Quit Smoking
Kick the cigarette habit once and for all!
It’s not easy to quit smoking but it is possible! Though it will take willpower, commitment, support and sometimes professional help to quit smoking and remain tobacco free, you can get through this! The United States Surgeon General states that smokers who quit smoking have already taken the single most important step that they can towards improving the quality and length of their lives. Your best chance when it comes to quitting is to know what your options are and where to find help; we cover that information here.
Ways to Quit
Over the years, many different smoking cessation options have come to light as smokers, doctors and society as a whole learns more and more about the dangers of smoking cigarettes. From support groups to counseling to nicotine replacement therapies there are a number of ways that you can quit smoking when you are ready to make the commitment. Some of the most common methods of quitting today include:
- Support groups
- Smoking cessation classes
- Nicotine replacement therapy
- Medications to treat nicotine addiction
- Hypnosis
- Acupuncture
Most people find that a combination of varied efforts help them to refrain from using nicotine products despite their cravings or desire to do so. Motivation is a huge component for people trying to quit smoking so support groups and similar therapeutic methods have proven to be highly effective when it comes to helping people to quit. When trying to quit, just like people who suffer from various forms of substance abuse, you may find that you have to try more than one treatment before you find help that really works.
Certain factors may influence whether your decision to quit smoking actually has a successful outcome or not. Smokers commonly tell those who say, “you should quit because…” to stop telling them why they should quit (most smokers already are well aware of the dangers and negative aspects of smoking) and start telling them how to quit. The following factors must be considered as part of your quit smoking plan:
- Make a decision to quit and set a quit smoking date to stop procrastination
- Make a plan on how you will quit, how you will cope and what you will do if you relapse
- Cope with withdrawal in an effective manner and learn how to overcome it
- Don’t use tobacco products in the future because even small amounts can refuel the addiction
Staying Smoke Free
Once you decide to quit smoking and you do take the steps to quit, staying smoke free is your greatest challenge. Think about how much work you put into quitting and do your best to stay on track. Quitting is hard to do but once you do stop, staying smoke free will gradually become a bit easier.
