According to Mark Twain, a writer known not only for his works but also for his excellent sense of humor, quitting smoking is not at all difficult, he himself has done it dozens of times.
But seriously, according to research by sociologists, only 5% of those who quit smoking actually complete what they started the first time around. Others need 5 - 10 - 20 tries.
But there are still effective ways to quit smoking for good, and if you show your willpower then you will be fine.
Only very strong-minded people can say a firm "no" to each other and never smoke again. If the urge to smoke is very strong and your willpower is not sufficient, then you should seek the help of a psychotherapist and do several sessions.
Is there an easy way to quit smoking?
Many people, when thinking of how to quit smoking, try to find the easiest way. Some people think about how to start smoking less, others decide to quit smoking for good.
Unfortunately, only a person who has not yet developed an addiction can easily quit smoking. That is to say the one who smokes recently and little by little. Otherwise, quitting the habit will lead to unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.
The longer cigarettes have been in a person's life, the harder it will be to quit smoking, even with the most decisive mood. Of course, willpower and confidence in success will positively affect the result, but they will not be able to cancel out the negative reaction of the body to the absence of substances that have become habitual.
So don't look for a mythical trick. You should try to find the one that is most effective and the most comfortable in your situation, and gradually move towards your goal.
Potential negative consequences of suddenly stopping smoking
After deciding to quit smoking, many people think about how to do so without damaging their health. Some people prefer a cardinal approach and suddenly give up smoking. Others try to avoid stress on body and mind and quit smoking by reducing the number of cigarettes.
Each method has its positive and negative sides. In particular, abrupt cessation of smoking leads to the appearance of a withdrawal syndrome which manifests itself in the following symptoms:
- dizziness, headache;
- cough (first dry, then with copious sputum), shortness of breath;
- increases in blood pressure;
- arrhythmia;
- sleep disturbances (nocturnal 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.
The signs can appear in any combination and continue with varying degrees of severity. It all depends on the experience of the smoker and the individual characteristics of the organism. The hardest part is the first week. In addition, as the body cleanses, the symptoms will subside.
How to overcome withdrawal symptoms and not start smoking again?
Withdrawal syndrome is different for people. But even those with severe symptoms should know that this condition is temporary and will pass quite quickly, even though it seems like every day it just gets worse and improvement will never come.
Important!The main thing at the initial stage is to be patient and in no case to 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 stop smoking.
- One of the main conditions is the absence of provoking factors. Anything reminiscent of a bad habit should be removed. Packets of cigarettes, lighters, ashtrays must be hidden from view.
- Motivation is very important. Understanding why you quit smoking and what positive aspects of rejection of addiction are makes it much easier to survive temporary discomfort.
- Reading thematic literature or watching programs will help you be sure that your decision is correct, and it will be easier to go the first few days without cigarettes. Another way to replace the ritual of smoking with another. For example, you can peel and slice an apple, then eat it.
- Effectively helps to cope with sports withdrawal syndrome. True, this option will be useful at a later stage, when the state of health improves a little. And even after that, you should not immediately charge the body. But swimming pool lessons, walks, bike rides, skates or roller skates will be perfect. This method will not only help to distract psychologically, but also contribute to the rapid cleansing of the body.
- According to experts, communication with comrades in misfortune helps a lot. If you have someone to discuss issues with or just complain to, then quitting smoking will be much easier.
- Nutrition during the period of smoking cessation plays an important role. For example, tomatoes, eggplants and cauliflower contain negligible amounts of nicotine. Eating these foods can help reduce cravings without harming your health.
Effective ways to quit smoking
It is hardly worth explaining to anyone why it is worth quitting smoking. In addition, these explanations are not necessary for heavy smokers who have already felt the negative effect of nicotine on health and the body.
There are many ways to effectively get rid of an addiction. This is the use of special drugs that reduce the craving for nicotine and reduce the manifestations of withdrawal syndrome, as well as folk remedies and psychotherapeutic techniques.
Pharmacological agents
To quit smoking on your own, to eliminate the craving for nicotine physically and psychologically, and to cope with the manifestations of withdrawal symptoms, medication helps.
There are three groups of drugs:
- Nicotine replacement agents. . . These are products that contain low concentrations of nicotine. They help to give up gradually, that is to say in a more painless way, the cigarette. The choice is quite wide, candies, chewing gum, sprays, patches help to quit smoking more easily. Smoking lollipops are very popular. According to some studies, the use of drugs containing nicotine can help reduce the intensity of withdrawal symptoms in half.
- Nicotinic receptor agonists.The active substance in these medicines acts on the receptors which react to nicotine. As a result, the mechanism changes and the person stops enjoying smoking and, in some cases, begins to feel disgust.
- Sedatives and antidepressants.The main purpose of the use of this group of drugs is to relieve psychological discomfort, eliminate nervousness and irritability.
But the transition to e-cigarettes, which many see as an easy way to quit smoking, is not recommended by experts. Such gadgets are also unhealthy and highly addicting. So the only result that can be expected is the replacement of one bad habit with another.
Non-drug techniques
Many smoking cessation methods are unrelated to drugs. Various types of hypnosis are considered to be effective, which forms a strongly negative attitude towards smoking in a person.
Various methods of coding from smoking are also popular, among which the Dovzhenko method particularly stands out. Its essence is that a two-way psychotherapeutic effect is exerted on the patient. This means that, on the one hand, the smoker learns a negative attitude towards smoking, and on the other hand, he describes in paintings all the benefits of living without cigarettes.
Traditional medicine plays a big role in smoking cessation. There are many herbal recipes available to reduce cravings and relieve withdrawal symptoms. There are many, many recipes. The most popular are:
- a decoction of unrefined oats;
- tea made with 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 tea with valerian and mint;
- the infusion of calamus root helps relieve the urge to smoke.
Here are some additional tips to help you quit smoking:
- you need to choose a specific date, and preferably at a time when important things and stressful situations are not planned (for example, exams, successful completion of an important project or moving to a new apartment);
- avoiding coffee will make it much easier to quit smoking;
- 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 failure;
- install a special application on the phone;
- find something to your liking that will take up all your free time.
Another option is to chat with someone for a decent amount. In this case, the desire to win will prevent you from falling. Some are helped by unconventional methods such as acupuncture.
When to consult a doctor?
It is much easier to quit smoking with the help of a professional. A narcologist will advise you on effective methods to quit smoking and help relieve withdrawal symptoms. Depending on the method of smoking treatment chosen, you can consult a therapist experienced in the treatment of nicotine addiction, a neuropathologist or a psychotherapist.
In addition, a 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 diseases, then you should contact a doctor of the appropriate specialization, for example, a cardiologist or pulmonologist.
Common mistakes and misconceptions
Many who think about how to quit smoking once and for all make a number of mistakes that call into question the success of their plans. These include the following:
- the intention not to quit, but to smoke less (hardly anyone can control the rate of cigarette smoking);
- indulgence in the withdrawal process, for example, allowing yourself to smoke a cigarette to calm yourself down (this will undo everything that has already been done);
- switching to lighter cigarettes (in most cases it is only possible to achieve an increase in the number of cigarettes smoked per day).
Additionally, many believe that they can overcome psychological addiction at any time, which means they keep the situation under control. This illusion leads to the fact that a person falls more and more under the power of a bad habit, damages his health, and quitting smoking becomes more and more inaccessible.
Conclusion
Everyone has their own way of quitting smoking. A method that has helped a relative or friend may not be helpful for you. But you should not despair, if there is a desire and a persistence, then there is a suitable way for everyone.
And to speed up the result and make the ride more comfortable, you can use an integrated approach, combining several options.