While the tapering off method may seem simple- after all, you simply follow a schedule, your chances of success are much higher if you keep some simple guidelines in mind.
Although by tapering off slowly your withdrawal symptoms will be much milder than they would be if you were quitting cold turkey, you must realize that you're still going to have to deal with them, along with cravings.
It's important to understand that your chances of success regardless of what method you choose to quit smoking will be much higher if you identify and stick with your values.
If you can, get assistance from a stop-smoking program near you. You can find these by doing a simple search online. These programs can benefit you a lot more than you think, by providing you with encouragement and motivation. A lot of people are trying to quit, and working together you can double your chance of success.
Each day, carry only the number of cigarettes you've allowed yourself to smoke by your schedule. If you're allowing yourself to only smoke ten cigarettes a day, carrying a full pack of twenty is not going to help.
If you have smoked your limit of cigarettes for the day, and you miss having a cigarette in your mouth, try carrying toothpicks, cinnamon sticks, lollipops or other candies. Try carrots or celery sticks, as these are good for your health anyway.
If you really need to hold something in your hand because you miss holding cigarettes, replace it with a pencil, a paper clip, or a bottle of water. Get creative.
Keep your hands and your mind busy by doing crossword puzzles. Pickup a hobby like sketching, journalling, painting, or gardening.
Once you've smoked your limit of cigarettes for the day, avoid the usual triggers that cause you to want to smoke. For example, if you usually smoke a cigarette after dinner, take a walk instead or read a book. Cigarette smoking is a habit in addition to being an addiction, and you can break the habit.
If you're starting to get cravings and you've already smoked your day's limit of cigarettes, take a deep breath and count from zero to ten. If you need to, call a friend who knows you're trying to quit for encouragement. Take a walk, even if it's to the front of your house. The idea is to distract yourself until the craving passes.
If the sight of other people smoking makes you want to smoke, and you've already smoked your limit of cigarettes for the day, think about all the harm cigarettes are doing to those smokers. Think of how the smoke is flooding their bodies with toxins. Think about how much money is going down the drown for an addiction they cannot control and is terribly unhealthy. Think about your core values. Do you want to see your kids grow up? Taking risks with lung cancer doesn't help with that.
Don't be alarmed if you find yourself coughing a lot more than usual as you cut down. This is a good sign- your body is ridding itself of the tars and toxins that have accumulated through all those years of smoking. The coughing won't last too long, but during this time make sure you keep your throat as moist and comfortable as you can by drinking plenty of water and juices. Use throat lozenges too.
You must fight the urge to have just one more cigarette. Once you've smoked your daily limit, don't allow yourself the option of having another cigarette. Don't even think about it.
Don't reward yourself with more cigarettes after you've successfully tapered off for a few days. If you want this method to work, you must keep cutting down- never increase the number of cigarettes you smoke per day. You must gradually and persistently decrease the number of cigarettes you smoke. You musn't allow yourself any increases in cigarettes. The whole idea is to get your brain used to gradually decreasing levels of nicotine.
Although by tapering off slowly your withdrawal symptoms will be much milder than they would be if you were quitting cold turkey, you must realize that you're still going to have to deal with them, along with cravings.
It's important to understand that your chances of success regardless of what method you choose to quit smoking will be much higher if you identify and stick with your values.
If you can, get assistance from a stop-smoking program near you. You can find these by doing a simple search online. These programs can benefit you a lot more than you think, by providing you with encouragement and motivation. A lot of people are trying to quit, and working together you can double your chance of success.
Each day, carry only the number of cigarettes you've allowed yourself to smoke by your schedule. If you're allowing yourself to only smoke ten cigarettes a day, carrying a full pack of twenty is not going to help.
If you have smoked your limit of cigarettes for the day, and you miss having a cigarette in your mouth, try carrying toothpicks, cinnamon sticks, lollipops or other candies. Try carrots or celery sticks, as these are good for your health anyway.
If you really need to hold something in your hand because you miss holding cigarettes, replace it with a pencil, a paper clip, or a bottle of water. Get creative.
Keep your hands and your mind busy by doing crossword puzzles. Pickup a hobby like sketching, journalling, painting, or gardening.
Once you've smoked your limit of cigarettes for the day, avoid the usual triggers that cause you to want to smoke. For example, if you usually smoke a cigarette after dinner, take a walk instead or read a book. Cigarette smoking is a habit in addition to being an addiction, and you can break the habit.
If you're starting to get cravings and you've already smoked your day's limit of cigarettes, take a deep breath and count from zero to ten. If you need to, call a friend who knows you're trying to quit for encouragement. Take a walk, even if it's to the front of your house. The idea is to distract yourself until the craving passes.
If the sight of other people smoking makes you want to smoke, and you've already smoked your limit of cigarettes for the day, think about all the harm cigarettes are doing to those smokers. Think of how the smoke is flooding their bodies with toxins. Think about how much money is going down the drown for an addiction they cannot control and is terribly unhealthy. Think about your core values. Do you want to see your kids grow up? Taking risks with lung cancer doesn't help with that.
Don't be alarmed if you find yourself coughing a lot more than usual as you cut down. This is a good sign- your body is ridding itself of the tars and toxins that have accumulated through all those years of smoking. The coughing won't last too long, but during this time make sure you keep your throat as moist and comfortable as you can by drinking plenty of water and juices. Use throat lozenges too.
You must fight the urge to have just one more cigarette. Once you've smoked your daily limit, don't allow yourself the option of having another cigarette. Don't even think about it.
Don't reward yourself with more cigarettes after you've successfully tapered off for a few days. If you want this method to work, you must keep cutting down- never increase the number of cigarettes you smoke per day. You must gradually and persistently decrease the number of cigarettes you smoke. You musn't allow yourself any increases in cigarettes. The whole idea is to get your brain used to gradually decreasing levels of nicotine.
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