With the party season truly over and the start of the New Year having taken off, what better time to learn how to stop smoking for good than now? Regardless of whether you have attempted to quit smoking several times before but have returned to the habit or are fearful of the possible lack of social interaction as a result of quitting smoking, there are several reasons why you should stop smoking, and ultimately why you should stop now. Below, we explore how you can stop smoking in a few simple steps.
Plan to Quit
Do you know how to stop smoking? In order to stop smoking, you must plan to quit. Whilst it is all well and good telling yourself in your mind that you are going to quit after your next cigarette, you need to set milestones in order to keep yourself motivated. Ultimately, individuals with solid support networks have greater success when it comes to staying smoke free, and thus you should follow the 3 G’s in order to ensure you can too:
Step 1: Get Help
When it comes to planning to quit smoking, seek help! Seeking help is nothing you should be embarrassed about. Above all, asking for help doesn’t mean that you are weak. If you are unsure how to ask for professional advice or assistance, why not text a friend or ex-smoker for advice? If anything, they will be more than happy to help you!
Step 2: Get A Buddy
If you know someone who smokes and is looking to quit, why not quit together? This is an excellent way to help ensure that you both achieve your goal.
Step 3: Go Public
What better way to help ensure you stay clear of cigarettes then by going public about your goal? From Facebook to Twitter or even Instagram, make sure your pledge is heard far and wide! This will ultimately help you stick to your goal, and can give you an even higher level of support outside of your initial family and friends network.
Keep A Craving Journal
Keeping a craving journal is the ultimate way to help you identify your smoking patterns and what triggers you to smoke. Regardless of whether it is a week or so leading up to your quitting date, you should keep an accurate log of your smoking habits. Essentially, your craving journal should contain the moments when you crave a cigarette. You should record:
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The time
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The intensity of the craving on a scale of 1-10
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What you were doing
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Who you were with
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How you felt
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How you felt after smoking (if you caved in)!
Shake Up Your Routine
When the time comes to stop smoking, one of the best ways to keep your mind busy is to shake up your routine. If your usual morning routine involves waking up, brewing a coffee or tea and stepping outside to have a cigarette before you head off to work, try to do something different! By shaking up your routine, you will almost forget your tobacco cravings. To keep your mind busy, stock up on sugarless gum. Chewing sugarless gum will ultimately help reduce your cravings to smoke, and thus help you to better resist the urge.
Consider Medication
If that fails, try Champix. Champix is a prescription-only medicine that will dramatically increase your chances of success. The tablets simply work by relieving the craving and countless withdrawal symptoms associated with giving up smoking. For it to work, you should start taking Champix up to two weeks before your quitting date. During this time you can continue smoking, however you should ensure that you try to stop smoking on your designated quitting date. Should you smoke after this date, begin the process again until eventually you no longer feel the need to smoke to relieve stress. The starter pack is available for just £49.49, and is designed to enable you to steadily increase the dose of Champix you consume.
Above all, if you want to stop smoking, as well as know how to stop smoking, you need to make the relevant changes to your lifestyle to help you resist the temptation of having a cigarette. Whilst reminding yourself why you made the decision to give up smoking can help you, creating a plan or turning to Champix can significantly increase your chance of success. Despite the long journey ahead, remember to stay positive! Good luck!
