It is no secret that smoking is detrimental to your health, but plenty of people still habitually light up. However, it’s a lot easier to say you’re going to quit than actually doing it. Most of the people who attempt quitting usually end up failing. If you truly want to know what it involves to stop smoking for good, read on for advice how you can do just that.
Don’t rush into quitting. Take it day-by-day. Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to focus on quitting forever; just quit for today. Having a shorter time horizon makes it easier physically and mentally. Long term goals will come when you’ve quit for a while and are better able to handle the daily grind.
The delay tactic is a great tool to use when the craving for a cigarette seems overwhelming. Tell yourself you will wait about 10 minutes and then assess how you feel. During that time, distract yourself and chances are, after the 10 minutes are up, the craving will be gone. If you still do crave a cigarette, continuing using this tactic until it finally works.
Your doctor can help you to quit when all other strategies fail. There are medications, such as antidepressants, which will help to make quitting much easier. He can also give you information about local support groups, online resources or medical professionals who can help you through it.
Smoking has very strong associations with some activities, and avoiding these situations can help you stop smoking. You may associate smoking with driving or reading. Take a look at how you can change the way you do these things, so that the associations are weaker and do not make you think of cigarettes. You need to find a distraction, to think about something else.
As you can see, if you really try, it is possible to quit smoking. Determination and planning are they keys to success. If you follow the advice from this article as well, you will be able to get rid of your smoking habit for good in no time.