When you want to stop smoking, you will want to develop a plan for yourself for the best chance of success. We are all different, and what works for one person may not work for another, so you will need to think about it carefully and create an effective plan to help you quit. Below is some advice for you to follow to help you make your plan which may help you stop smoking once and for all.
Cold Turkey Or Nicotine Replacement?
You will need to decide whether you want to quit smoking and go cold turkey or use nicotine replacement to help you stop smoking. Going cold turkey can be challenging, and many people that try this method relapse and start smoking again. You can try many nicotine replacement products, such as nicotine gum, patches, sprays, lozenges, and vaping with an e-cig juice flavour that you love. The best place to start is to speak to your doctor and see what they suggest.
Create A Support Network
It will also be a massive advantage if you can create a support network to help you as you go through the process of stopping smoking. You may have a friend or family member who also wants to quit, and you can buddy up together and support each other. It can be a massive help when you have someone else going through the same as you and can significantly increase the chances of successfully quitting smoking for good.
Keep Yourself Busy
You often find that in times of inactivity, the desire to smoke a cigarette is stronger. As such, you will want to try and keep yourself busy, so your mind is occupied, and you do not think about smoking. There are lots of things that you can do to keep yourself busy, such as:
- Exercise
- Yoga
- Breathing Exercises
- Take Up A Hobby
- Watch A Movie
- Walk The Dog
- Chew Gum
Know What Your Triggers Are & Avoid Them
It will also help you if you recognise the triggers that make you want to smoke and try and avoid these. Everybody is different and has different triggers, but common ones include:
- Wanting to smoke after eating a meal.
- Wanting to smoke when out drinking with friends.
- You are bored so automatically want to reach for a cigarette.
- You are waiting for someone or something.
- Wanting to smoke in the morning with your cup of coffee.
- Everyone around you smokes.
If you can learn to recognise what triggers you to want a cigarette, you can try and avoid the situations that will pressure you and make you want to smoke. If you go out for a meal, go to a restaurant with no smoking, and if you are going to go out for a drink, go with people who do not smoke.
You will need to take the time to develop a plan to help you quit smoking and control your willpower. Quitting smoking is not easy, but you can get help from the NHS, and you can click here to see the assistance they can offer you.
