Quitting smoking is extremely difficult. It’s not about making a decision, it’s about sticking to your decision. Nicotine addiction is an addiction, just like alcoholism, and it is difficult to break because of the nicotine withdrawal symptoms that strongly affect the addicted person’s life. Today, however, medicine knows many ways to help you quit smoking and return to a healthy lifestyle.
How to quit smoking step by step? 7 tips!
- First of all, do not associate with smokers, so as not to “tempt” yourself and fate. In company, it’s always easier to smoke a cigarette and harder to keep your resolution. Tobacco smoke will only make you want to smoke a cigarette.
- Don’t hide “spare” packs of cigarettes at home. Many smokers, when quitting smoking, leave one pack of cigarettes at home for “special” occasions, in case they suddenly feel an overwhelming urge to smoke, or in case of some major stress, to soothe it. This is a terrible mistake, because constantly knowing you have cigarettes only makes it harder to quit smoking completely.
- The decision to quit smoking must be made personally. This cannot be done under the coercion of the doctor or the family, because in this way the process will never be fully effective. If you cannot convince yourself to quit smoking, try to find all the information “for” and make your own “examination of conscience” again.
- Start smoking cessation by finding nicotine substitutes, such as chewing gums or lozenges. They contain a small amount of nicotine, which “cheats” the body and allows you to survive the first weeks of the withdrawal period, when typical withdrawal symptoms appear.
- All kinds of patches, which also release small, trace amounts of nicotine into the body, may also be helpful in quitting smoking, which gives a calming effect during the greatest nicotine craving.
- There are also special anti-smoking societies. It’s also always a good idea to talk to someone who can help you through the toughest times of quitting. If there is such a company in the place of our residence, it is also worth going to such a meeting and talking to other people who have managed to quit smoking cigarettes.
- Find other pleasures in life. Finding your own escape from everyday problems and a new way to relax will be the first step to truly quitting cigarettes. Only by finding a substitute occupation will we no longer think about addiction in moments of greatest doubt. This step is especially recommended by qualified psychologists.