4 Top Tips to Quit Smoking

Giving up cigarettes is hard, but the benefits of quitting are well worth the challenge. If you’re ready to quit smoking for good, read on to discover four steps you can take to make quitting easier and increase your likelihood of long-term success.

MANAGE YOUR STRESS

Stress management is one of the most common reasons people turn to cigarettes in the first place. Therefore, to quit successfully, you need to learn how to manage stress and other negative emotions effectively without cigarettes. If you’re having trouble managing your stress while you’re trying to quit, ask your nonsmoking friends about the stress management techniques that work best for them.

REMEMBER WHY YOU WANT TO QUIT

Whether you want to save money, improve your health for the sake of your loved ones, or quit for some other reason, keep in mind why you want to quit. During the first couple of weeks following your last cigarette, you will experience physical and psychological nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

To help you get through these withdrawal symptoms, remember why you want to quit. You may want to carry around a physical reminder of why you want to quit. When you are tempted to ask your coworker for a cigarette, pull out a picture of your dream home or loved one instead.

LEARN FROM PAST MISTAKES

If you’re like most smokers, you’ve tried to quit in the past. Smokers often feel discouraged when remembering how they failed to quit for life. However, you should not feel disheartened if you’ve quit smoking in the past only to pick up cigarettes again. Think about what triggered your return to cigarettes and consider ways you can avoid the trigger.

SET SMALL GOALS

Setting small goals can also help you quit smoking. It can feel overwhelming to think about never picking up a cigarette again. However, if you set and achieve small goals, like not smoking on your way to work, you can build up your self-confidence.

To learn more about the benefits of quitting smoking or to get help getting started, contact us to schedule an appointment.