How to Permanantly Overcome Your Smoking Habit
In the United States, tobacco smoking is responsible for almost half a million deaths per year. Alcohol, by comparison, kills less than a hundred thousand per year. In spite of illegal drugs killing more people today than ever before, only seventy thousand die annually of illicit and prescription drug overdoses. Smoking is thankfully not likely to kill a young person. People falsely assume that their future selves will quit smoking, long before the risk of fatal consequences starts rapidly increasing.
Many people who try to quit smoking do not succeed. However, quitting should not be thought of as a daunting and heroic challenge that most people are not strong enough to achieve. If one knows how to stop smoking in a not very painful or demanding way, they are likely to succeed. Have a plan! One should not try to rely on will power alone. By using a few practical tricks, one can significantly increase the odds of succeeding.
1) Use nicotine replacement therapy
Replacing cigarettes with other nicotine products for some time before quitting nicotine altogether increases the odds of successfully quitting smoking. Quitting smoking does not necessarily require a person to go through intensely unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. If one stops nicotine gradually and with the help of nicotine gum or a nicotine patch, they can avoid intense withdrawal symptoms. While patches and chewing gum are available over the counter, inhalers and nasal spray require a doctor’s prescription. While chewing tobacco and e-cigarettes are marketed as alternatives to cigarettes and not as a way of quitting nicotine, some people successfully use vaping as a middle step between smoking and being nicotine-free.
2) Keep in mind that nicotine cravings don’t last very long
One is not likely to have a nicotine craving that lasts for a long time. Nicotine cravings are brief, usually lasting for only a few minutes. Either use a nicotine replacement product or wait for the desire to go away. If you feel like you are about to give in to the urge to smoke, tell yourself that you will not smoke until an hour from now. In an hour, and even in ten minutes, the craving is likely to be much weaker or gone entirely.
3) Join a support group
Research proves that those who join a support group when quitting smoking are a lot more likely to succeed than others. In some cases, a support group is an actual group of people that you meet up with regularly, in other cases one’s support group is only online. In-person support groups are the most effective; however, one also boosts their odds of success if they use an online support group. Another option is to talk to an individual therapist who will help you get through the quitting process.
People can also call smoking cessation support lines, which are free to call.One should not think of quitting smoking as an arduous and painful task. A challenge, yes, but well within an average person’s will power to achieve. One should not expect it to be painful or exhausting, as, with the right physical and mental tricks, it does not have to be. Those who quit smoking often start feeling healthier, more proud, and more energetic very early on into the quitting process. One should not worry about long term stress or anxiety – quitting smoking tends to reduce a person’s stress levels.
You can check out Dr. Jud’s smoking cessation strategies or download the Craving To Quit® app to help you overcome this bad habit.
