Struggling to Quit Smoking? Here are Some Tips

It’s common knowledge that smoking deteriorates your health and makes you susceptible to lots of diseases. And if you’re planning to quit smoking, that’s great news!

However, it’s not easy to say, “I quit smoking today,” and quit for good! Statistics show even if you abstain for up to 11 months, you still have more than a 50% relapse rate.

To stay strong during your smoke-quitting journey and deal with withdrawal symptoms, here are some must-follow tips!

1. Stay away from triggers

You’re most likely to crave smoking all over in places where you smoked the most. This can be during parties, in a particular hangout spot, or the stressful moments when cigarettes help you relax.

Identify what triggers your cravings and carve a plan to avoid them. If those situations are not avoidable, figure out a way to distract yourself and get through those moments without smoking.

Some people also reach for their cigarettes subconsciously while doing another activity. This might be while sipping coffee or having a serious phone conversation. In these moments, keep your hand busy. You can even doodle on a paper to calm and distract yourself.

2. Lean on nicotine replacement therapy

If you are a heavy smoker, quitting smoking won’t be an easy journey. Especially the nicotine withdrawal symptoms might impact your mood and physical health a lot. You may get headaches, feel lethargic, have negative thoughts, or even feel depressed.

To overcome these situations, you must try nicotine replacement therapy. Nicotine patches, gum, and candy make you feel much better when withdrawal symptoms kick in.

And one of the recent products in the market that many claim help them quit, is vapes and e-cigarettes.

Especially if you want unique flavored models within a budget, check out the Off-Stamp SW9000 Kit. The model comes in rich, classy flavors to relax and improve mood. Not to mention, it comes with a combined battery and almost 9000 puffs!

3. Seek prescription pills

There are also some great prescription pills to support your journey to be smoke-free. They may also lower the satisfaction during smoking experiences. Some even ease the worst withdrawal symptoms like depression, mood swings, and concentration troubles.

For this, seek a healthcare provider to know your best options. They might prescribe you nicotine in the form of nasal sprays or inhalers. Alternatively, they may put you on non-nicotine prescription drugs to stop smoking, like varenicline and bupropion.

4. Try to delay

Whenever you feel you MUST smoke, whether to relax or ease withdrawals, set up a 10-minute timer and challenge yourself to wait during that time to ease the restless feeling; spend time in a smoke-free zone. This might distract your mind enough to ease the craving for another day.

5. Chew on something

Another handy tip to suppress cravings is to chew sugar-free gums and hard candy. Some even suggest having crunchy food like nuts and raw carrots.

6. Exercise often

An amazing way to overcome the craving is any form of physical activity. For instance, run, jog, spot-jog, or even walk. You may perform squats, push-ups, or sit-ups. Any type of exercise that tires you out will work.

If vigorous physical exercise is not an option, focus on keeping yourself physically busy without putting strain on yourself.

For instance, do chores that need your attention. If you’re at home, this can be cleaning the room, washing dishes or clothes, cooking, etc. If you’re at work, you can fill in the cartridge or paper for the photocopy machine or help a co-worker carry something.

Alternatively, focus on arts and crafts like sewing, woodwork, or DIY something from scratch to deal with cravings during leisure time.

7. Give relaxation techniques a shot

A cheat code to deal with intense cravings is to try stress-busting activities. So, write a journal, pray, meditate, or listen to calming music. Practice deep breathing, yoga, and muscle relaxation. You can also practice self-care activities to ease your mind.

8. Get support

Seek friends and family for help to support your quitting journey. Ask them to encourage you whenever you feel tempted to smoke. If you feel lonely at home, ask your loved ones to spend time with you and help you distract.

If any loved one smokes, tell them to smoke away from you and to get the smell of smoke off them when they approach you. This will protect you from a smoking relapse.

You can also seek counseling and behavioral therapy. Some also join online stop-smoking programs or read blogs of real-life quitters to feel encouraged.

Conclusion

Remember, this is not an easy journey. It’ll test your strength and patience. Even after trying these tips, you may give in to smoking. However, don’t be discouraged and try again. Start from square one, set goals, give it your best shot, and you will eventually overcome this!