Making the decision to stop smoking cigarettes and other tobacco products is a massive milestone in many people’s lives and is not an easy conclusion to come to. No matter what has led you to this moment, you should undoubtedly commend yourself for making such a big decision.
Naturally, you would be experiencing feelings of trepidation, but with this comes a level of determination that you may not have experienced previously.
Whether you are choosing to stop smoking solely for yourself or are making the decision for a loved one, there will be a natural driving force behind you, pushing and encouraging you to keep going. None more so than during the most challenging moments that you are sure to face.
With this in mind, you may have found yourself searching online for some tips and tricks on how to assist you while going through this journey. If this is the case, then you are in the right place! We have compiled a helpful list below, detailing some of the tips you could consider implementing into your own detoxing process.
Have faith in yourself and read on for more.
First Steps
If you have recently made this decision, then you are most likely in the first few stages of the process, and there is nothing wrong with that! By sticking to your guns and making your way through the overall process at your pace, you are sure to reach the end successfully.
One crucial thing to note is that what might have worked for someone else is not guaranteed to work for you. Much like other things in life, factors are unique to the individual.
However, with that in mind, when you have decided to give up smoking, you are sure to go through a similar first-steps process to that of other people who have also made this decision.
Setting out a step-by-step guide for yourself, and setting manageable yet achievable goals, will enable you to stay on track and to keep going even when things feel challenging and when your urges are high.
Concerning the moments when you may experience big urges to have a cigarette, this leads us to our next point.
Consider the Alternatives to Smoking That Are Available
We can recognise that going cold turkey from cigarettes may work for some people, but once more, as mentioned previously, this is not sure to work for all people who are going through this process. For some people, smoking cigarettes and other tobacco-based products merely gives them something to do with their hands. Fidgeting with something allows some people to remain focused and can often bring levels of calm and content to others.
Whether you are someone who likes having something in their hand or are more reluctant than others to go cold turkey because of being in withdrawal from nicotine, then this suggestion might be a great starting point for you!
There are many smoking alternatives on the market, with some of the most common and popular choices, including the likes of vape pens and other devices that use e-liquids. With options available from companies like The Vape House, you can expect to find options that are both nicotine-inclusive and nicotine-free, great for whichever route you have decided to take when on this journey.
To browse the options available to you and which is within a set budget that you may have, find out what you need here.
Contemplate Your Diet
While we can recognise that this appears as a somewhat unrelated factor, just hear us out! Some studies have been conducted in recent years that have highlighted food and drink groups that can increase the urges that a human may experience when wanting a cigarette. As a result of this, it might be worth considering the diet you have had throughout your time smoking and seeing if any of the food groups that have been highlighted fit into your current diet.
Adjusting your diet could not only have an impact on your overall health but could even positively contribute toward your transition from smoking to non-smoking. Much like that of selecting an alternative to smoke, you could also look into finding replacements for certain things in your diet, which could have been contributing towards your urges to smoke without you realising.
Again, the choice is entirely up to you and is based on what you think will support you during this time. It is not going to be easy, and there will ultimately be some obstacles that you would need to overcome. However, you do not have to go through the process on your own. Read on to our next point for elaboration on that point.
Support Networks
When going through any situation like this, it is crucial to your progress and your well-being to have a stable support network. We recognise how it can seem somewhat embarrassing to reach out to others during moments like these, but it is your loved ones who will support and encourage you when you feel like sacking it all in.
Furthermore, if you feel more comfortable talking to likeminded people, you also could do that; you don’t have to rely on those in your family or friend units solely. With various support groups available, both in-person and virtually, you can rest assured that you will have the tools necessary to get through this.
It is estimated that you are four times more likely to stick to your guns and persevere through this process with experts and support networks. Sounds pretty ideal, if you ask us! What’s more, when you enlist the help of support networks, you will have people around you who will celebrate with you when you reach certain milestones; what more could you want?!
Keep Yourself Busy
This is an ideal suggestion for those reading this who have decided to stop smoking but who first started due to wanting something to do with their hands. As previously mentioned, many people begin smoking due to this, but this is also a method that you could use when wanting to stop smoking.
If you find that your urges to smoke are strongest while you are out with some friends having food and drink at a nearby bar, consider holding your drink or something else in the hand that you would usually use to smoke.
That way, you don’t have a free hand to give in to the urges, and you would have something else to occupy your mind. Not to mention, when out with your friends, sticking with those who are also non-smokers is another ideal way to manage your urges while receiving support too.
Finally, experts have claimed that exercising when you are experiencing urges is another excellent way of managing them.
As mentioned previously, when referencing the change in diet, not only would you be positively contributing to your overall health, but you will be focused on something else while rewiring the thoughts in your brain.
It has been estimated that even a short five-minute burst of energy releases an adequate amount of anti-craving chemicals, which is more than enough to get you through those testing moments.
While these are but some of the many tips that exist, we hope that you have found them inspiring and are feeling ready to take on the challenge at hand. Regularly remind yourself that you are not alone and that if something doesn’t work for you, that is okay. The process is relative; remember that.
