Stop Smoking With These Proven Tips For Success
As a smoker, you should know that you are increasing your risks of developing many diseases, and you are affecting the health of others around you. You could get lung cancer, heart attacks, emphysema and many other conditions. The people who breathe your second hand smoke are at risk too. You can see how quitting becomes even more urgent. The information in this article will provide you with many tips that should help you successfully quit.
Make your quitting attempt as easy on yourself as you can. Never try to go cold turkey. Only 5% of people who try this method are successful. Nicotine is extremely addictive, so use a patch, therapy or medication. You’ll be better equipped to make it through withdrawal and stop smoking permanently.
Take each day one at a time. Quitting can be a lengthy process. Do not worry about how you are going to cope until next month, or the year after. Take each day as it comes and concentrate on not smoking that day, which will help establish a habit that will help you over the long term.
Tell your loved ones that you want to quit smoking. When you let people know your plans, they can help you keep temptation away and stay motivated. Their support will be a big boost in helping you on the road to stopping smoking once and for all.
Remember that quitting smoking is a day-by-day effort. Take your journey day by day, focusing on the moment instead of the future. Reaching your goal one day at a time is easier to deal with mentally and physically. Once you are comfortable with the level of commitment you have towards quitting, you can set long term goals.
Minute Delay
When the urge to smoke becomes overwhelming, try using a delay tactic. With the delay tactic, you tell yourself that you will have a smoke in just ten minutes and go do something else. After those ten minutes are up, distract yourself with something else. Generally, a 10 minute delay will be all you need to get over the urge to smoke. Otherwise, allow yourself another ten minute delay.
One good reason to quit is for the people close to you. Secondhand smoke can be harmful to those in your household. When you quit, you lower their exposure to secondhand smoke. Quitting will make both you and those you love healthier.
Try giving yourself rewards when you reach important milestones. Plan out those rewards well in advance. Jot down rewards you’ll give yourself after you’ve been smoke-free for a single day, week and month. Put that list somewhere where you can see it prominently each day. You might be surprised by how much these rewards can motivate you to overcome obstacles.
Find a way to stay motivated at all times. Maybe you can wear a symbolic bracelet, or perhaps leave messages that motivate your on your refrigerator or office wall. Whatever method you choose, this type of visual reminder may help you ward off craving and temptation.
Plan ahead, so that you are prepared to deal with stress without resorting to smoking. Many smokers are used to lighting up when something stressful happens. Having a plan in place will ensure you don’t fall prey to your cravings. Have a lot of ideas, in case your initial idea does not help.
Whatever activities and locations are most closely associated with smoking in your past, avoid them. For example, it may be necessary to switch up your daily routine, especially if your routine includes dedicated smoking times. Drinking coffee on your way to work in the car, or finding a new hangout besides the bar, will give you a chance to minimize familiar triggers and cravings.
Think about the likely consequences of a major decline in your health caused by smoking. How would your loved ones and friends be impacted? Statistics prove that one in five deaths in America are related to smoking. Keep yourself from becoming a statistic and stop now.
Make a no smoking mantra. It’s pretty easy to say that you’ll only smoke this one cigarette, but one relapse can compound and make the weeks or months you’ve spent not smoking worthless. Think about how damaging having just one cigarette could be before you ever even have the craving.
Today is the day to quit smoking! If you are truly ready, do not set a quit date many weeks from now; quit today or even tomorrow. If you quit now, your chances of contracting a serious or deadly illness, due to smoking, will be significantly reduced. You will also be protecting your family from the dangers of secondhand smoke. These things should make quitting even more important to you.
Smoking is both unhealthy and dangerous. Among the illnesses smoking can bring are lung disease, heart ailments and emphysema. You can also harm those around you with second-hand smoke. If you take the advice from this article, you can hopefully find a way to quit.