How to Stop Smoking

By Vincent Rudnick
If there is one habit that is difficult to break it is smoking. Most smokers give up smoking for only two or three days; some give it up for a week; a few can stay off cigarettes for a month; but most return to cigarettes eventually. Very few stop smoking altogether.

One has to plan to stop smoking. The first step is to list the reasons on a paper as to why you want to stop smoking. Is it because your smoking is adding to the health problems of your loved ones?

Is it because you are spending more money on smoking than you can afford? Or is it that your health has been declining? This will give you a reason to stop smoking.

You also need to make a chart of the benefits that can follow once you stop smoking. Your fitness levels will go up. The chances of your suffering from lung cancer or other grave illness will lessen. You will be able to spend more money on your family. Also, your family will not suffer the ills of passive smoking. Hang this chart in a prominent place. It will remind you every day of the need to stop smoking.

Decide on a date on which you would like to stop smoking. You can choose a day that holds a special meaning to you like a birthday or an anniversary. If you want you can choose the "No Smoking Day". Inform your friends and family members about the quit date. Emotional support and guidance from them can make things easier for you.

Just making the decision is not enough. You need to be psychologically prepared to deal with the withdrawal symptoms. The first few days may be especially taxing and difficult. Avoid situations where the urge for a smoke is almost irresistible.

There are several ways by which you can manage the withdrawal symptoms. You can enlist the help of stop smoking support programs or opt for medication. Emotional and behavioral therapy forms the basis of these support programs. Most of the programs are built to cater to your needs especially. They are extremely effective and boast of a high success rate.

Nicotine replacement therapy is another method which can make quitting easier. It is available in the form of gums, patches and sprays. Every time you feel the urge to smoke you need to slowly chew the gum. On chewing a small amount of nicotine is released into the body and that will calm you.

You can also use Zyban to stop smoking. It is a prescription drug and creates a feeling of false well being similar to the one obtained while smoking. There are few side effects like nausea, insomnia and dry mouth associated with the medicine.

You also need to change your diet. Switch to fresh fruits and green vegetables on a daily basis. Most citrus fruits contain flavonoids that reduce your cravings naturally. Avoid alcohol and coffee. Drink lots of water. It cleanses your system. Join a fitness program if you fear weight gain.

Do not get carried away by emotional outbursts or other frustrations. It may lead to a relapse, something you definitely do not want.

Vincent Rudnick is a leading authority on effective methods to quit smoking. For more information and stop smoking resources visit: http://quitsmokingforevermore.com