How to Stop Smoking: Fighting Addiction

Learning how to stop smoking is a journey. For some, it is a short journey of resilience, while for others, it is a longer, and more complicated journey. This is because stopping smoking is, for most people, a change. Coincidentally, change is one thing that people struggle with, regardless if it is big or small.

People’s start to smoking is one of a pleasant sensation, a feeling of rebellion, or a way to belong can quickly. But before long, this is replaced by the feeling of being trapped, and the worries associated with smoking like cancer, heart disease and a possible stroke.

But we believe that It is well worth it. So, we will discuss some tips to help you in your journey below.

Understand why you smoke

In order to be able to remove this habit, you must first go to the root of the problem by attempting to understand the function of the problem in your life, and the emotional, and psychological situations in which this habit rears its ugly head.

Writing this in a diary will help you connect the dots, and understand better the smoking patterns that you have in your life when you smoke. Once you get through this step successfully, you will be better equipped to adjust your behaviour or avoid those people, or circumstances altogether. 

Set boundaries 

Set boundaries for yourself. It is helpful to first put some small restrictions in place like making the decision to smoke in certain situations only. An easy place to stop smoking is in the car.

By encouraging better habits in small ways like this, you can then gauge how often these situations occur, and work towards making further changes to decrease them, when you are comfortable doing so.

Support

Although some people are successful on their own, oftentimes, it becomes difficult to stick to the plans made, because you find yourself feeling alone, and unmotivated to keep the cravings at bay. Ask for help. Growing your support system, whether it’s a friend group, family members, or a local stop-smoking service, like a counselling program, is essential in keeping your morale up, and your priorities in mind.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy

Nicotine Patch 

This is a product which is a great deal safer than cigarettes, as it releases low and controlled amounts of nicotine into the body through the skin without other harmful substances like carbon monoxide, and tar. This helps in order to help reduce cigarette cravings in smokers.

However, this is not a long-term solution to nicotine addiction, but it is designed to help the transition between smoking, and being entirely cigarette-free.

Nicotine Gum

Similarly to the Nicotine patch, this is another resource which provides low but consistent nicotine, after the smoking is stopped. This helps as it reduces cravings, and withdrawal symptoms, thus reducing the challenging nature of stopping smoking altogether.

Nicotine-free vaping juice

This is a good alternative to smoking nicotine, only it doesn’t have harmful effects, and it can help you to combat the nicotine craving by using the association of the hand-to-mouth movement you do when smoking, but replacing the cigarette with a vape.

Exercise

Exercise is known to release feel-good endorphins into your body. Keeping active can reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms. You do not have to start a heavily regimented workout program. Some mild walking, like walking should do the trick. This will, in turn, make your brain not want to ruin the good work that you’ve done with cigarettes.

Start a New Hobby 

Sometimes, keeping busy working on improving another aspect of yourself will help distract you from the struggle of letting go of a habit that has a tight, addictive hold over you like smoking, and the cravings, as well as other reminders that come with it.

However, being able to separate yourself from your addiction in this way will allow you to have a well-deserved break, which will, in turn, fuel your motivation enough to be able to fight it when the going gets tough.

Bottom Line 

One of the most important things about quitting smoking is that the person who smokes needs to keep trying, and not give up.

Sometimes, it takes several serious attempts before you can kick the habit. Rather than looking at a slip back to smoking as a failure, consider it an opportunity to learn from experience and be better prepared when looking to quit the next time. 

You can fight every disease. However, it’s always important to cover yourself. Look at our health insurance.

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