The hardest part of quitting smoking is the first two weeks. The reason for this is that what happens when you quit smoking is the manifestation of the withdrawal symptoms, which last for around fourteen days, but peak during the first three days. Hence, if you want to quit smoking, you simply have to survive this period and it becomes easier to stop smoking for good. Withdrawal symptoms include insomnia, irritability, headaches, hunger and fatigue. Here are some tips on how to quit smoking cigarettes by surviving these symptoms.
Prepare yourself psychologically to quit smoking now. One of the ways you can do this is by making a list of the damage effects of smoke on your body caused by cigarettes, such as increased risk for developing health conditions such as asbestos lung cancer, emphysema and coronary heart disease. This is probably the best way to quit smoking since you become aware of the health problems of using cigarettes. Another way is to compute just how much you spend on cigarettes in a month or a year, and then compare it to other things you could have bought with the money.
Another way to quit smoking is to break old habits related to your tobacco addiction. For example, if you had regular smoking breaks with an office mate, you can find alternatives to this, such as chewing gum. Make sure both your mind and your body are occupied so you won’t think about smoking.
Decide which quit smoking aids you will use to help quit the habit. These aids could include nicotine patches, gums and lozenges. They work by helping relieve the physical symptoms of withdrawal through nicotine replacement therapy so that the individual can focus on breaking the psychological addiction to cigarettes.
The best time to learn how to stop smoking cigarettes is during a stress-free period such as while spending a vacation rather than during busy times at the office when you’ll be most tempted to reach for a smoke. You should be able to avoid stress for at least the two weeks when the withdrawal symptoms will be at their strongest.
Be aware of what is depression and its link to smoking. Being depressed has been linked with an increased frequency of cigarette use. In fact, some psychologists even believe that smoking may actually mask an underlying depression. Researchers have discovered that there may be some antidepressant qualities in cigarette smoke, which may explain the link between smoking and depression. In this case, one of the ways to stop smoking is to address the underlying mood disorder in addition to the cigarette addiction. There is also a new medication that also acts as an anti-depressant that may be prescribed for those who are quitting smoking.
One of the most effective quit smoking aids is to give yourself small rewards for every day you’ve successfully resisted putting a cigarette in your mouth. This can take the form of buying small gifts such as a DVD or book for every day of the first two weeks, and then something bigger after fourteen days, such as a fancy meal at a restaurant or a weekend trip.
Ask your friends and family to help you quit smoking by providing moral and other forms of support. For example, they can provide encouragement when you’re feeling discouraged or help you avoid temptation.
Participate in local smoking cessation programs to help yourself in your endeavor. These programs use a variety of methods to help people stop smoking, ranging from medication to coaching and can be tailored to the individual’s particular lifestyle and tobacco use patterns.
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