Like so many addictions, smoking cessation will only happen when the smoker wants to stop. All the fact sheets, nagging partners, and righteous lecturing from reformed ex-smokers will do little or nothing to help. Sometimes, a few failed attempts are needed as practice runs for the real thing!
Quitting smoking tips should be looked as guides to help you to stop and stay stopped. Knowledge and helpful tips alone are of little use unless you the smoker is serious about quitting. There are no magic cures here. At the end of the day, it is the smoker, and not the products, services, or advice that is responsible for the end result. What this means is that although there are numerous ways and methods to make quitting smoking much less of an ordeal, it still requires commitment and dedication from the one quitting for any of it to work. Or as that old saying goes, 'If it's to be, it's up to me!'
Listed below are some simple useful suggestions from those who have recovered from the smoking addiction. These tips are based on methods which have previously worked for them. Some are so easy they appear obvious, but it’s surprising how many smokers overlook the obvious when in the grip of this awful habit. In fact despite smoking cessation giving improved health and fitness levels, more overall energy, more money in the pocket, a better enjoyment of food, and a stop to all that awful coughing and spitting that so many heavy smokers suffer from, even the most obvious ideas get lost in the denial.
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 Quit Smoking with these 7 Great Tips from Ex-Smokers!
1. Jot down the reason why stopping smoking is important to you.
2. Set yourself a date to stop smoking and stick to it.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help as this is a real sign of strength, not weakness.
4. Inform others that you are about to stop smoking and ask the smokers among them not to not tease or tempt you with cigarettes while you’re quitting.
5. Expect some withdrawal symptoms (even with stop smoking aids), and look at them as part of the solution, not part of the problem. Withdrawal means you’re getting better, not worse, and should be considered as stepping stones to smoking cessation.
6. Take it one day at a time and try not to think about tomorrow or next week, especially if you’re having trouble. If necessary, tell yourself you will not light up within the next 15 minutes and put if off as each 15 minutes lapses. Cravings don’t usually last for long and this is a good method for dealing with them as they arise.
7. If possible, quit smoking with someone else so that you can support each other along the way.
When a 66 year old neighbour was advised by her doctor to quit smoking she answered by saying there was no point at her age, to which the doctor replied, ‘Quitting smoking never killed anyone!’. On his way out, as he left her coughing and wheezing slumped in the armchair, he gave her these final words to think about; ‘There is nothing in your life today my dear that a cigarette will make better!’. Still dying for a fag?
It would be fantastic if there was a ‘wonder product’ that all smokers could take to cure their obsession and addiction with the drug nicotine, but there’s not! This is why there are so many different tips, advice, and products out there for smokers serious about quitting the habit. It’s just a case of taking what you can use and discarding the rest, but one thing is for sure, and that is there are plenty of options for anyone who wants them.
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