Smoking: How to Stay Quit

It’s that time of year where many of us are putting our bodies through rigorous detox programmes: cutting back on or stopping alcohol altogether; starting a new diet; taking out a gym membership; and of course, quitting smoking.

As just about everybody who has ever tried to quit knows, giving up smoking is not easy. A lot of smokers come to rely on their nicotine hit to help them get through particularly stressful days, and cigarettes can become a vital part of a smoker’s winding down process.

But the fact remains, smoking is bad for your health. It can lead to a multitude of problems, including cancer and heart disease – so giving up as soon as you can is always an advisable course of action.

So how can you give yourself the best chance at quitting? Are there things you can do to make the whole process easier? As a matter of fact, there are:

Get in the Right Headspace

First of all, you need to want to quit to be able to pull it off successfully. Stay positive, determined and focussed. Separate the voice of temptation from the voice of reason in your head. Remember that if you don’t smoke, you will likely to start to see improvements in your body after a short time – so fighting the cravings are worth it.

Decide Whether Having Cigarettes Available Works for You

Some people throw all their packs of cigarettes out before they quit, to help them avoid temptation. Others like to have a pack stashed away somewhere they know they can get to them, so that they can prove their own mental strength to themselves. Decide which course of action best suits you. If you think keeping cigarettes around will make you more likely to cave in, throw them away.

Don’t Put Yourself in a Situation

During the first few weeks especially, don’t stand with the smokers at break time! All you’re doing is torturing yourself. Give smokers a wide birth until you’ve got your cravings under control.

Get Help

If you’d tried to quit before and found it a struggle, you can always get help in the form of stop smoking treatments. Speak to your doctor to find out more.