People all over the world smoke, and people all over the world want to learn how to quit smoking as well. If you are one of the many but haven't yet then you can take charge and lead the way towards quitting smoking and set an example for everyone to ...

People all over the world smoke, and people all over the world want to learn how to quit smoking as well. If you are one of the many but haven't yet then you can take charge and lead the way towards quitting smoking and set an example for everyone to follow.

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 minutes when you first feel the craving. Once these minutes pass, you know you're in the clear.

Find someone else who wants to quit when you are trying to give up smoking. You can be a source of support and encouragement to one another as you go through this together. Share your successes and turn to one another when the going gets tough. Having a buddy can help you to stick with your decision to quit smoking.

Write down the reasons why you want to quit smoking. Post the list someplace where you'll see it every day, to help keep you motivated. Include not only the reasons that directly benefit you, but also the reasons that quitting will benefit your friends and family. Being able to read your list every day will remind you of why you stopped smoking in the first place.

Get a gym membership or invest in home workout equipment. Many people find that working out is the most effective way for them to resist cravings. This will only work for you if you have an exercise option that is as readily accessible as cigarettes, hence, joining the gym or getting a treadmill.



When quitting smoking, you must learn to manage your stress. Once smoking is no longer an option, turn to healthier outlets such as massage therapy, long walks in your favorite park, listening to relaxing music, or meditation. Find something you can do that provides near-instant gratification so that you'll be less tempted to turn to smoking when things get tough.

Before you quit, identify your triggers and plan ways around them. If you always smoke when you drink, abstain from alcohol for a while. If smoking before, during or after meals is a common practice for you, change up your meal plans or environments to prevent this. Track your smoking times and places to know when and where you light up, and adapt accordingly.

Remember that the hardest part of quitting is usually those first couple of days. Mentally prepare yourself to tough it out for just the first two days, and then just the first week, and you will probably be in good shape after that. Your body will be doing a good amount of detoxifying in those first few days and if you can make it through that stage, you can make it through anything.

Learn and use positive mantras. Tell yourself that you're strong and powerful and that you can quit. Let yourself know that you believe in yourself and that you know you will be successful. When you make positive mantras such as these, a part of your life, success will follow. This is as true for quitting smoking as it is for every other aspect of your life.

For help kicking the habit, visit a counselor or therapist. Having someone with whom to talk and discuss your problems, stresses, and smoking with can help you find healthy ways of coping with life as a non-smoker. Research has proven that person-to-person treatments during quit attempts can help smokers be more successful in quitting.



Try to avoid places where people frequently smoke to avoid temptation. Stay away from smoking areas at bars, smoking rooms at work and other places where there are smokers, if you think the temptation may be too much. Also, when meeting friends or family that smoke, try to do so in a smoke-free atmosphere, such as, non-smoking restaurants and parks.

Learn some deep breathing techniques and practice them when you feel the craving for a cigarette. When you feel the urge for a smoke, take a few minutes and breathe deeply through your nose, hold it, and exhale through your mouth. Repeat this until the need for a cigarette has gone away.

It is very important to be aware of your triggers while you are quitting smoking and even right after. It is easy and comforting to go back to an old habit when you are stressed, bored, tired, or feeling depressed. Being aware of your emotional triggers and having alternative plan to smoking can greatly reduce you temptation to go back to the old habit.

Regardless of your reasons for quitting, it's not going to be easy. That being said, you can improve your odds if you have some good suggestions in your corner for beating the cravings and the psychological effects that you will go through.

You already know that most people want to stop smoking but have been unable to accomplish that goal. This shouldn't deter you from trying again. It should motivate you to try harder and to use the tips and tech to help you through the rough spots along the way. Just take it one day at a time and success can be yours.

Cite This Article as

lesliemollison, "Advice for Quitting Smoking", MachPrinciple, May 21, 2014, https://machprinciple.com/post/advice-for-quitting-smoking