That smoking is harmful to health is a well-known fact. Nicotine, the main component of cigarettes, is a highly addictive and very harmful legal drug not only for the health of the smoker but also for those around him, especially children. Furthermore, tobacco is the main cause of preventable deaths.
Quitting smoking is not easy since it is not just about quitting a habit but also about quitting an addiction.. It is likely that you have tried it on other occasions and have found serious difficulties in quitting. It's never too late to try again. In this article we are going to explain a few tips and tricks to quit smoking. We hope they are of help to you.
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Trick 1: Find a reason to quit smoking
If you are really motivated, you can achieve it. You need a powerful reason to quit tobacco. Any reason is valid: Improve your health, protect that of those around you by preventing them from being passive smokers, reduce your expenses...
Trick 2: Avoid triggers
Smoking is often associated with some daily habit or activity. For example, drinking alcohol, going out with friends, or smoking after eating.
- Smoking and alcohol. Many people have the habit of smoking when they drink alcohol. Try switching to non-alcoholic drinks or drink alcohol only in closed public places where smoking is prohibited and in places where you cannot go outside in case of temptation.
- Being with other smokers. If you are trying to quit smoking and you are surrounded by people who smoke, it will be very difficult to achieve it. At least the first few days. Avoid meeting them or ask them not to smoke or smoke less in your presence. This doesn't mean that quitting tobacco is giving up your old friends and activities, you're simply avoiding the familiarity associated with your smoking habits. Everything helps.
- Smoking after eating. For smokers, there is nothing more pleasurable than a cigarette after eating. A trick to avoid this is to eat nuts such as seeds, a little chocolate, a piece of fruit or chew gum. Or simply avoid sitting still and do something else right away. What if you clear the table?
Trick 3: Get informed and consult a specialist
It's not just about throwing cigarettes in the trash. Smoking is an addiction. The brain is hooked on nicotine. If you cannot get rid of cigarettes on your own, seek professional help to get it out of your life once and for all.
Ask your GP about different methods to quit smoking and if there is any specific program to quit smoking in your health center. This way you will have information and support for when you take the big step.
Trick 4: Choose a method to quit tobacco
Today there are many methods and aids to quit smoking: nicotine patches, mouth spray, gum, lozenges or electronic cigarettes. Therapies such as hypnosis or psychological treatment help to quit smoking.
Choose the system that best suits you, with which you feel most comfortable. Maybe you can opt for a combination of them.
Trick 5: Make a plan to quit smoking and be prepared
Choose a date to quit smoking. It can be a special day like your birthday or the beginning of a calm and relaxed period like vacations. During this period you should focus your attention on your goal of quitting smoking and change some habits and routines to achieve it. Plan what you are going to do instead of smoking at the times when you are most likely to do so. Play sports, walk, ride a bike. Exercise helps relieve the urge to smoke. Sleep a lot, avoid alcohol and coffee. Eat healthy and hydrate well.
Trick 6: Seek support from family and friends
You are going to enter a very difficult process both emotionally and physically. Tell your friends, family and co-workers your plan to quit smoking. The fact of telling it establishes a commitment with yourself and with those around you.
Do not be afraid!. You are going to take a very important step and they will be the accomplices who will help you, especially when you are in a bad mood.
Trick 7: Technology, your ally
Do you know that you can carry an ally on your cell phone to help you quit smoking? There are numerous smartphone or tablet applications with games or impressive images that can help you in this process.
One of the most popular is Kwit, an app that uses reasoning and game-based mechanics to encourage you to quit smoking.
We also found QuitNow!, a tool that allows you to see how much time has passed since you stopped smoking, the amount of money you have saved, the cigarettes you have not smoked... You even have a game to distract yourself in the most critical moments.
The British Heart Foundation has created Smoking Time Machine a curious application that shows you the effects of tobacco on your face in 10 or 20 years.
But this is just a small sample. There are many more applications to quit smoking. Find the one that best suits your needs, see which one is the best rated, read the reviews and try several of them.
They say that it takes a human being 21 days to change a habit, so a lot of patience for you and those around you... Good luck!
Find out what happens when you stop smoking
In this interesting video you will discover the incredible beneficial effects of quitting smoking, from recovering your sense of taste, smell, normalization of pulse and blood pressure. In just 72 hours you can already see an improvement in your health.
Do you want to know which celebrities have stopped smoking and how?
Adele, Matt Damon and Charlize Theron They achieved it thanks to hypnosis; Penelope Cruz She left him when she found out she was pregnant; Robbie Williams and Ben Affleck They left him when they found out they were going to be parents. Courteney Cox with the method Yefim Shubentso. Even if you're not famous, you can get it too!