It could be that you are addicted to cigarettes and you want to quit. It's also possible that you don't really want to be addicted to cigarettes, but you are always surrounded by people who smoke. Both show that avoiding smoking is a difficult thing to do, especially if there are social factors in it. You have to come up with a good reason to quit smoking, and you have to stick to your principles-even if other people don't respect your decisions. You will feel better as you slowly quit smoking.
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Method 1 of 3: How to Quit Smoking
Step 1. Determine your reasons for quitting smoking
Make a list of the reasons you quit smoking. This list can give you confidence in your decision to quit. Read this list when you are tempted to smoke.
- Remember that smoking can affect many aspects of your life, such as: your health, lifestyle and loved ones. Ask yourself if any of these aspects would benefit you if you quit smoking.
- For example, your list could say: I want to quit smoking so I can run and keep up with my son's stamina while he is practicing soccer, have a lot of energy, live long to see my grandson get married, and save money.
Step 2. Quit smoking with the cold turkey method (quit smoking by immediately stopping all nicotine consumption)
Throw away your cigarettes. Wash sheets and clothes to get rid of the cigarette smell. Throw away all ashtrays, cigarettes, and lighters that are around your home. Make a commitment to yourself that you will never smoke again.
- Remind yourself of the plans you made and always carry a note with them, or keep them on your phone. You should also re-read the list of reasons you should quit smoking.
- If you're not ready to use the cold turkey method, consider quitting smoking slowly. Smoking less is still better than smoking a lot. Some people will succeed in quitting smoking when they do stop smoking altogether, but others succeed in quitting smoking slowly. Be honest with yourself: which method will work?
Step 3. Be prepared for nicotine-withdrawal symptoms
Cigarettes are very effective in spreading nicotine throughout your body. When you quit smoking, you will feel addicted, anxious, depressed, and have trouble concentrating.
- Realize that quitting smoking takes a lot of effort. About 45 million Americans are addicted to nicotine, and only 5% of them manage to break their addiction on the first try.
- Try not to go back to your old habits as much as possible. However, if you have already returned to your old habits, immediately make a commitment again to quit smoking. Learn from your experience and try to deal with your addiction better in the future.
- If you go back to your habit and smoke all day, make sure that you forgive yourself. Accept that you had a tough day, remind yourself that quitting smoking is a long and bumpy journey, then get back to your plans for the next day.
Step 4. Ask for support
Your family and friends can help you stick to the commitments you make. Let them know your goals, and ask them for help not to smoke around you and not to offer you cigarettes. Ask for their support and encouragement. Ask them to remind you of your goal when temptation arises.
Step 5. Know what triggers your smoking habit
Many people believe that certain situations can trigger the urge to smoke. You may want to smoke while you are coffee, or you will want to smoke while solving problems at work. Find out where it can be difficult for you not to smoke, and plan what you do in those situations. If possible, stay away from these places.
- Practice automatic responses when someone offers you a cigarette: "No thanks, but I'd like another cup of tea" or "No thanks-I'm trying to quit smoking."
- Control stress. Stress can be a “trap” when you are trying to quit smoking. Use techniques such as deep breathing, physical exercise, and relaxing to reduce stress. Make sure you get enough sleep because getting enough sleep can help reduce stress.
Step 6. Download the app to quit smoking
There are many apps on iPhone and Android that are specifically designed to keep you away from cigarettes. This app provides a platform to help track your desires and moods, identify your smoking triggers, track your progress towards achieving your goals, and keep you strong during difficult times. Search for the app with the keyword “quit-smoking apps”, read the description and reviews, and choose the app that fits your needs.
Step 7. Consider using an e-cigarette
Recent research suggests that using e-cigarettes while trying to quit smoking can help you reduce your addiction to cigarettes. Other research warns to be careful using e-cigarettes because the amount of nicotine in them varies, the same chemicals are still being passed on to cigarettes, and e-cigarettes can kick you back into your smoking habit.
Step 8. Consider seeking professional help
Behavioral therapy combined with medication therapy can increase your chances of quitting smoking. If you've been trying to quit smoking and are still having trouble, try seeking professional help. Your doctor can advise you on medication therapy.
A therapist can help you quit smoking. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) can help you change your mindset and attitude towards smoking. The therapist can also teach the ability to overcome smoking addiction and teach new ways to quit smoking
Step 9. Take Bupropion
These drugs usually don't contain nicotine, but they can help reduce withdrawal symptoms. Bupropion can increase your chances of staying away from cigarettes by 69%.
- Usually, you should take bupropion for 1 to 2 weeks before quitting smoking. The drug is usually prescribed as much as 1 to 2 tablets of 150 mg per day.
- Side effects are: dry mouth, trouble sleeping, anxiety, irritability, fatigue, constipation, and headaches.
Step 10. Drink Chantix
This drug limits the nicotine receptors in your brain, which makes smoking less enjoyable. This drug also reduces the symptoms of hoarseness. Start taking Chantix for a week before quitting smoking. Make sure to take it with food. Take Chantix for 12 weeks, and it can increase your chances of quitting smoking.
- Your doctor will advise you to increase the dose of this medicine from time to time. For example, you will take one 0.5 mg pill for days 1 to 3. Then, you will take one 0.5 mg pill twice daily for days 4 to 7. After that, you will take one 1mg pill twice a day.
- Side effects are: headache, nausea, vomiting, difficulty sleeping, nightmares, farting, and changes in taste when tasting something.
Step 11. Try Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)
This therapy uses various types of plasters, chewing gum, lozenges, nasal sprays, inhalers, and sublingual tablets that will deliver a substance that tastes like nicotine into the body. You don't need a prescription for this therapy, and it can reduce your addiction and withdrawal symptoms. NRT can also increase your chances of quitting smoking by 60%.
The side effects of NRT are: nightmares, insomnia, and skin irritation for plaster use; mouth pain, difficulty breathing, hiccups, and jaw pain for chewing gum; mouth and throat irritation, and coughing for use of a nicotine inhaler; throat irritation and hiccups for the use of nicotine lozenges; and throat and nose irritation, as well as colds for nasal spray use
Method 2 of 3: How to Stop Smoking Again
Step 1. Consider asking for help
Whether you're trying to quit smoking, or trying not to build a bad habit, you should ask your parents, relatives, teachers, or non-smoking friends to keep an eye on you. Ask the person to watch over you and let you know if you've been involved in harmful behavior. Ask if you can text or call the person when you have trouble resisting peer pressure or social pressure. Don't hesitate to keep this in mind: smoking is a highly addictive activity, and you need as much help and support as possible.
Step 2. Consider hanging out with your friends who don't smoke
If you are really serious about quitting smoking, you should avoid people who have the habit. You can indeed refuse, but you are also still at risk of exposure to secondhand smoke as long as you hang out with smokers. If you don't want to stay away from these people, try to stay away when they're smoking-or ask them to smoke elsewhere.
- When you become a secondhand smoker, you inhale all the toxins, cancer-causing chemicals that are suspended in the air when a cigarette is lit. You can become a passive smoker by inhaling "mainstream smoke" or the smoke exhaled by smokers, and "sidestream smoke" the smoke from a cigarette that is being lit.
- If you're used to being around smokers, you'll likely change your judgment about cigarettes-and you'll likely revert to your old habits. If you keep listening to smokers' advice that it's okay to smoke, your perspective on smoking will falter.
- It's not easy to leave your friends behind, but it can be the right choice if you care about your health. Be honest with your friends. Say, “I don't feel comfortable around you because you're forcing me to smoke, and I'm afraid that if I keep hanging out with you guys, I'll start smoking. I need time to focus on my priorities.”
Step 3. Don't keep cigarettes around you
Get rid of any unlit cigarettes you have, and don't buy new cigarettes. As long as you keep cigarettes around, there will be a chance to smoke again. When you get rid of all cigarettes, you will avoid the possibility, and smoking becomes easier to avoid.
- You might be tempted to think, “I'm only going to finish the rest of my cigarettes, so these cigarettes are worth it. After that I will not buy cigarettes again. I'll quit after I finish all these cigarettes." Some people may have success following this method, but the safest way is not to tease yourself. The thought of “just one more cigarette” can keep you smoking for years.
- You can throw away all the packs of cigarettes for a more dramatic effect, or you can give the cigarettes to someone else if you feel sorry to throw them away. The most important thing is to get rid of cigarettes as soon as possible.
Step 4. Divert your mind with productive activities
Develop habits and hobbies that reinforce your commitment to avoiding smoking. When you feel like smoking, replace that feeling with another activity, such as: working out at the gym, playing music, or going for a walk to clear your mind. It's easy to make smoking your primary impulse – so try to break the habit.
- Establish a regular exercise routine, whether it's running, climbing mountains, playing sports games, or going to the gym. The more attention you pay to your health and wellness, the less willing you are to derail it.
- Join a mountaineering group, sports team, or groups of people who are active and passionate about the environment. Many groups are actively applying the stigma to refuse smoking, especially during group activities. You can use this stigma to keep away the temptation to smoke.
Method 3 of 3: Ways to Stop Smoking
Step 1. Say no
If you hang out with smokers, there's a good chance they'll offer you cigarettes at times. If you don't want to, be honest, and most people will respect your sticking to your principles. If anyone tries to force you to smoke, don't give it any consideration-just keep refusing, and they'll stop bothering you.
- If people don't respect your decision to quit smoking, they may be jealous of your discipline. They will force you to try it: “A cigarette won't kill you”. If you're really interested in trying it, it's okay to experiment and be aware of what you're doing, but just make sure you don't enjoy it - don't smoke just because you think other people will think negatively of you.
- Some people can smoke once in a while without turning the habit into an over-addiction, but it's hard to determine what type of smoker you are without experiencing a cigarette addiction. If you have an easily addicted personality-if you have problems controlling your consumption of food or other things like soda, coffee, alcohol, or candy-there's a good chance these tendencies will cause you to smoke.
Step 2. Avoid secondhand smoke
"Sidestream smoke"-cigarette smoke from the burning tip of a cigarette-contains more toxins, cancer-causing substances (carcinogens) than "mainstream smoke" or cigarette smoke exhaled by smokers. The dangers of passive smoking to health are almost the same as active smoking. In addition, if you are trying to quit smoking, the sight of people smoking can be tempting. If you have friends or family who smoke and you don't want to stay away from them, politely ask them to smoke elsewhere or stay away from you when they smoke.
Step 3. Read about the dangers of smoking
Constantly remind yourself that smoking is a habit that can be harmful, and look for research that strengthens your desire to quit smoking. Quitting smoking can prolong your life, and can reduce your risk of contracting diseases caused by smoking. Consider passing on the information you get to your friends and loved ones who smoke-but don't lecture them, your goal is just to tell them.
- Cigarettes contain carcinogenic (cancer-causing) substances, and when you smoke, you are directly inhaling these harmful substances into your body. Most cases of lung cancer are caused by smoking.
- Smoking can cause stroke and coronary heart disease, which is the number one killer in the United States. In fact, the early symptoms of cardiovascular disease will still be seen in people who smoke less than five cigarettes per day.
- Smoking is a cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), namely emphysema and chronic bronchitis. If you have asthma, tobacco can trigger asthma attacks and make your asthma symptoms worse.
