Stop Smoking Tips

If you are thinking about stopping smoking, you are probably going to have cravings. You will want to have a cigarette and then remember you stopped. There is no magic way to deal with cravings that works for everyone, else it would be a lot easier to stop smoking.

Everybody uses a slightly different method, something that works for them, and everyone reacts a bit differently when nicotine levels are reduced. There are, however, some techniques which are helpful to a lot of people.

Smoking is a habit so when you stop, you will miss the habit. For the first two weeks after your last cigarette, the body uses a biological method to flush your body clean of the smoking-related chemicals. The technical term for this is homeostasis and it means the body is getting itself back to normal. It can be a bonus knowing this is a built-in mechanism.

One reason that stopping smoking is so hard is the guilt and anxiety that often go hand in hand with your effort. You might feel unsure whether you will be able to see it through or whether you will be unable to resist smoking again. This causes stress, which in turn causes you to feel like you need a cigarette to deal with this stress.

The most difficult time is in the first two weeks, when your body is making physical changes. Knowing the body is purifying itself can boost your willpower but you still need to stay strong. During the first couple of weeks, avoid anything stressful. Don’t stop smoking when you start a new job, when a family member has to have a medical operation or when work is especially stressful.

Try to find healthy distractions.

When you are craving a cigarette, play your favorite song. A song lasts about the same amount of time as a cigarette. Like when smoking, you can carry on with what you are doing while listening to the music. Focus on the music. Pick something elevating rather than depressing.

Have fresh fruit on hand. When you feel like having a cigarette, eat a piece of fruit instead. Tangy fruit is better for this purpose than bland or sweet fruit. Orange and pineapple are effective but choose your favorites.

Do something where you need to concentrate such as working out a math problem, fixing your hair or drawing a picture. Choose something you like or need to do and which will require a fair amount of concentration. This will help you temporarily forget about smoking.

Find something to do with your hands. This might be using a stress-relieving hand spring or squeezing a tennis ball. Start with your hands and then work up to doing exercises using your whole arm, back and shoulder. This gets your circulatory system back in shame and also stops you smoking in the meantime.

The cravings will decrease to a minimum if you follow these above tips. You will still find that they recur now and again at random over the coming months. Repeat the rituals you used in the first couple of weeks if you need to. Think about how much healthier your body is now, how much better you feel and how much money you have saved on cigarettes. Knowing the new, long term advantages you have will soon outweigh the short term advantages of lighting a cigarette.

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