How to Quit Smoking Now
Smoking is a terrible habit – affecting your health in a variety of way, internally and externally. Smoking can lead to heart disease, lung cancer, emphysema, thyroid disease, and premature aging of the skin. With over 4,000 chemical compounds in cigarettes, it isn’t difficult to understand how badly it can affect your health and why it is important to quit smoking now.
Here are some tips for quitting smoking now.
1. Set a date when you plan on quitting for good. Don’t make it too far ahead in the future; it should be something relatively soon such as one month from now or less. The purpose of this date isn’t that it will be the last day you will have a cigarette; it is the first day of your new smoke free life.
2. If you plan on using any smoking aides such as the nicotine patch, chewing gum or Channtix, decide what your plan of action is going to be. Many people are extremely successful using these products and it can double your own chances of success.
3. Humans are creatures of habit. Chances are that smoking has become a habit in your lifestyle and part of your daily routine so in order to boost your efforts to quit, you are going to need to change your routine. Avoid situations where you know your willpower may start to shake by creating new, healthy habits. If smoking during your drive to work is one of your vices, try sipping on water instead to keep your hands and mouth busy.
4. Always be prepared for when cravings hit – and they will. Even people who haven’t smoked in years may still get cravings under certain conditions. The key to riding out the craving is to remember the bigger picture and know that a few minutes of smoking will be undermining all your efforts. Pause to reflect on how succumbing to craving is going to make you feel afterwards. Try to keep yourself busy by drinking water or taking a 5 minute walk to relieve your mind. More often than not, if you give yourself the time to get the craving under control, it will be gone before you know it.
5. It is very important to get family and friend support to help motivate and encourage you through this difficult time. There is no substitute like your loving family reminding you that you can and will do it.