Smoking is a habit that many people start and can't seem to stop without some type of help. As companies see that more people are looking for ways to quit smoking, they're developing alternatives that will help ease the transition from smoking every day to not smoking at all.
According to WebMD, the first step to quitting smoking is to know why you want to do it in the first place. You shouldn't quit simply because you know it's bad for you. In order to motivate yourself, you need a reason such as keeping your family healthy or preventing lung cancer. Find a reason that is going to give you the encouragement to get through the process.
If you've been smoking for years, it's best not to quit cold turkey. Quitting at a dead stop might cause more health concerns than gradually decreasing the number of cigarettes that you smoke. Almost 95% of those who try to stop by simply throwing cigarettes away and not picking up another pack without some kind of therapy often end up relapsing. The body is used to getting nicotine during the day, and when the body doesn't get that nicotine, it will crave it and go into withdrawal when the substance is not there. Withdrawal symptoms often include not being able to sleep, mood swings and headaches.
One of the ways to try to stop smoking is to use replacements. This could be in the form of gum or a patch. These items have enough nicotine in them to trick the body into thinking that you are still smoking, but you won't have all of the harmful chemicals from the cigarettes entering the body. When you feel like you need to smoke, simply chew a piece of gum. Start by chewing gum that has the nicotine in it, and then gradually begin to chew gum that doesn't have it so that the body can adjust to the loss of nicotine.
Talk to your friends about your decision to quit smoking. If they smoke, ask them if they won't do it in front of you. Find someone who has quit who can give you tips on how to get through the process. A therapy group can help as you will have several people are going through quitting with you. Don't get around situations that might tempt you to smoke such as drinking or going to sporting events where others will be smoking. When you find the right methods that work for you, focus on them so that the process will be as easy as possible.
