How and when do you want to quit smoking?
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There are only two ways to effectively quit smoking, immediately (cold turkey), or gradually. When you quit gradually, you use various methods to taper off before you have that last cigarette. Neither way is better than the other for all people. Pick the one that you feel fits your temperament. Either way, a nicotine patch may prove to be a real benefit in giving up, especially if you are a heavy smoker.
Try this test to see which way is better for you.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT METHOD OF QUITING FOR YOU
Answer the questions by circling “yes”, “no”, or “not sure”.
1. Stopping smoking is one of the most important things in the world for me right now. Yes no not sure
2. I can handle a tough problem without a smoke.
Yes no not sure
3. I have to quit smoking and my reasons are good enough to do it now.
Yes no not sure
4. If I quit this minute, I know I can find a way to resist the craving to smoke, even if it is strong. Yes no not sure
If your answer to all of the above questions is ‘yes’, you may be a candidate to quit immediately. But before you do, read on to get the tools necessary to be successful. After reading the following, set a time to quit. If not right now, then tomorrow, but do it.
What about the doubts you may be feeling now?
Most smokers will get a sense of doubt when they read the questions above. You probably are not confident in your ability to follow through with resisting any future craving to smoke, or finding something to substitute for the feelings that smoking has given to you.
In order to have the confidence to quit, you :
(1) must find an alternative to handle the urge to smoke, when it hits, and
(2) create ways to deal with the reasons that you smoked in the first place.
Together we will accomplish both these tasks so that when the day comes that you had planned to quit, you will be confident to do it.
HOW TO HANDLE THE URGE
There are several weapons that you can use in your fight to quit.
EACH OF THESE WEAPONS WORK- THEY HAVE BEEN PROVEN
You may use one, all, or a combination of several to achieve your goal. The urge to smoke is immediate, and usually lasts for five minutes. If you can resist for that period of time, you reduce the urge.
1. Take a deep breath, hold it for a few seconds, and exhale as if you had just taken your first puff on a cigarette. Part of the feeling you get from smoking is a direct result of taking a deep breath. A deep breath allows you to take in a maximum amount of oxygen, and exhaling lets out large quantities of carbon dioxide. This results in a feeling of relaxation. Try it, you’ll see.
2. Take a sip of water several times during this five minute period. It can help to diminish the need to smoke, and gives you something to do with your hands. The extra water will also help to flush the nicotine out of your body.
3. Put something in your mouth that has no calories, such as a stirrer, toothpick, or another substitute for a cigarette.
4. Get busy with something, anything, to keep you busy for the next five minutes.
5. As long as it does not lead to a craving, chew a piece of gum or a piece of hard candy. Life Savers work well.
6. Get up and move around for five minutes. It will help the urge to smoke to pass.
7. Use a nicotine patch as replacement therapy.