According to Mark Twain, a writer known not only for his works, but also for his excellent sense of humor, quitting smoking is not difficult, he has already done it dozens of times.
But seriously, according to research by sociologists, only 5% of those who have stopped smoking are able to complete what they started the first time around. Others need 5 to 10 to 20 attempts.
But there are still ways to quit smoking for good, and if you show willpower, everything will work out.
Only very stubborn people can say a vehement "no" to themselves and never smoke again. If the craving for tobacco is very strong and your will power is not enough, you should seek the help of a psychotherapist and have several sessions.
Is there an easy way to quit smoking?
Many people, thinking about how to quit smoking, try to find the easy way out. Some people think about how to start smoking less, others decide to quit smoking once and for all.
Unfortunately, only a person who has not yet developed an addiction can give up easily. That is, one who smokes recently and slowly. Otherwise, quitting the habit will lead to unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.
The more cigarettes are present in a person's life, the more difficult it will be for him to stop smoking, even in the most determined mood. Of course, willpower and confidence in success will positively affect the outcome, but they will not be able to cancel out the body's negative reaction to the absence of substances that have become habitual.
So don't look for an easy mythical path. You should try to find the one that is most effective and comfortable in your situation and continually move towards your goal.
Possible Negative Consequences of Quitting Smoking Abruptly
Having decided to quit smoking, many people are thinking about how to do it without harming their health. Some prefer a cardinal approach and quit smoking abruptly. Others try to avoid stressing the body and mind and stop smoking by cutting back on cigarettes.
Each method has its positive and negative sides. In particular, abrupt cessation of smoking leads to the appearance of a withdrawal syndrome, which is expressed by the following symptoms:
- dizziness, headache;
- cough (dry at first, then with copious sputum), shortness of breath;
- spikes in blood pressure;
- arrhythmia;
- sleep disturbances (night insomnia and daytime sleepiness);
- digestive disorders;
- weakened immunity as a result of frequent colds;
- irritability, nervousness;
- lethargy, apathy, depression;
- Emotional instability;
- decreased performance, deterioration of concentration, lethargy.
Signs can appear in any combination and proceed with varying degrees of severity. It all depends on the smoker's experience and the individual characteristics of the body. The hardest part is the first week. Also, as the body cleans itself, the symptoms diminish.
How to overcome withdrawal symptoms and not go back to smoking?
Withdrawal syndrome is different for people. But even those with severe symptoms should know that this condition is temporary and will pass quickly, even if it seems like every day it only gets worse and never gets better.
Important!The main thing in the initial stage is to be patient and in no case try to improve your condition with another "last" cigarette.
There are many recommendations on how to get through the first few days after quitting and not smoke again.
- One of the main conditions is the absence of provocative factors. Anything that resembles a bad habit must be removed. Cigarette packs, lighters and ashtrays should disappear from view.
- Motivation is very important. Understanding why you quit smoking and what the positive aspects of rejecting addiction are, it's much easier to survive a temporary malaise.
- Reading thematic literature or watching programs will help you confirm the correctness of your decision and make it easier for you to spend the first few days without cigarettes. Another way of working to replace the smoking ritual with another. For example, you can peel and slice an apple and then eat it.
- It effectively helps to deal with sports withdrawal syndrome. It is true that this option will come in handy at a later stage when your health status improves a little. And even after that, you shouldn't carry the body right away. But pool lessons, hiking, biking, rollerblading or rollerblading will be perfect. This method will not only help to distract you psychologically, it will also contribute to the quick cleansing of the body.
- According to experts, communication with fellow misfortune helps a lot. If you have someone to discuss your problems with or just complain to, it will be much easier to stop smoking.
- Nutrition during the smoking cessation period plays an important role. For example, tomatoes, eggplants and cauliflower contain negligible amounts of nicotine. Eating these foods can help reduce the urge to smoke without harming your health.
Effective Ways to Quit Smoking
It's not worth explaining to anyone why it's worth it to stop smoking. Furthermore, these explanations are not necessary for heavy smokers who have already experienced the negative effect of nicotine on health and the body.
There are many ways to get rid of an addiction effectively. It is the use of special medications that reduce the craving for nicotine and reduce the manifestations of the withdrawal syndrome, in addition to popular remedies and psychotherapeutic techniques.
Pharmacological agents
To quit smoking on your own, eliminate the craving for nicotine on a physical and psychological level and address the manifestations of withdrawal symptoms. Medicines help.
Three groups of drugs can be distinguished:
- Nicotine replacement agents. . . These are products that contain low concentrations of nicotine. They help to gradually give up, that is, more painlessly, smoking. The choice is very wide, sweets, chewing gum, sprays, stickers help to quit smoking more easily. Smoked lollipops are very popular. According to some studies, the use of nicotine-containing medications can help to halve the intensity of withdrawal symptoms.
- Nicotinic receptor agonists.The active substance in these drugs acts on receptors that react to nicotine. As a result, the mechanism changes and the person stops enjoying smoking and, in some cases, begins to feel disgusted.
- Sedatives and antidepressants.The use of this group of drugs has as main objective the relief of psychological discomfort, eliminating nervousness and irritability.
But the switch to e-cigarettes, which many consider an easy way to quit smoking, experts don't recommend. These devices are also harmful to health and highly addictive. Therefore, the only result that can be expected is the replacement of one bad habit for another.
Non-drug techniques
Many smoking cessation methods are not drug related. Several types of hypnosis are considered effective, which is a strongly negative attitude towards smoking in a person.
Various smoking coding methods are also popular, among which the Dovzhenko method is especially distinguished. Its essence is that a two-way psychotherapeutic effect is exerted on the patient. This means that, on the one hand, the smoker learns to have a negative attitude towards smoking and, on the other hand, he describes in ink all the advantages of a life without cigarettes.
Traditional medicine plays a big role in smoking cessation. There are many herbal recipes available to reduce cigarette cravings and alleviate withdrawal symptoms. There are many recipes. The most popular are as follows:
- an unrefined oat decoction;
- tea made from oregano, mint, St. John's wort and yarrow;
- a decoction of chamomile, valerian, mint, fennel and caraway seeds;
- a drink with ginger and honey;
- a soothing valerian and mint tea;
- the calamus root infusion helps to alleviate the urge to smoke.
Here are some more tips to help you quit smoking:
- you need to choose a specific date, preferably at a time when important things and stressful situations are not planned (for example, exams, passing an important project, or moving to a new apartment);
- avoiding coffee will make quitting smoking much easier;
- ensure the availability of healthy snacks (fresh vegetables and fruits, dried fruits, seeds, nuts);
- communicate your intention to as many people as possible, experience shows that the attention and support of outside observers significantly reduces the likelihood of a breakdown;
- install a special app on the phone;
- find something you like that will occupy all your free time.
Another option is to argue with someone for a decent amount. In that case, the desire to win will save you from falling. Some are helped by unconventional methods such as acupuncture.
When should you see a doctor?
It is much easier to quit smoking with the help of a professional. A narcologist will advise on effective methods of quitting smoking and will help alleviate withdrawal symptoms. Depending on which smoking treatment method you choose, you may be able to see a therapist experienced in treating nicotine addiction, a neuropathologist, or a psychotherapist.
In addition, the doctor should be consulted in cases where the symptoms of rejection syndrome are very pronounced or do not go away even after a long time. And also if there are concomitant illnesses then you need to get in touch with a doctor of the appropriate expertise, for example a cardiologist or pulmonologist.
Common Mistakes and Misconceptions
Many of those who think about how to quit smoking once and for all make a series of mistakes that call into question the success of their plans. This includes the following:
- the intention not to stop, but to smoke less (practically no one can control the rate of cigarette consumption);
- indulgence in the abstinence process, for example, allowing yourself to smoke a cigarette to calm yourself down (this will nullify everything that has already been achieved);
- switch to lighter cigarettes (in most cases it is only possible to get the number of cigarettes smoked per day to increase).
Furthermore, many believe that they can overcome their psychological addiction at any time, which means they keep the situation under control. This illusion leads to the fact that a person increasingly falls into the forces of a bad habit, damages his health, and quitting smoking becomes increasingly unattainable.
Conclusion
Everyone has their own way to quit smoking. A method that helped a relative or friend may not be helpful in your case. But you must not despair, if there is desire and persistence, there is a suitable path for everyone.
And to speed up the result and make the habit more comfortable, an integrated approach can be used, combining several options.