Many people erroneously assume that all they need to do to quit smoking is to throw away their cigarettes, never to return. Learning more about successful techniques for quitting will make your goal easier to reach. If you want to quit smoking once and for all, there are a number of options available to you.
You should try to ease the pain of quitting as much as possible. It is not usually wise to try and quit cold turkey. By doing this, you are almost certain to fail. Nicotine is very, very addictive, try using some medication, therapy, or the nicotine patch. The most difficult stage is the initial few days and these products can help ease that difficulty and increase your chances for success.
When you are close to giving in to your cravings for a cigarette, think of a delay before you are allowed to indulge. Tell yourself that you have to take a walk before you can smoke, or even just finish a large glass of water before you smoke. This will help you to reduce your temptations and shift your focus elsewhere. Even if you eventually relent, this method can help you to cut back considerably.
If you need to smoke, try delaying it. Whatever you can do to delay smoking will help, so take a walk, drink some water or lie down. By the time you get done, you may have the willpower to say no. If you desire to smoke a cigarette, the delay could cause you to smoke one less cigarette that day.
The delay tactic is an effective way to deal with overwhelming cravings. Tell yourself you are going to wait 10 minutes to see how you will feel, then try distracting yourself because you will generally find 10 minutes is a good time frame for the craving to pass. If not, repeat this step as often as needed.
With any luck, you now feel more capable of following through with your goals. Keep in mind that there are people who love and care for you, and they want you to be with them as long as possible, so use what you’ve learned here today to kick that cigarette habit for good.
