It is important that a smoker follow certain steps to quit smoking. Attempting to quit smoking without a plan is setting yourself up for failure before you even begin. It is difficult to quit smoking, so do not be discouraged if you have tried to quit before and failed. It simply means that you learned a way that doesn’t work for you. Studies have shown that the average person that quits smoking has tried an average of 4 times before being successful.
Visit your doctor.
Visiting your doctor is one of the essential steps to quit smoking. Your doctor can provide you with support for your venture and may also want to discuss prescription medications to help you while you quit smoking. If you do not want to take prescription medications while you quit smoking, you may want to ask your doctor about over the counter supplements and aids to help you quit smoking.
Tell your friends, family, and coworkers.
Telling your friends, family, and especially your coworkers that you are quitting is one of the most important steps to quit smoking. Many smokers have found that they use smoking as a way to socialize while at work. If your coworkers do not know that you are quitting smoking, they will be likely to invite you to go out to smoke with them during breaks. The same concept holds true for friends and family. They may offer you a cigarette if they don’t know that you are quitting smoking.
Fill your time.
Many smokers use smoking as a way to fill their time. It gives them something to do on a long commute or while watching television. One of the reasons that many smokers that quit smoking gain weight is because they trade smoking for eating. This is generally unhealthy, unless you are currently underweight. Instead of eating, find other ways to fill your time. You might want to invest in a hands-free device for your cell phone and talk to your friends and family while you are driving. This would be a great way to catch up with your loved ones and fill the time that you used to use to smoke. This is one of the necessary steps to quit smoking successfully.
Get educated.
Many people, smokers and nonsmokers alike, don’t know how nicotine impacts the body. After 3 to 4 days of smoking your last cigarette, all of the nicotine will be out of your system. Within 7 days, there should not be anymore withdrawal symptoms. Therefore, any symptoms that you experience after one week are very likely psychosomatic. This is important to know because with knowledge comes power and options in your venture to quit smoking.
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How to Quit Smoking – Cold Turkey Side Effects
If you ask any smoker if he or she wants to quit smoking, the answer will usually be “Yes, but that’s easier said than done.” Smoking is one of the hardest habits to break. This article on how to quit smoking cold turkey will have you experiencing physical symptoms from nicotine withdrawal, but you will experience psychological withdrawal symptoms just as you would from any other drug.
We will discuss how to quit smoking cold turkey which is quitting without aid of a doctor’s help. This method has more side effects than any other method.
How to Quit Smoking Cold Turkey and The Side Effects on the Digestive System
Heartburn/acid indigestion – If you suffered from this condition before quitting cold turkey, you may find your symptoms a little worse than before, but then they get better. If you haven’t suffered before, your symptoms will last from 3 weeks to 3 months.
Diarrhea – You may experience this symptom for a few days. Take an over-the-counter product to help relieve symptoms.
Constipation – Cigarettes act as a diuretic and a laxative. Take a temporary laxative until symptoms subside in a few weeks.
How to Quit Smoking Cold Turkey and the Side Effects on Sleep
Insomnia – Cigarettes and other smoking products produce deeper sleep. When you quit cold turkey, you are in a lighter dream sleep approximately every 90 minutes, so you feel that you’re not getting enough sleep. You will soon get used to the lighter sleep state.
Vivid dreams – When you experience dreams or nightmares it is a good sign that you’ve changed from smoking to eliminate stress to working your problems out during sleep. Dreaming is good for you.
How to Quit Smoking Cold Turkey and the Side Effects on the Respiratory System
Sinus Congestion – Your sinuses will begin to clear out during cold turkey. Take an over-the-counter sinus relief medication to stop nasal dripping that may last up to 2 months.
Hoarseness – Your throat tissues are beginning to grow new tissue during cold turkey. It is basically regenerating and can last for a few months. Lozenges, lemon and honey, or hot tea can also relieve symptoms.
Coughing/Throat Clearing – Your lungs are in the process of clearing out phlegm, tar, and other debris. Coughing is the best way to clear your lungs.
How to Quit Smoking Cold Turkey and the Psychological Side Effects
Irritability – Withdrawal from nicotine will produce irritability. Try to explain to family and co-workers what’s going on, but they will only be sympathetic to a point. Try pampering yourself with massages, warm baths, extra sleep, and other ways to reduce stress.
Depression – You’ll probably feel like you’ve lost your best friend. You won’t know what to do with your hands or what to do when you drink coffee or eat certain foods that trigger a psychological need to smoke. Try to avoid such triggers and again, pamper yourself.
It is recommended that pregnant women learn how to quit smoking cold turkey rather than use drugs.
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Struggling with nicotine fits, cravings and the addictions that come with cigarette smoking can leave you desperate to try new tactics so you can quit smoking quickly. The several health concerns that come with smoking, as well as the problems that are linked to finances, are some of the few motivational reasons to stop smoking. However, many still have difficulties in finding ways to stop smoking because of the related addictions. Finding the easy way to stop smoking can help you to move beyond the addiction and into a smoke-free lifestyle. Following are the top three tips to help you start on your new path.
1. Set a quit date. If you set a date on your calendar and focus on this as a quit date then it will help you to move toward your goal easily. This will psychologically help you to begin changing your habits so that you can effectively stop when needed. While you are working toward this date, you want to stop buying cartons of cigarettes and need to cut back on how much you smoke per day.
2. Find substitutes for cigarettes. The addiction that comes from cigarettes, specifically from nicotine, is the number one reason why most can’t quit. Substituting these addictions with an alternative, such as snacks or taking a walk can help you to fight off the nicotine fits when they do occur. There are also options that control cravings, such as special gum and electronic cigarettes. These are known to help with the addiction, without having the nicotine and unhealthy substances in them. Making sure you prepare for these substitutions before can help you to fight off your addictions with more ease and becomes the easy way to stop smoking.
3. Know what to prepare for. Once the addiction to cigarettes becomes apparent, it will become difficult to quit the way that you desire. You will want to prepare before you quit so you can move past any potential relapses. Throwing out anything that is related to cigarettes, staying away from the smell of nicotine and making sure there isn’t an excuse to go back can provide you with an easy way to move past the cravings. If you begin to relapse by smoking more cigarettes and moving back into your habit can easily be stopped if you don’t have any potential to move back to smoking from your surrounding environment. The easy way to stop smoking for many is to take out any small reminders of cigarettes.
Making sure that you persevere through the several components that are linked to cigarette smoking and understanding how to move beyond the cravings can move you on your way to eliminating this habit. Over time, this will move into the easy to stop smoking. Preparing in the correct way and continuing to work toward a final goal of quitting will help you to easily slow down and stop this habit while allowing you to move into a healthy and cigarette free lifestyle.
Filed under How To Give Up Smoking by on Nov 4th, 2009. Comment.
