For people who have smoked for a very long time, stopping smoking can be one of the hardest things they’ll ever have to do. Nicotine is extremely addictive, and smoking itself reinforces several behaviors that become hard habits to break. For many people, it isn’t enough to simply replace the nicotine they get from cigarettes, they have to replace their need to have something in their hands, in their mouths, and their needs to take smoking breaks at certain times of day. Fortunately, there are some tips that can help people manage all of these different aspects of smoking addiction, and help them quit smoking easily.
To begin with, it is important to replace nicotine to reduce cravings when you’re quitting smoking. Gum, patches, or electronic cigarettes can all do this, but the important thing is to use them as directed, and gradually decrease your dependence on nicotine, not simply replace cigarettes with another source of the drug.
After that, many people find that they struggle with the habit of having a cigarette in their mouths. They end up chewing on their fingernails, pens, pencils, and other objects instead. A good way to overcome this habit is to keep small, healthy snacks, like carrot sticks or celery, on hand. Tooth picks are another good alternative. It’s important not to chew on anything that isn’t meant to be put in your mouth, like a pen or pencil, because it can damage your teeth. Electronic cigarettes are good for this, but people should actively work to decrease their dependence on nicotine products, so they are not a permanent solution.
Next, people sometimes find that they need the feeling of having something in their hands. Stress balls, coins, or other small items that quitters can fidget with are all helpful, since they can provide a distraction and give idle hands something to do. Again, electronic cigarettes purport to fill this need, but users will still have to find a way to reduce their dependence on them eventually.
Lastly, people find that going out to take a cigarette break at certain times a day has become a habit, and they become agitated when they no longer have an excuse to get out of the house or office. In this situation, going outside to make a phone call, or to take a quick walk can provide the same relief. If there are many people at your job that are all quitting smoking at the same time, consider forming a walking group to go out together during lunch, or other times of day when you’d commonly take a smoking break.
Quitting smoking isn’t just hard because of how addictive nicotine is. Smoking becomes almost a ritualistic habit with many different components, not all of which are satisfied by products that simply replace nicotine. By using one of the above tricks to help fill the need to hold something, have something in your mouth, and take cigarette breaks, you can make stopping smoking much easier on yourself.
For a complete guide on how to stop smoking in about 38 minutes even if everything else you’ve tried has failed, click here:
