It can be hard to quit smoking if your life is stressful, and not everyone you encounter is supportive. However, with the tips given here, it is possible to overcome your addiction and break out of the stress-smoke-stress-smoke cycle.
Figure out some activities you can do to distract you from cravings and then keep the list handy. Having several ideas on paper will help you to focus on something more productive. Include fun things like going for a stroll or doing a puzzle.
If giving up smoking is hard for you, think about a different source for your nicotine while you quit. This has been shown to give you twice as good a chance of quitting smoking when you use it along with behavior change therapy. Nicotine lozenges, patches and gum are all examples. These products should only be used in place of cigarettes, not with them.
If you are a good writer, create a song that outlines your goals for quitting smoking. Read or sing that piece to yourself every day. Research has shown that this method is very helpful in quitting smoking.
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 find yourself struggling to stay on track, the list will be a constant reminder and give you the motivation you need to keep pressing on.
To solidify the importance of quitting smoking, do some research and expose yourself to some of the most serious effects this nasty habit can impose. Check out candid pictures of smoking-related gum disease and lung cancer. Also read obituaries of people who died from diseases resulting from smoking.
If you can think positively and be motivated, then those will work in your favor to help you quit smoking. Remain focused on the positive ways your life will change once you rid yourself of cigarettes. You'll smell better, will save thousands of dollars, and won't have to huddle outside in the rain and snow for a smoke anymore! Thinking about negative things can help you quit smoking, but also try to think of positive aspects.
Just take each day as it comes. Remember that quitting will always be a process, and it doesn't usually happen over night. Do not concern yourself with next month or next year. Just keep your mind and body in the present and take it by the day while trying to get rid of your nicotine habits in the here and now. This will change the outcome of the future.
Using an item to hold in your hands or mouth, instead of a cigarette, may help you stop smoking. Consider a toothpick, or maybe a sugar-free lollipop. You might also try breath mints, tiny candies, or gum. Don't use food though, because this could make you gain weight.
To increase your motivation to stop smoking, keep in mind that your loved ones would be negatively impacted if you became sick as a result of smoking. One out of every five deaths can be tied to cigarettes! Do not become a statistic.
To stop smoking and maybe getting paid to do it, try taking part in clinical studies. This will allow you to not only try new prescriptions as they become available, but you will likely be compensated monetarily for participating. Consult your doctor and be upfront about any possible factors that could preclude you from participating.
Discuss your wish to quit smoking with your doctor. Your doctor will be able to provide you with helpful tips and advice to make quitting easier. Also, if your doctor feels that your situation calls for it, he or she may think it is best for you to take a prescription medication for quitting.
Let your family and friends know that you are going to quit smoking. Encouragement from those you trust the most can act as one of the greatest motivations for continuing forward with your commitment. Tell them to keep you reminded when you are feeling the need to smoke. Let them know that you are trying to quit in order to feel better, and to achieve a healthier life.
Make a N.O.P.E. (not one puff ever) resolution. Do not convince yourself that smoking one cigarette will not hurt your good resolutions; one will soon turn into two, and all your hard work will be for nothing. Remember that having "just one" can exacerbate your cravings and get you on the wrong path.
If you can't quit right now, change cigarette brands. By switching to a brand you don't like the taste of, you may not want a cigarette as often as before. Cut back on the number of cigarettes you smoke in a day or inhale them differently. This can be a small step toward giving them up.
Do not allow a craving far down the road take you by surprise, even years after you quit. Stay away from that first puff! Remember how tough it is to stop and whether you can go through that trouble again.
Create some sort of rewards system for yourself while you are quitting. Smoking is a costly habit. Buy yourself a treat with the money you save to reward yourself for your hard work and dedication. This tangible benefit from avoiding smoking can be a great motivator to stick with it.
Exercise instead of smoking; this can help you a lot. Exercising releases endorphins, which can improve your mood and help you focus on something else than your cravings. Exercise is beneficial in another way as well; it can minimize the effects of metabolism changes that happen when you stop smoking, which can help keep the extra weight gain at bay that people who quit sometimes experience.
Now that you have these tips at your disposal, you will discover that it is possible to kick this habit once and for all. Tell others about the steps you are taking to quit smoking, so that they can benefit from them as well
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