| Giving up smoking can be a challenge. After all, the nicotine that cigarettes contain is a strongly addictive drug. However, with theppropriate approach, you will succeed.
PUT IT IN WRITING.
People who would like to make a change commonly are much more successful when they put it in THE WRITTEN FORM. So, write down all the reasons why you wish to quit smoking. Keep this list at hand and look at it each time you crave a cigarette.
GETTING SUPPORT.
Smokers whose friends and family members help them quit smoking are much more likely to succeed. If you don't wish to tell your parents or family that you smoke, make sure your friends know, and ask them for help.
Set up a quit date. Pick out a day when you'll stop smoking. Inform your friends (and your family, if they know you smoke) that you're going to stop smoking on that day. Regard that day as a dividing line between the smoking you and the new and improved nonsmoker you'll turn into.
Don't let your apartment smoky. People can't stop smoking with cigarettes still around to tempt them.
WASH ALL YOUR CLOTHES.
Get rid of the smell of cigarettes by washing all your clothes and having your coats or sweaters dry-cleaned. If you smoked in your motor vehicle, clean that out, too.
THINK ABOUT YOUR TRIGGERS
You probably know when you feel like smoking, such as after meals, when you're at your close friend's apartment, while drinking coffee, or driving. These situations are your triggers for smoking — when you're in them, it feels automatic to have a cigarette. Once you've figured out your triggers, try the following tips:
- Stay away from these situations. For instance, if you smoke while driving, get a lift to work, have a walk, or take the bus for several weeks. If you usually smoke after meals, do something else after you eat, such as read or phone a friend.
How you feel when you quit smoking will depend on how many cigarettes you smoked daily and how nicotine addicted you are. You may have a craving for a cigarette or feel much hungrier than usual. You might feel nervous and have difficulty in concentrating. You may probably cough more at first, and you may have splitting headaches. These are withdrawal symptoms. They are particularly severe within the first few days after you kick the habit. Most of them go away in a few weeks.
Remember that even one puff of a cigarette can lead to a relapse.
If you start smoking again, do not feel like a failure. Set a new quit date. Continue trying. |
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