Be aware that cravings are likely to occur, and can even happen years after you have quit. The important thing is to resist these cravings when they occur. Play the tape through - remind yourself of the difficulty you faced in quitting. Do you really want to go through that again?
If your willpower is at an all-time low and you feel very close to giving in to your craving for a cigarette, you need to call someone for their support. It doesn't matter whether that person is a family member or a friend, reach out and tell them about how great your craving is to have a smoke. Not only is talking a good way to distract yourself from your cravings, you'll also likely get the encouragement you need to recommit to quitting.
You can replace smoking time by taking part in exercise time. As your body heals from the damage you have done when you smoked, you will notice the difference! As your body improves, you will want the cigarettes less and less.
Partner up with people that are trying to quit smoking. If you know someone who is also trying to quit smoking, team up with them and develop a support system. Having a support system and someone with which to spend time can help you resist the urge to light up again, as well as finding new things to do together as a distraction. Additionally, try to feed off of one another in an effort to gain valuable advice and strategies.
Develop a good understanding of your smoking triggers. These triggers can include work, stress, even arguing with your spouse! Avoid your triggers as much as possible. For those things that you cannot avoid, replace the knee jerk urge to smoke with something else. Try chewing carrot sticks or eating sunflower seeds.
Your doctor may be able to help you quit smoking if you can't do it by yourself. A variety of medications are available to make the quitting process easier, from anti-depressants to medications that make smoking less desirable. Your doctor may have other resources on hand as well, such as support groups and toll-free hotlines where you can discuss your struggle.
Write down reasons why you should quit to increase the chances that you actually do quit. Writing it down can affect your mental outlook. You'll be able to use the list as motivation whenever you need it, helping to focus you on your goals.
Be sure to tell your loved ones and friends about your decision to quit. There is no better motivator for staying the course than that of getting continuous encouragement and support from those important to you. Have them remind you frequently of the reasons why you are quitting.
If you don't want to use drugs to help you quit smoking, then consider alternative therapies like acupuncture. An experienced, knowledgeable acupuncturist can help to soothe your cravings by using a number of fine needles that are strategically placed on different areas of your body. The pain is minimal and the results can be fantastic.
One thing that greatly complicates kicking the smoking habit is the addictiveness of nicotine. Quitting can be a huge physical and emotional challenge for many people. It'll be easier for you to quit if you follow the tips you just read. If you put the effort into applying the information you just read, there's no reason you won't be able to quit.
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Tags: Human Interest, Support group, smoking cessation, support system, Substance AbuseFiled under: Quit Smoking
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