Quit Smoking in 8 Steps. Part 1
Are your friends and family nagging you to quit smoking? Are you tired of spending your hard earned dollars and cents at the drug store on cigarette’s? Has the inside roof of your car lost its whiteness? How about the wallpaper in your house?
It was not until I became a non-smoker that I noticed how my smoking habit affected my environment, my health, and the lives of others.
I noticed a drastic difference in my health and how I felt about myself. When I later lived with a smoker, I realized how much a smoker alters his or her surroundings. I am glad that I quit. Now I feel better about my health, my surroundings, my life, and myself.
I originally believed that smoking was merely an innocent personal vice over which I had complete control. Certainly, we all have the personal power to make a choice over whether or not to smoke a cigarette, yet this is not always so easy, no thanks to withdrawal symptoms and the like; and whether smoking is just an innocent personal vice is a judgment call.
Some people have died due to their smoking habit and others have lived through their nineties with a smoking habit. Some have suffered with throat cancer after having never smoked a cigarette; others have raced in the Tour de France after smoking a cigarette at the starting line. Certainly, I played soccer and jogged three miles twice a week while a smoker. Yet, whenever I cut back on my smoking, I always noticed a drastic difference in my performance and enjoyment of my sport. This is what inspired me to make my own judgment call. I decided that I could live a healthier, cleaner, and more satisfying life if I quit smoking.
Here are some steps to help you kick the smoking habit:
First Establish an Official Quit Date
It’s an excellent idea to give yourself a deadline that is at least a few weeks from your decision- to-quit day. This way you can anticipate your first “cold-turkey” day after having tapered your smoking down to a minimum and perhaps after having enlisted your friends and family as supporters for your great lifestyle change.
Quitting any addictive habit consumes an enormous amount of mental and physical energy. If you know you are going to experience any major life changes or stresses such as moving, taking an exam, starting a new project at work, getting married, etc., you may want to put your official quit day off until you are on vacation or until you know things will become more settled. If you feel you have the will to quit at any time, then go for it!
Mentally Fuel
After having set a date, you must fuel your mind so that you can make it through the first few weeks without turning back from your decision. The first week is the most difficult. You will most likely experience serious withdrawal symptoms that will cause you to doubt your decision. Before this happens, it’s imperative that you make an official list of personal reasons to quit smoking.
Here are some reasons you might want to quit:
* Smoking increases your risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and stroke.
* Smoking decreases lung capacity.
* Smoking causes emphysema.
* Your children have problems with asthma, ear infections, pneumonia, and bronchitis caused by second-hand smoke.
* You know that once you quit, you will add an average of five healthy years to your life.
* You want to avoid prematurely aged and wrinkled skin.
* You are a woman planning to have a baby.
* Smoking is no longer considered cool.
* You are going to spend thousands of dollars on new wallpaper and wish to keep it clean.
* You wish to increase your lung capacity in order to run faster.
* And You intend to become a happier, healthier, and fitter person.
After listing your reasons for quitting, put them somewhere you know you will see them regularly. The list will serve as a daily reminder of your commitment to a cigarette-free life along with your reasons for quitting.
Gather Social Support
Tell your friends and family about your plans to quit and tell them that you need their support. Some friends and family members might give you a hard time and others may wholeheartedly support you. Simply ignore the nay-sayers or politely tell them that you would really appreciate their support on this matter, they will get the picture.
At first, ask your friends not to smoke in your presence nor offer you any cigarettes. Once you make it past the initial stages of quitting, the temptation to smoke will wane and it will become easier for you to stick with your plan.
Determine Whether Your Habit is More Physical or Psychological
Once you know understand the source of your addiction, you can better assess your various treatment options. You know you are physically addicted when you experience physical withdrawal symptoms such as restlessness, irritability, sleep disturbances, dry mouth, increased appetite, and headaches. You are psychologically addicted if you feel the compulsive desire to smoke when dealing with emotional stress, negative feelings, or situations. Anxiety, boredom, loneliness, social discomfort, and work stress are all psychological reasons for smoking. Often, the reasons for smoking are a combination of both weighing heavier to one side or another.