Steps to Stop Smoking

We all are aware of the several ill effects of smoking on our mind and body. It is bad for the respiratory system, circulatory system, brain, skin, etc. Still, most smokers find it difficult to quit smoking. This is mainly because they are addicted towards this habit and it has become an integral part of their everyday life. Many people have tried to quit but they lost their motivation in the middle and they could not continue without cigarettes for long time. Actually, you have to be more committed and follow some methodical steps to stop smoking.

How to Quit Smoking

When you have planned to stop smoking, then you must know that there are no easy ways to stop smoking as such. The initial few weeks are the toughest. However, later on, your body and mind get used to being without smoking, and the situation comes under your control. The main steps are as follows.

Step #1
First of all, take a pen and a note pad, and write down the stop smoking benefits. There are thousands of reasons to quit smoking, but you should write about those which are relevant for you. Long term health reasons like the risk of cancer and heart diseases are always there. Besides, stained teeth, bad breath or an annoying cough, can be your immediate reasons for giving up smoking. Not to forget the price of cigarettes or the effects of secondhand smoke or passive smoking on the health of your loved ones. When you write about those points, then you can remind yourself about why to stop smoking, from time to time. If you lose your motivation in the due course, then just read those points to yourself to strengthen it all over again.

Step #2
Fix a date on which you will stop smoking. The date should be within a week or two, and not beyond that. This will help you to plan ahead about the problems that you are going to face and also build up strategies in advance to overcome them. Keep a strong determination and stick to that particular date. Do not give any excuse to change the date.

Step #3
When you are trying to quit smoking, you must take help from others. Prepare a support system that consists of friends and family members who will support you through your endeavor. They will encourage you in so many different ways to quit smoking. If you try to break your resolution, then they would be there to stop you. If you feel a strong urge to take a few puffs, talk to them, and you would get back your motivation all over again. You can join some self-help groups as well. There, you will get the scope to interact with all such people who are quitting the habit or have successfully done it already.

Step #4
To control the temptation of smoking, you should discard all cigarettes, lighters, matches, and other such items from your house and office. If there are some places that remind you of smoking, then stay away from those places. You should also avoid those people with whom you used to smoke.

Step #5
There is no doubt about the fact that it is very difficult to tackle the withdrawal symptoms. Irritability, lack of concentration, headaches, etc., are quite common in this phase. You must keep a positive frame of mind in order to recover from it. Remind yourself that the discomfort will be gone after a few weeks and you can overcome it.

Step #6
At times, you may feel stressed out without smoking. There are many other ways to handle stress and you can try them out. A warm bath or a walk can be equally effective in relaxing your mind and body. Many people feel that learning a meditation technique is the best way to quit smoking. This not only helps to get rid of mental stress but you also develop better control over the strong urge to smoke.

Hope this article helped you to get a clear idea on how to quit smoking. Many people feel that use of various quit smoking products like gum, lozenge spray and lozenge, are some easy ways to stop smoking cigarettes. They will lessen the intensity of the withdrawal symptoms to some extent, but to persistently resist the urge to smoke on your own, you have to follow the steps to stop smoking, given in this article.