Perhaps there is no smoker who has not tried to quit smoking at least once. Unfortunately, few people manage to do this on the first try. What can help break away from a bad habit once and for all?
Psychological dependence
Smoking forms not only physiological but also psychological dependence. The craving for nicotine itself is believed to disappear within a month of the last cigarette smoked. However, many return to smoking after a longer period of time, feeling the body needs a dose of nicotine.
This is because the brain tricks the body into buying a pack of cigarettes again and taking a hit. Smoking is a kind of conditioned reflex. A person gets used to smoking while relaxing 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 to do is replace one ritual with another. For example, instead of smoking during a break from work, drink a cup of green tea.
If the smoker works at home rather than in the office, the urge to smoke can be relieved by exercising, for example by doing some sit-ups. Also, when you feel like inhaling, you can get into the habit of brushing your teeth. Of course, at first you will have to do it quite often, but this trick helps a lot to "fool" the brain, replacing one ritual with another.
It helps very well to quit smoking not on your own, but with like-minded people. For example, there are Internet forums where people inspire each other to give up bad habits. There you can start a special counter that shows how long a person hasn't smoked and how much money he has saved.
This creates a visible motivation to quit smoking, because in a month it will become evident that quitting has saved a significant amount that can be spent on something enjoyable.
Sometimes people who quit smoking are "tempted" by others, for example co-workers who say it is impossible to quit because they themselves have failed, or remind the person of their past failed attempts.
It is advisable not to laugh, 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 memories of smoking lead to a desire to at least take one hit.
The absence of objects resembling cigarettes in the area of vision helps to quit smoking. It is best to throw ashtrays and lighters out of the house and wash clothes that smell of tobacco smoke.
Physiological dependence
Getting rid of physiological addiction can be quite difficult, some people in the early days may even experience a state similar to abstinence. To facilitate nicotine withdrawal, you should consult a doctor who will prescribe you special pills that help relieve the symptoms of smoking cessation. Also, in any pharmacy you can buy chewing gum or patches, which contain a small amount of nicotine and facilitate survival from withdrawal symptoms.
If a person feels unwell after they have decided to quit smoking, hot baths can help relieve tension.
You can get a massage or even start taking mild sedatives. It is especially important to find a way to relieve tension in the first few days, when the urge to smoke will become stronger.