How to quit smoking
The risks of smoking are well known but that does not make it easier to stop. The fact that you may wake up one morning knowing that you have cancer seems a distant threat as against the power of the dependence on nicotine. Breaking the habit requires real commitment. Acomplia can help you but, on its own, it is of no use. You have to want to stop. Thinking it is going to be difficult is not helpful. Whether you seek professional help or plan on your own, try to remain positive. Plan your strategy and believe it is going to work. Millions of people do quit. You can be one of them.
One of the first steps is to admit that you are an addict and then rationalise why you want to stop. It can be for the sake of your family or because your workplace has just gone smoke free and, with winter coming on, you do not want to go and stand outside in the cold for a desperate cigarette. Whatever the reasons, make sure that they are strong enough to carry you through the period of withdrawal. It may be useful to tell others of your plan and get them involved in helping you through the process. If some of them have already kicked the habit, so much the better because you can draw on their experience.
Some people find it helpful to plan distractions or to change their habits to avoid situations where smoking would have felt natural. Assuming this is part of a more general plan to improve your health, it may also be useful to include some physical exercise in the program. If you become fitter and more active, this can help you to feel better about yourself and carry through to finally break the dependence.
What should you remember?
Most who quit, make a clean break. Others try to slowly cut down consumption or change to low-tar cigarettes as a first step. Those who actually keep on smoking are not actually quitting. They are simply adjusting to a lower fix of their favourite drug. Be one of the quitters.
When you actually stub out that final cigarette and look uneasily at the clock, here are a few things to remember:
- the withdrawal symptoms are hard to bear but they are temporary, tapering off over a two-to-three week period;
- if you are going to fail, it usually happens in the first week when the withdrawal symptoms are at their strongest;
- the temptation to lapse will remain for some months but the urge to smoke will usually be triggered by situations or stress — if you have changed your habits to avoid the usual situations in which you would have smoked, this is a good first step. Otherwise, try to avoid emotional conflicts and practise relaxation techniques; and
- often, it takes several attempts to quit. If you fail the first time, try again.
What should you do after your last cigarette?
Once you have formally quit, spend as much time as possible in places where smoking is not allowed. You should also reduce mixing socially with other smokers. Temptation is easier to resist when you have developed the habit of not smoking. Some people find it useful to increase their hydration by drinking more water or juice than usual even though this does temporarily increase your weight. If you find you miss having something in your hand, play with a pen or something else than will give you something to hold. It will help you to feel more natural and relaxed. Some people miss a cigarette in their mouths and make the mistake of substituting food. When you stop, you will notice an improvement in your senses of smell and taste. Food really does taste better, but extra food is to be avoided. Weight gain after quitting is one of the reasons why some people decide to start smoking again.
Then it is just a matter of waiting through the months and years as the habit becomes an ever more distant memory Even after years, you can suddenly miss it. When you have that flashback, just remember how much money you have saved and how much healthier you are because you quit. Day-by-day, month-by-month you will beat the habit and form the new habit of being a non-smoker.
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