How to quit smoking alone and permanently

According to Mark Twain, a writer known not only for his works, but also for his excellent sense of humor, quitting smoking is not difficult at all, he himself has done it dozens of times.

But seriously, according to research by sociologists, only 5% of those who quit smoking manage to complete what they first started. Others need 5 - 10 - 20 attempts.

But there are still working ways to quit smoking forever, and if you show willpower, then everything will definitely work.

Only very strong people can say a firm "no" to themselves and never take cigarettes again. If the craving for tobacco is very strong and your willpower is not enough, then you should seek the help of a psychotherapist and do several sessions.

Is there an easy way to quit smoking?

Many people, thinking about how to quit smoking, try to find the easiest way. Some people think about how to start smoking less, others decide to quit cigarettes once and for all.

Unfortunately, only a person who has not yet developed an addiction can easily quit. That is, the one who smokes recently and little by little. Otherwise, giving up the habit will lead to unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

The more cigarettes have been present in a person's life, the more difficult it will be for him to quit smoking, even in the most determined mood. Of course, willpower and confidence in success will positively affect the result, but they will not be able to undo the negative reaction of the body to the absence of substances that have become habitual.

So don't look for a mythical easy way. You must try to find the one that turns out to be the most effective and comfortable in your situation and constantly move towards your goal.

Potential negative consequences of suddenly quitting smoking

Having decided to quit smoking, many people think about how to do it without harm to health. Some prefer a cardinal approach and abruptly give up cigarettes. Others try to avoid stress on the body and mind and quit smoking by reducing the number of cigarettes.

Each method has its positive and negative sides. In particular, the abrupt cessation of smoking leads to the appearance of a withdrawal syndrome, which is expressed by the following symptoms:

• dizziness, headache;
• cough (dry at first, then with copious sputum), shortness of breath;
• blood pressure spikes;
• arrhythmia;
• sleep disturbances (sleeplessness at night and daytime sleepiness);
• digestive disorders;
• weakening of immunity, due to frequent colds;
• irritability, nervousness;
• lethargy, apathy, depression;
• emotional instability;
• decreased performance, deterioration in concentration, lethargy.

The signs can appear in any combination and proceed 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 in the first week. Also, with the cleansing of the body, the symptoms will lessen.

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 fairly quickly, even though it seems like every day it can only get worse and improvement will never come.

Important!The main thing in the initial phase is to be patient and in no case try to improve your condition with another "last" cigarette.

There are many tips on how to get through the first few days after quitting smoking and not smoking anymore.

1. One of the main conditions is the absence of provoking factors. Anything that resembles a bad habit should be removed. Packets of cigarettes, lighters, ashtrays should disappear from sight.
2. Motivation is very important. By understanding why you quit smoking, and what the positives are about rejection of addiction, it is much easier to survive a temporary malaise.
3. Reading thematic publications or watching programs will help you affirm the correctness of your decision and it will be easier to get through the first days without cigarettes. Another way of working to replace the smoking ritual with another. For example, you can peel and slice an apple and then eat it.
4. Effectively helps to cope with sports withdrawal syndrome. True, this option will come in handy at a later stage, when the state of health improves slightly. And even after that, you shouldn't immediately load the body. But swimming lessons, walks, bike rides, rollerblades or roller skates will be perfect. This method will not only help to psychologically distract, but will also contribute to the rapid cleansing of the body.
5. According to experts, communication with fellow sufferers helps a lot. If you have someone to discuss problems with or just complain about, it will be much easier to quit smoking.
6. Nutrition during the smoking cessation period plays an important role. For example, tomatoes, eggplants, and cauliflowers contain negligible amounts of nicotine. Eating these foods can help reduce cravings for cigarettes without harming your health.

Effective ways to quit smoking

It is not worth explaining to anyone why quitting smoking is worth it. Furthermore, 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 you can 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, folk remedies and psychotherapeutic techniques.

Pharmacological agents

To quit smoking on your own, eliminate the physical and psychological craving for nicotine, and cope with the manifestations of withdrawal symptoms, drugs help.

Three groups of drugs can be distinguished:

1. Nicotine replacement agents. . . These are products that contain low concentrations of nicotine. They help to gradually, that is, more painlessly, give up cigarettes. The choice is wide enough, candies, chewing gum, sprays, patches help to quit smoking more easily. Smoking lollipops are very popular. According to some studies, the use of nicotine-containing drugs can help halve the intensity of withdrawal symptoms.
2. Nicotinic receptor agonists.The active ingredient in these drugs acts on the receptors that react to nicotine. As a result, the mechanism changes and the person stops enjoying smoking and in some cases begins to feel disgust for it.
3. Sedatives and antidepressants.The use of this group of drugs is mainly aimed at relieving psychological discomfort, eliminating nervousness and irritability.

But the switch to e-cigarettes, which many see as an easy way to quit smoking, experts advise against. Such gadgets are also unhealthy and addictive. So the only result that can be expected is the replacement of one bad habit with another.

Non-pharmacological techniques

Many smoking cessation methods are non-drug related. Various types of hypnosis are considered to be effective, which constitutes a strongly negative attitude towards smoking in a person.

Various methods of coding from smoking are also popular, among which the Dovzhenko method is particularly distinguished. Its essence is that a two-way psychotherapeutic effect is exerted on the patient. This means that, on the one hand, the smoker is taught a negative attitude towards smoking, and on the other hand, they describe in paints all the advantages of life without cigarettes.

Traditional medicine plays an important role in smoking cessation. There are many herbal recipes available to reduce cravings for cigarettes and relieve withdrawal symptoms. There are tons of recipes. The most popular are the following:

• a decoction of unrefined oats;
• tea based on oregano, mint, hypericum and yarrow;
• a decoction of chamomile, valerian, mint, fennel and cumin seeds;
• a drink with ginger and honey;
• a relaxing tea with valerian and mint;
• calamus root infusion helps relieve the urge to smoke.

Here are other tips to help you quit smoking:

• it is necessary to choose a specific date and preferably at a time when important things and stressful situations are not expected (for example, exams, passing an important project or moving to a new apartment);
• avoiding coffee will greatly facilitate giving up cigarettes;
• take care of the availability of healthy snacks (fresh fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, seeds, nuts);
• communicate your intention to as many people as possible, experience shows that the attention and support of outside observers significantly reduce the likelihood of a breakdown;
• install a special application on the phone;
• find something you like that will occupy all your free time.

Another option is to argue with someone for a decent amount. In this case, the desire to get a victory will save you from falling. Some are helped by unconventional methods such as acupuncture.

When should you see a doctor?

It is much easier to quit smoking with the help of a professional. A narcologist will recommend effective methods of quitting smoking and help relieve withdrawal symptoms. Depending on the smoking treatment method chosen, a therapist with experience in the treatment of nicotine addiction, a neuropathologist or a psychotherapist may be consulted.

In addition, it is necessary to consult a doctor in cases where the symptoms of rejection syndrome are very pronounced or do not disappear even after a long time. And even if there are concomitant diseases, it is necessary to contact a doctor of the appropriate specialization, for example, a cardiologist or a pulmonologist.

Common mistakes and misconceptions

Many of those who think about how to quit smoking once and for all make a number of mistakes that question the success of their plans. These include the following:

• the intention not to quit, but to smoke less (practically no one can control the rate of cigarette consumption);
• indulgence in the withdrawal process, for example, allowing you to smoke a cigarette to calm you down (this will undo everything that has already been achieved);
• switch to lighter cigarettes (in most cases you can only get an increase in the number of cigarettes smoked per day).

Furthermore, many believe 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 into the power of a bad habit, harms his health, and quitting smoking becomes more and more unattainable.

Conclusion

Everyone has their own way to quit smoking. A method that has helped a relative or friend may not be helpful for you. But you shouldn't despair, if there is desire and persistence, then there is a way that suits everyone.

And to speed up the result and make it more comfortable to give up the habit, you can use an integrated approach, combining several options.