Smoking is a habit that some people pick up for a little while but they stick with it for years and ...

1. Fantastic Insight If You're Considering Quitting Smoking
cigarettes
Smoking is a habit that some people pick up for a little while but they stick with it for years and
years and never learn how to quit. Some people just get caught up with smoking and now they're
wasting a lot of money and time doing it. If you want to learn how to quit then the tips in this article
are for you.
Look for a support group to help you quit smoking. The best groups have a mix of new quitters, and
people who have quit for http://smokefree.gov/ a while. It can be very beneficial to network with
people who have been where you are, and understand the emotional and physical challenges that
you're going through. Other ex-smokers can support you in your attempt to stop smoking, and can
suggest techniques to try that worked for them. It is possible to find support
http://www.sharecare.com/health/quit-smoking groups at many places like churches, colleges, or rec
centers.
If you want to quit smoking, the word for you is "No". Every time you're tempted you have to
disallow yourself the ability to say "Yes" to a cigarette. If your only answer is "No" you'll find that
you can't cave in to a craving. No cigarettes, no "Maybe", leads to no smoking!
It is important to realize that although cold turkey may work for one person, it may not work for you.
People think that they can quit smoking on their own and only end up going back because they tried
too much, too fast. You may require an aid for quitting, such as a nicotine patch.
In order to succeed with your goal of quitting smoking, it's important that you write down the
benefits that are derived from quitting smoking. Some examples include living a longer life, feeling
great, smelling better, saving money, etc. Lots of benefits are gained from eliminating smoking from
your life. Writing them down can help to keep you motivated to succeed.
A very important factor to stop smoking is to have a good attitude and lots of motivation. Try to think
of how much better your life will be once you've quit. Think about how your breath will smell better,
or how much cleaner your teeth will be, or how much cleaner and fresher your home will be. If the
side effects of smoking are not enough to motivate you, think about the many different benefits.
It is okay to use a nicotine replacement during the beginning stage of your smoking cessation
program. Nicotine is highly addictive, and the withdrawal symptoms can be extremely unpleasant.
Nicotine gum or lozenges can prevent you from feeling short-tempered, moody and irritable and can
be the difference between success and failure.

2. Commit to quitting. Individuals who are able to successfully quit smoking commit themselves fully.
They don't have a back up plan, they don't keep quitting a secret, and they don't tell themselves that
they will fail. If you make this type of commitment you will significantly increase your chances of
successfully meeting your goal.
Many report gaining weight during or after the time that they stop smoking, so you may want to
start eating those fruits and vegetables now. This can help help prevent any weight gain. It is normal
for your body to crave food during the quitting process, and the best way to silent your cravings and
stabilize your mood is to eat healthy snacks.
Once you get to the point that you should be done smoking altogether, throw away any extra tobacco
products. This reduces the substance temptation to have "just one more cigarette." You should also
get rid of any cigarette paraphernalia that could trigger cravings, including everything from a
favorite lighter to ashtrays to your old butts.
To fully prepare yourself with the struggles of quitting, know exactly what to expect before you start.
Know how soon you can expect symptoms of nicotine withdrawal to kick in, and know all of the
possible symptoms you could experience. This will also help you to anticipate your strongest
cravings and most likely pitfalls.
Prepare to say goodbye. Smoking is not a habit, it is a relationship. You will grieve the loss of an old
friend. So you need to be prepared to go through the six stages of grieving a loss and parting ways
with your smoker self. Think back to how you have said goodbye to things in the past and apply the
successful tricks you used then.
If you smoke because of a triggering situation or feeling, when you're trying to quit do your best to
avoid the situations that set off your trigger. For example, if you normally smoke at the end of a
meal, chew on some gum instead. If you smoke while in traffic in your car, pick an alternate route or
take public transportation. Think of other triggers and ways you can avoid them.
Kill your nicotine addiction before you quit smoking. Talk to your doctor about any possible
medicines they can prescribe that can make nicotine powerless over you. After you are on one for a
while, you will find smoking having no effect on your mood. You will just stop because it does not do
anything for you anymore.
Keep a stopwatch handy when you quit. A craving might mentally feel like it lasts for hours, but in
fact the physical feeling passes in less than three minutes. Keep a timer handy and set it for five

3. minutes when you first feel the craving. Once these minutes pass, you know you're in the clear.
Don't give up if your initial attempt to quit smoking fails. Use it as an opportunity to evaluate what
aspects of your program were successful and what areas need to be adjusted. Most people try
several times before they are successful in quitting. Set a new date to stop and then, try again.
Make a note of why you are quitting. Sometimes it's a good idea to write down exactly why you want
to stop smoking. If you list the benefits, such as doing it for your family, health reasons, or money
issues, it will make it easier to quit. Simply read the list every day to get encouragement.
Make sure your friends know that you've decided to quit. For many people, smoking is a social
activity, so you might be tempted to smoke if your friends light up in front of you. If you talk to your
friends about your desire to quit, they can support you instead of unintentionally sabotaging your
plan.
As you read through this article, you probably learned more and more about what things you can do
in your every day life to stop smoking. So now you should feel more confident about quitting.
As was previously said, quitting smoking is not an overnight process. There is not, unfortunately, an
on/off switch when it comes to this habit. But it can achieved with some patience, perseverance, and
a lot of faith. One day at a time and soon you will be proudly announcing to all that you are a non-
smoker.