Friday, October 8, 2010

Find Out The Importance Of Tips To Quit Smoking

By Shawn Onseo

It seems that the amount of people who are trying to quit smoking is on the rise, especially as society's views continue to change, along with increasing costs of cigarettes and overall health awareness. Regardless of a person's reason for trying to quit, many find that they struggle during the process. However, there are a few stop smoking tips that you can go by in order to make the transition run more smoothly.

The key to quitting often relies on knowing what your triggers are. While nicotine itself can be addictive, so are the human habits that are generally developed over time as you smoke. For some people, they may find that they enjoy the feel of having a cigarette in their hand or mouth, even just the sensation of inhaling can be an addictive habit.

Some people may actually be in a routine to smoke during certain times of the day such as after meals, in the morning, during stressful moments, or even while drinking alcohol or socializing. It's often something done as a reward or to spur things into action and is generally psychological. These routines, physical or psychological triggers are often what makes trying to quit difficult, not just nicotine.

Whether or not your approach to quitting is by weaning yourself off cigarettes gradually, cutting cold turkey, or using other methods, it's still important to be able to recognize the triggers that get you smoking to begin with, and learn how to work around them. If, for instance, you appreciate the more physical side of things, enjoying the feel of inhalation or holding the cigarette, you may do well with an electronic cigarette, carrot sticks that are stored in cold sugar water, licorice or other types of candy, or even taking deep breathes to simulate inhaling.

If you have a goal or specific reason to quit, whether it's to save one money, lose weight, or just be healthy, use these goals to your advantage. Many people, for instance, fear quitting when they want to lose weight. While you may gain some weight due to eating more in order to mimic that oral sensation that's often associated with smoking, it's also important to remember that nicotine actually lowers your metabolic rate. Take moments where you have urges to smoke and make it into something productive. If you get angry or stressed and want to smoke, workout for ten to twenty minutes or until the sensation passes. Working out will trigger your endorphins, lowering your stress level and replacing it with calm or happiness, which is similar to the affects of how nicotine makes you feel.

If you happen to be quitting in order to save money or because you can't afford it, try to reward yourself with small treats as you can. You can set personal goals after you quit or cut back, saving up for an item that you normally couldn't afford or wouldn't normally splurge on. Even setting up a bank account for this purpose helps. You may also feel further motivated by knowing how much you're truly saving by quitting, especially due to the hike in taxes and prices.

There are numerous stop smoking tips and tricks, but what is key is making sure that they coincide with your triggers. Even if you smoke just to smoke, often asking yourself why you're even smoking or don't even feel like it in the first place, find something to distract yourself and break the habit. Even placing a rubber band around your wrist and snapping it against yourself can achieve this, getting your brain to rethink instead of falling into the same routine. Avoid patterns that tempt you into smoking and switch your patterns. Overtime, things will become easier as these habits are broken.

About the Author:

No comments:

Post a Comment