HOW DO I QUIT SMOKING

HOW DO I QUIT SMOKING?

Quitting smoking is a really hard, in many cases the individuals have failed attempts to quit. Many may have started smoking as a way to cope with anxiety, depressed feeling or simply to get rid of boredom. Quitting in these situations can be harder. Smoking gives a ‘good’ feeling that helps you relax, once one continue smoking the brain enjoys and gets used to the sensation. Thus making an individual crave and continue with the habit.

To quit smoking can be a very difficult journey as one needs to deal with the addiction and the withdrawal symptoms such as craving, but with determination, persistence and support it is possible. Let us look at few ways to quit smoking the individual can apply on their own.

1. Make an action plan

Once you decide to quit, come up with a plan on how you are going to go about it. Two ways to quit smoking are generally seen to be successful:

• Cold turkey: In this process the individual quits smoking once and for all. They stop smoking from a particular day they decide, their whole intention is to not smoke at all.
• Cutting down: In this process the individual quits smoking by slowly decreasing the amount of cigarettes.

Whichever ways you choose make sure you plan out when to start and stick on to the plan. Select the date when you want to start quitting. Tell your friends and family about it, be ready for the challenges.

2. Get rid of cigarettes

Remove all the cigarette packets from home and office. This will help you with cravings. When you start craving, since you won’t find anything around you, you can delay the craving which will lower the intensity of the cravings.

3. Avoid triggers

Look at the things and situations that trigger the smoking behaviour. This can be a social event or visiting a particular place, try avoiding these once you realise that these situations. Staying away from triggers will prevent you from indulging in the behaviour.

4. Stay busy

Staying busy will help you keep distracted from your thoughts about smoking. It is common that you keep thinking about something what you decide not to think about. Engaging yourself in other activities and putting your focus on that activity will help you get distracted from the cravings. You can engage in an activity or simply chew gum or hold a tooth pick in your mouth so that you don’t feel that something is missing.

5. Have a positive attitude

There might be times you might feel frustrated and irritated as a result of withdrawal symptoms, in these times remind yourself the reason behind your decision to quit. This will help you get motivated to continue with your regime. If you weren’t able to control your craving and had a smoke that day, excuse yourself. You have not failed, it is common to fall back but most it is more essential to get back and follow your plan. You need to be prepared for these short coming and remind yourself to stick to the plan.

6. Get support

Surround yourself with friends and family members who encourage you to quit. This support can be helpful when you lose hope and will help you continue with your plan of quitting. Example, your family members would make sure they don’t smoke when you are around so that you don’t get tempted to indulge in the behaviour. This support will also go through the emotional distress experienced when quitting such as anger, frustration, sadness, etc. Along with friends and family members interact with people who have quit smoking successfully or who are on the process of quitting like you. Interacting with them might give you techniques to make this journey smoother also since they are going through the same journey as you they will be in a better position to understand your condition.

To quit smoking is not an easy task, but with enough hard work, determination and support it is doable. If the self help strategies mentioned above does not work, it is better to get professional help. There are counselling sessions, various therapies and medications that can help an individual quit smoking. For any professional help to help you quit smoking, contact our professionals on +919611194949.