working toward.
To keep yourself motivated to quit smoking, be clear about why you want to quit. While there are many good reasons to stop smoking, you want to focus on your most powerful, personal reasons. Every time you feel tempted, remind yourself how much you want to improve your health, save money or set a good example for your kids.
Take the money that you would usually throw away on your cigarettes and spend it on yourself on something that you really want. This is sort of like a reward for your hard work. Treat yourself to an expensive coat, a nice jacket or even that pair of shoes that you have been eying.
Be how much are electronic cigarette cognizant of routine activities that trigger the desire to have a smoke. For some, it is the first cup of coffee in the morning. For others it may be the end of a meal, or socializing with smoking friends. Whatever your trigger may be, this is the time you must remind yourself that you are quitting because you care enough about yourself that you want to.
Have alternate coping mechanisms in place to deal with the stress that you used handle by smoking before you attempt to quit. Avoid as many stressful situations as possible in the early stages of your attempt to quit. Soothing music, yoga and massage can help you deal with any stress you do encounter.
Choose a date to quit and stick to it. Make a big deal out of this date. Write it down on your calendar, even consider having some sort of ceremony to mark the date for yourself. You need to instill this date in your head -- the importance of it -- so you can use it as a driver to stay on task for the long run.
Make sure you tell yourself that you are not going to smoke each and every day. As you get up in the morning, you should try telling yourself that you are not going to smoke a single cigarette. Reaffirming this goal in your mind each morning will keep you on track to successful smoking cessation.
Set up an incentive plan for yourself. When you reach one of your goals, reward yourself. Create a list of the rewards you will give yourself when you've made it past certain dates. Take the time to put the list in a very visible spot and view it daily. This might just help to keep you motivated during times of weakness.
You should pick your method, or methods of quitting. Some people may only be able to use the "cold turkey" method, meaning cutting their nicotine use entirely without tapering. However, this can make some people exceptionally cranky and exacerbate withdrawal. Gums, lozenges and other quitting cessation products exist to make the first week easier to handle.
If you have a friend or loved one who is having a hard time trying to quit, then you should try sharing with them some of the painful truths about smoking. Try to be sincere and understanding as you relate this information so that they understand that you are trying to help them and that you are not trying to attack them.
You should be honest with yourself when you are looking to stop smoking. Your addiction to tobacco is as real as any other substance addiction. This means that you should seek out emotional and physical support to assist you in quitting cigarettes. Furthermore, this also means that quitting smoking should be all or nothing.
Kill your nicotine addiction before you quit smoking. Talk to your doctor about any possible medicines they can prescribe that can make nicotine powerless over you. After you are on one for a while, you will find smoking having no effect on your mood. You will just stop because it does not do anything for you anymore.
When quitting smoking, it's best not to immediately cut yourself off. While stopping cigarettes and having a clean break sounds great it theory, it's very rarely effective. In fact, some studies have found that only 5% of people who use the cold turkey method of quitting smoking manage to remain cigarette free.
An excellent tip for quitting smoking is to get your teeth cleaned. Although this may sound strange, this can be very effective because you'll get to enjoy the way that your teeth look now. Smoking can really discolor the teeth. By quitting, you can get your teeth white again. Having whiter teeth is an excellent motivator for you to permanently eliminate smoking from your life. Look in the mirror, and smile.
As stated in the introduction, smoking is a terrible habit that makes you smell bad, costs lots of money and is harmful to your health.
While most smokers what to quit smoking, most of them are unsuccessful at it. The people that can successfully quit usually have made a solid plan, and have a lot of motivation to keep going. From the techniques that have been provided to you in this article, you can prepare your own fight plan so that you can be successful once and for all.
