Habits are scary things, and with the use of addictive things like tobacco, they can be hard to break. Today, tobacco is one of the leading causes of death in the United States —one that can be totally preventable. In the U.S. alone, cigarette smoking kills more than 480,000 Americans on a yearly basis. Further, statistics have shown that about 16 million Americans are living with at least one-serious smoking-related disease, and finally, the act of smoking has cost the United States more than $600 billion in 2018, including more than $240 billion in healthcare spending.
In this article, we shall look at the various ways to quit smoking.
How to Quit Smoking
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
There are various nicotine replacement therapies that your healthcare provider can avail you of. These options include:
- Nicotine prescription that will come in the form of a nasal spray or inhaler.
- Nicotine gum, lozenges, or even nicotine patches that can be bought without a prescription, etc.
These short-acting replacement therapies can help a tobacco addict overcome the intense cravings for smoking tobacco. Furthermore, they are also very safe to use.
Avoid Triggers
It is also important that you avoid those places or circumstances that will trigger you to smoke. This will include parties, bars, or circumstances such as you being stressed or even sipping coffee. Whatever your triggers are, it is important you have a plan to avoid those triggers.
Also, you need to ensure that you don’t set your body up for a smoking relapse. For instance, if you find yourself smoking while on the phone, you need to discuss yourself with some other activity, like doodling on the phone.
Delay
When you feel the craving is very strong, tell yourself that you need to wait at least ten more minutes. During that 10-minute wait, you need to distract yourself with another form of activity. For instance, you can head out to a public, smoke-free zone. These simple tricks can significantly improve your resistance to tobacco.
Chew On It
Another trick that can help work against your susceptibility to tobacco is chewing on something —be it a hard candy or unsweetened gum. You can also chew nuts, raw carrots, and even sunflower seeds if you need something that will distract your mouth and taste buds from having to smoke.
Never Take ‘Just One’
Don’t deceive yourself by stating that you will have just one cigarette to satisfy the craving. There is a reason it is an addiction — you find it very hard to stop. Having one more always leads to having another. And another. And then, you end up using tobacco again.
Get Physical
Engaging in physical activities is one of the best distractions you can offer yourself. Physical activities not only help lessen appetite cravings, but they can also help you to resist your tobacco cravings. Going for a jog or walk can do the trick.
Try the various techniques of relaxation:
Finally, for those that resorted to smoking to deal with stress, you can engage in deep relaxation exercises, such as deep breathing, muscle relaxation, yoga, and a host of other exercises.
Conclusion
In conclusion, overcoming tobacco addiction may be an uphill task. However, it is possible. Follow these steps, and you are on your way to full recovery.
