Tips on How to Stop Smoking and Avoid Tobacco
Quitting smoking can be hugely challenging, and there are so many good reasons to stop smoking. For a start, smoking is bad for your health. It is known to cause several major diseases and can shorten your lifespan. Smoking is also very unpleasant for others to be around, and there are risks to other people’s health through passive smoking. On top of all of this, it’s also very expensive.
So, it’s clear that there are many advantages to quitting. However, it’s often not as simple as just stopping overnight. It could have been something that you’ve tried to do many times over but unfortunately returned to it each time. In this situation, it is easy to feel defeated. You can fall into the pattern of quitting and then starting again. However, there are many techniques that you can use to break the cycle and quit for good.
Motivation Is Key
One of the biggest things that stop people from lighting up is to find a good reason not to. You must find a strong reason to resist the urge to give in to the cravings. So, spend some time looking at all the reasons to quit. Look at the cost, the effect on others and your health. Then focus on the ones that mean the most to you and use them when you feel that you might weaken.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
You don’t have to completely stop nicotine in one go. Many nicotine replacement therapies are available to help you bridge the gap between stopping smoking and giving up nicotine altogether. There are three main replacement methods:
- Prescription nasal sprays and inhalers
- Nicotine gums, pouches, patches, and lozenges. You can find a variety of nicotine pouches here
- Drugs, on prescription that stop the urge to smoke but do not contain nicotine.
You can consult your healthcare provider to find out more about this option.
Distraction
It is well known that tobacco cravings only last for around 10 minutes. Therefore, if you can find a range of tactics that can keep you occupied for those 10 minutes, you’ve got an excellent chance of making it through the craving.
Lots of different techniques can be used to help you. Many people find that simply keeping busy can help them to forget their cravings. Other people use meditation to occupy their minds. Another approach is to chew on sugarless gum or candy.
Avoid Triggers
Smoking is a habit, and so many smokers have a behavior pattern. They tend to enjoy smoking at the same times of day and sometimes in certain locations. One of the best things to do to avoid cravings is to break those patterns.
Don’t go to the smoking area with your friends. Stay away from parties or bars if you associate those situations with smoking. Think about how you can change your patterns so that you can make it easier for you to get over the cravings. Of course, you can’t avoid parties and other situations forever, but it’s good to change your patterns in the short term until the cravings go away.
Find Support Online
There is plenty of help and support to be found online. You can find stop-smoking programs, support groups, and blogs. Moreover, it can be reassuring to find out about other people’s experiences of quitting. You will often find that you’re experiencing a similar situation to others, and you can learn from them.
Don’t Delay – Start Today
So, hopefully, we have given you some good reasons and methods for quitting smoking. Today, it is easier to quit than ever, thanks to support groups and an array of different tools to help you quit and to avoid tobacco in the future. All you have to do is take the first step.
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