Perhaps there is no smoker who has not tried quitting smoking at least once. Unfortunately, few people get it right the first time. What can help get rid of a bad habit once and for all?
Psychological dependence
Smoking is not only physiologically addictive, but also psychologically addictive. It is believed that the craving for nicotine itself disappears within a month of the last cigarette. However, many return to smoking after a long period of time, feeling that the body needs a nicotine fix.
This is because the brain tricks the body into buying a pack of cigarettes and taking a puff. Smoking is a kind of conditioned reflex. A person becomes accustomed to smoking for relaxation or to relieve tension, and a cup of coffee with a cigarette becomes a familiar morning ritual.
How to help you get rid of psychological addiction? The first thing you can try is replacing one ritual with another. For example, instead of smoking during a work break, drink a cup of green tea.
If the smoker works from home rather than the office, the urge to smoke can be relieved with exercise, such as doing some sit-ups. Also, when there is an urge to inhale, you can make a habit of brushing your teeth. Of course, at first you will have to do this quite often, but this trick helps a lot to "trick" the brain, replacing one ritual with another.
It is very useful to quit smoking not alone, but with like-minded people. For example, there are forums on the Internet where people inspire each other to quit bad habits. There you can start a special counter that shows how long a person has been smoke-free and how much money he has saved.
This creates a visible motivation to quit smoking, because in a month it will become clear that quitting smoking has saved a significant amount of money that can be spent on something pleasant.
Sometimes people who quit smoking are "tempted" by others, for example work colleagues who claim that it is impossible to quit because they themselves have failed, or remindthe person his past unsuccessful attempts.
It is advisable not to laugh at it, but to ask others not to say such words. They can really lead to the fact that a person's motivation decreases and there is a lack of self-confidence. Also, any unnecessary reminders to smoke lead to wanting to take at least one puff.
Helps to quit smoking the absence in the area of visibility of objects reminiscent of cigarettes. It is best to throw ashtrays and lighters out of the house and wash clothes that smell of tobacco smoke.
Physiological addiction
Getting rid of physiological addiction can be quite difficult, some people in the first days may even experience a state resembling withdrawal. In order to facilitate nicotine withdrawal, you should consult a doctor who will prescribe special pills that help relieve the symptoms of smoking withdrawal. In addition, chewing gum or patches can be purchased at any pharmacy, which contain a small amount of nicotine and make it easier to survive withdrawal symptoms.
If a person is not feeling well after deciding to quit smoking, hot baths can help relieve tension.
You can get a massage or even start taking mild sedatives. It's especially important to find a way to ease the tension in the early days, when the cravings will be the strongest.