Deciding to quit smoking is a huge step forward, so congratulations! Many people never get to this point, so the fact that you’re ready to make the change is a great start.
That said, it’s totally normal to feel overwhelmed by the prospect of what you know will be a long journey; you didn’t get addicted to nicotine overnight, and ridding yourself of the habit will take time and a lot of effort.
There are many elements that go into a successful quitting strategy, and this article is designed to give you the start you need. Here’s how to stop smoking in eight steps!
Strengthen Your Commitment
It isn’t enough to simply say you’re going to quit smoking – you need to decide between concrete options. As is the case with any addiction, it’s very easy to have good intentions one minute and then slip into relapse the next.
One of the best ways of holding yourself accountable in the beginning is to take a piece of paper and write down the three main reasons you’ve decided to quit. Then, place this list somewhere that’s visible to you every day as a reminder.
You should also tell your friends and family of your decision; this helps further ground the commitment in reality rather than just having it float around in your head!
Setting a Date
Next, it’s time to set your quit date. While it’s possible to go completely cold turkey and stop smoking immediately, this is rarely the best option, as it can be too much at once.
Instead, choose a date in the near future, perhaps a week or two following your decision to stop. This gives you enough time to prepare and put the necessary steps in place to make your journey more manageable.
Discovering Your Triggers
Understanding how addiction works is a very individual process. No two people’s experiences with smoking are the same; everyone starts, maintains, and quits for different reasons. In the early stages, identifying the driving force behind the maintenance process is very important.
Begin to explore the reasons why you continue to smoke. These reasons will likely cover a broad spectrum, including social, emotional, and situational aspects. Many people started smoking to ‘fit in’ during social situations, where others find themselves reaching for a cigarette – and often a drink – to offset a stressful day at work.
Understanding these triggers and acting before they take hold is a fundamental part of succeeding.
Preparing for Withdrawal
One of the worst aspects of quitting smoking is dealing with the withdrawal symptoms. When you stop smoking, your body initially responds negatively: you may experience increased anxiety and difficulty focusing, and you’ll find you have strong cravings for cigarettes, which can feel unbearable at times.
The strategies discussed below will help you manage these withdrawal symptoms, but that doesn’t mean it won’t still be difficult. Coming to terms with the fact that you’re going to go through a period of hardship for the greater good is critical to staying on track, as that way, nothing will surprise you.
Quitting Methods Explained
Then, there’s choosing which quitting method to go with. Again, this is a very individual process, and you might need to try a few methods before you land on something that works for you. You’ll also likely find that a mixture of approaches works best. Here are the most common methods:
Cold Turkey
This is when someone stops smoking immediately without any other aids. While it works for some people, it generally has a high rate of relapse.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)
NRT is one of the most effective smoking cessation aids and works by delivering nicotine in a gradually reducing dose without the harmful effects of smoking. NRT can come in the form of patches, gum, nasal sprays, and pouches, which are healthier for both you and the environment.
Behavioral Therapy
Many people benefit from some form of psychotherapy to help them quit smoking, with the most popular being CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). CBT works by helping the person understand how cognitive (thought) elements lead to negative behavioural actions and functions to intervene at this junction for a more favorable outcome. In this way, it can help people understand their triggers and put new, healthier behaviours in place to combat them.
Prescription Medications
Prescription medications like Chantix can be used to help reduce withdrawal symptoms: these medications work to block the reinforcing effects of smoking and can go a long way in taking the edge off.
Not everyone needs prescription medications, and they’re usually offered as an extra aid if you find that you’re struggling more than you feel you can cope with.
Building a Strong Support System
Often underestimated is the role that friends and family play in your journey to stop smoking.
As you’ll recall, in step one, it was recommended you tell your friends and family about your goals to quit, and that serves a deep purpose.
Your loved ones are going to be instrumental in keeping you on track during inevitable setbacks. There will be both highs and lows on this journey, and at the low points, it’s important to have people you can count on to lift you back up and remind you of why you’re doing this; your loved ones may even be a key reason as to why you’ve decided to quit, strengthening you resolve.
Always reach out when in need – your friends and family will be more than happy to support you.
Avoiding Temptations
As is the case with any firmly rooted addiction, temptations will present themselves continuously. Part of working through them is about avoiding your triggers, but it’s also key to know when to avoid a situation outright.
For example, understanding that chatting to friends in the smoking area during a break at work is one of your triggers is one thing, but it’s a problem if you feel peer pressured to do so. In this instance, it’s best to avoid the situation altogether.
If your colleagues can’t understand why you don’t want to engage in this scenario, you may be better off without them; sometimes, sacrifices need to be made for your own well-being, and that includes relinquishing aspects of your life that don’t align with your new values.
Add in Healthy Behaviours
Smoking cessation naturally focuses a lot on things to cut out, but just as important is what you add back in. Replacing a bad habit with a good one is always stronger than simply cutting out the bad habit, and some of the best positive activities to engage in are those that actively improve your health.
Developing a love for a new form of exercise, such as biking or running, is a great way to invest in your well-being, and given that being stressed is a contributing reason for why many people smoke, learning how to meditate and practice mindfulness can also be an excellent idea.
Have fun exploring different activities to find something that works for you.
Wrapping Up
Hopefully, the path forward now looks a little clearer for you. Quitting smoking is a major undertaking, particularly if the addiction is deeply entrenched, but by embracing the most effective methods in all their different forms, anyone can break the habit.
While quitting smoking may be one of the hardest things you’ll ever do, the payoff will be worth it in every way; you’re making a huge step towards a long, happy, healthy life!
