According to researchers, those who decide to quit smoking make up to 30 attempts, estimating the number of quit attempts it takes to quit smoking successfully in a longitudinal cohort of smokers, before achieving success. This is due to the difficulties of giving up bad habits in general, as well as to the individual characteristics of the body.
The method that worked for five of your friends may fail for you. And on the contrary: you can come up with your own way to quit smoking, which will absolutely not suit your friends, but will be incredibly effective in your particular case.
These 11 ways to quit smoking have been proven to be both statistically and scientifically effective. Try to find yours among them.
How can a woman quit smoking?
No matter how strange it may sound, women are better at quitting smoking through willpower, without substitutes and tricks with drug support. Of course, you can’t do without stress; there will be difficult days when a cigarette seems to be the only way to cope with the stress on the psyche. However, as practice shows, women punish themselves less for breakdowns and quickly return to life without cigarettes.
A woman’s behavior is greatly influenced by the atmosphere of the family and home: if there are some family reasons (for example, a chronically ill child or adult), then women succumb to them more easily and quit smoking.
Psychotherapeutic methods, especially NLP books based on the Allen Carr method, have shown good effectiveness with female audiences. Throwing for company, with girlfriends or to spite a rival are also very feminine options.
Replace smoking with other pleasures or activities
The ideal time to How to Curb Stress While You Quit Smoking to quit smoking is on vacation. There is no stress that causes you to reach for a cigarette. There are plenty of interesting activities.
All you have to do is not take cigarettes with you on a rafting trip down a stormy mountain river or go on a bus tour of Europe, where no one will slow down or ventilate the Louvre to give you the opportunity to smoke, and you will be surprised to find that you can easily do without smoke for several years now. busy and interesting days.
The main thing here is to take away from such an experience the realization: “I smoke not because I want to, but because I’m just bored and have nothing to do with myself.”
Sounds so-so, right? Try to get rid of boredom. Look for activities that can replace cigarettes. And you will quit smoking.
How can a man quit smoking?
Men are rational, and therefore they need convincing facts. A book and video with psychotherapy (the same Allen Carr), advice from doctors - practical, without intimidation and cliques, support from friends and company - real masculine methods.
Playing sports - running, gym, team sports - are also powerful male motivating and supporting factors. Many note that if a man asks “help me quit smoking!”, then he is provided with very effective support, without ridicule or puzzling questions. Men understand that such a request requires great fortitude and the ability to admit one’s own difficulties. Not only personal communication, but also forums and groups on social networks can provide such support.
Nicotine withdrawal
Chronic smoking is defined in medicine as tobacco or nicotine addiction.
Nicotine is a psychoactive substance that causes physical dependence at the level of neurotransmitters, causing the production of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is responsible for joy, pleasure, determination. A drop in dopamine levels stimulates a person to actively search for ways to increase it. Since the smoker’s brain experiences a constant deficiency of this neurotransmitter, only the intake of nicotine in the body raises this level. When dopamine levels drop, a person experiences feelings of anxiety, restlessness, and an automatic urge to smoke.
How to quit smoking for a teenager?
Ways and methods to quit smoking that are ideal for adults are, in most cases, of little use for teenagers. This is due to the peculiarity of early smoking - teenagers smoke not for the sake of “physiological” benefits (to raise blood pressure, for example), but to increase the level of socialization and status in their group.
The immaturity of the motivational sphere, and the central nervous system as a whole, does not allow the use of methods of volitional refusal, including using an elastic band on the wrist or substitution.
But at the same time, treating smoking with folk methods that cause an aversion to cigarettes works well: adding chitin to cigarettes, soaking in milk, using herbal decoctions. Persuasion on behalf of an authoritative person is also perceived adequately by adolescents. Of course, for the success of any method, contact between parents and the teenager is necessary, their joint work on a bad habit: without reproaches and scandals, without unreasonable intimidation (finding and checking information on the Internet is a matter of minutes for a teenager).
Write down triggers and eliminate them from your life
This recommendation is partly related to the point above. The point is that often we could not smoke. But there are situations that actually make us reach for the pack. These are the so-called triggers Know Your Smoking Triggers.
Calculate them: for several days, scrupulously describe all the moments when you lit a cigarette. "I'm drinking my morning coffee." “I lit a cigarette to talk to a girl.” “I went out into the yard with my colleagues and smoked for company.” Then try to modify at least those situations that are repeated day after day.
For example, if you are used to smoking a cigarette with your morning coffee, start drinking tea. Or switch to healthy breakfasts altogether: you’re unlikely to want to smoke with your oatmeal.
Try to develop a replacement strategy for each trigger you discover. You won't get rid of your addiction right away, but you can significantly reduce the amount of nicotine you consume. And this is a serious step on the path to success.
Nuances of refusal for pregnant women
It is very risky to use methods of nicotine replacement therapy (both pharmaceutical and folk remedies) in pregnant women: nicotine penetrates the placenta, has a very negative effect on the fetus’s body, on the course of periods of its development, and affects the growth and development of the child after birth.
It should also be remembered that the use of medicinal plants during pregnancy is risky. First of all, infusions, decoctions, tinctures do not have a standardized dosage: the same herb collected in different places can have a stronger or weaker effect. This is either dangerous - half a glass of immortelle decoction with an increased concentration of active substances can cause bleeding, or it is ineffective - then the point of using herbal medicine is lost.
The hormonal background of a pregnant woman contributes to sentimentality, tearfulness, and weakness. This is what you should “play” on - to convince the woman of the dangers of smoking at this time, to convincingly prove the harm that nicotine brings to the fetus and child subsequently. Your loved ones may have to control every cigarette, but this is worth doing for the health of the mother and child.
And yet, during this important, often difficult period, it is better to avoid home methods of treating tobacco smoking: seeing a doctor will be more effective and safer.
Increase the content of vegetables and fruits in your diet
A study conducted by scientists from the University of Buffalo (USA) proved Trying to Quit Smoking? Try Eating More Fruits and Vegetables: The more vegetables and fruits a person consumes, the easier it is for him to quit smoking.
The point is that our brain often confuses the craving for tobacco with the craving for fiber.
Having treated ourselves to cabbage salad or a crisp apple, we deceive the body: it begins to think that it has already received what it wants, and therefore the cigarette seems to be irrelevant.
Changes occurring in the quitter’s body day by day
| Deadlines | Changes |
| First days without cigarettes | Stress, recovery, cleansing |
| After 10-15 days | Restoration and cleansing at deeper levels |
Many people, thinking about how to quit smoking more easily, are afraid of potential problems that they love to scare newbies with. The unknown is scary, that's common knowledge. In order to dispel these fears and convince that it is possible to avoid problems when quitting or prevent the emergence of difficulties with quitting, the “Smoking Quit Calendar” mentioned above was created. It has already been mentioned as a TOP tip.
In the first days without cigarettes, the body works in two directions: it experiences stress from the lack of the usual (nicotine and the smoking process) and at the same time it recovers (blood oxygen saturation increases, the bronchi are cleared, vascular tone is normalized). Accordingly, sensations, thoughts, and emotional states are associated with these processes. The “Calendar” gives advice on how to reduce the negative impact of this period, how you can support yourself, how not to relapse and not get better.
When the difficult first 10-15 days are over, restoration and cleansing begins at deeper levels, for example, after the bronchi become healthier, the bronchioles are cleansed and skin cells are restored. At the same time, physical dependence has practically disappeared, but the craving for rituals, the process of smoking, and social and environmental factors remains. “Calendar” will also tell you how to cope with psychological dependence without nerves.
Connect social networks
It sounds funny, but those smokers who talk about the progress of their struggle with the bad habit on social networks achieve success Using Facebook, Twitter To Quit Smoking: How Social Media Helps You Overcome Addiction much more often than those who try to fight the craving for cigarettes offline.
Facebook or Twitter makes you feel like other people are supporting you. In addition, social networks are full of motivational stories of those who have already given up smoking. And the more we get acquainted with other people’s successful cases, the more we believe in our own victory.
Finding motivation to quit smoking
Motivation is the most effective and correct solution that allows you to achieve a positive result in absolutely any business.
The fight against smoking is no exception. Before fighting a bad habit, every smoker must decide on a key motivation that will shine as a guiding star throughout his difficult journey. It is very important for health to quit smoking; the pros and cons of this struggle will be discussed further.
The main motivating postulates include the following positive advantages of living without smoking:
Increase in life expectancy by an average of 10 years
Harmful substances contained in tobacco products have a negative impact on human health. Numerous studies indicate that the life of a smoker is on average 10 years shorter than that of a non-smoker.
Did you really think you were smoking tobacco?
Harmful substances contained in tobacco products
If a person has been abusing nicotine for more than 20 years, then there is a high probability that he is at risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This can be easily verified using IR.
IC is a smoker’s index, which can be calculated using the formula:
IR = KS*SK/20
Where:
- IR smoker index;
- KS is the number of cigarettes a person smokes in 24 hours;
- SK - smoking experience (in years);
- If IC > 10, then the person is at high risk of developing COPD.
- Fresh and healthy appearance
- Appearance of a smoker
- Improving intimate life
- Good and healthy sleep
- Reducing the risk of heart attack or psoriasis
- Financial savings
- Caring for loved ones and loved ones
- Improving quality of life
- Life is Beautiful
Smoking has a negative impact on a person's appearance.
Smoking has a negative impact on a person's appearance. The addiction causes a decrease in the level of oxygen in the blood, and the presence of nicotine blocks the production of collagen, as a result of which the skin becomes flabby and dull, and wrinkles are 5-6 times more noticeable. Due to oxygen deficiency, hair looks weakened and begins to fall out. The teeth acquire an unpleasant yellow tint, which over time turns into tartar.
Smoking is a completely incompatible concept. The results of the study on this issue indicate that some smokers are dissatisfied with their intimate life. Men who are not addicted to smoking can have an intimate life longer, and the sensations during sexual intercourse are brighter and more intense. The risk of developing impotence in a smoking man is 60 times higher.
Insomnia is often the “friend” of a smoker. Nicotine forces the heart to work harder, causing an increase in blood pressure, and this, thereby, prevents you from sleeping soundly and getting proper rest. People whose smoking experience exceeds 10-15 years may wake up on purpose in the middle of the night just to quench their body’s thirst for nicotine.
Smoking is one of the main enemies of the cardiovascular system. When you inhale smoke, vasoconstriction occurs in the body, which leads to a deterioration in blood supply. In addition, smoking leads to the formation of blood clots. Taking a drag on a cigarette, a person provokes the release of adrenaline into the blood, and therefore, active contraction of the muscular walls of the arteries begins, an increase in pressure and an increase in heart rate.
The immune system also suffers. Therefore, there is a high risk of developing psoriasis.
Diseases caused by smoking
It is not at all difficult to calculate how much money a smoker spends on packs of cigarettes per month. If the cost of one pack is on average 70 rubles, and a person smokes 1 pack per day, then the annual consumption is 25,200 rubles. It turns out that smokers themselves pay for the appearance of diseases.
Close people of a smoker are always at risk. Being passive smokers, they are exposed to inhaled cigarette smoke. At the same time, they receive no less harm. Therefore, when quitting smoking, a person takes care not only of himself, but also of loved ones.
Non-smokers perceive the world around them much better and more clearly. “How can I quit smoking if cigarettes calm me down? “Many nicotine addicts think this way. Cigarettes, which are often given the role of sedatives for stress, do not solve problems with it, but, on the contrary, only aggravate them.
Non-smokers perceive the world around them much better and more clearly.
Starting to work on himself and his habits, each person finds his own individual incentive to quit smoking, thanks to which he can move forward to victory. Therefore, the choice of driving force must be conscious and thoughtful.
What are the disadvantages of the fight against smoking? There is none of them. The temporary test of willpower may dampen the mood a little, but the results are worth the patience.
Prepare to endure the first two weeks
The first two weeks are critical to your success. If you can be successful the first time, your chances of quitting smoking increase significantly. Try to stay distracted, stay busy, and take care of yourself. Have fun and avoid stress.
Take your time Spend time with friends more often. Go for a walk, ride a bike, go to the gym or to the movies. Pamper yourself.
- Keep your hands busy. Twist a pen or something else in your fingers.
- Drink more water.
- Meet people who can help you. Everyone understands how difficult it is for you. Don't try to quit smoking alone.
- If you are left alone with your temptations, you give them the opportunity to grow.
- Relax and breathe deeply.
Avoid provocative situations
- Don't hang out with smokers. No matter how friendly and supportive your smoking friends are, they increase your risk of relapse.
- Practice saying, “No, thank you, I don’t smoke anymore.”
- If you feel at risk of smoking, leave immediately.
- A change of scenery may help.
Talk to yourself Most temptations only last 10-20 minutes. Take a break and the craving will pass. Tell yourself:
- “I refuse to believe that smoking is stronger than me.”
- "I will never smoke again."
- "I decided to be a non-smoker."
- "Here and now".
The power of the mind: how to manage life through thinking
Smoking company
It is very difficult to stay away from cigarettes when the former smoker has no control over other people's decisions.
The fight against smoking is necessary for those who care about their health, who care about their own lives and the well-being of loved ones. “When I quit smoking, I began to sleep better, run faster, and taste my favorite chocolate, now I don’t smoke and I feel good,” is written in one of the diaries of a former smoker. Isn't this wonderful?
“How to quit smoking cigarettes at 40, 50, 60 years old? This is not real!” - most often you can hear such speeches from adults. But these are just excuses and fear of the unknown, of a new, unknown life without tobacco. Age doesn't matter. If a person has a goal, he will succeed.
Don't be afraid to face difficulties. If you fail to quit smoking on the first try, there is no need to despair. If you take all your will into your fist and want something very badly, the result will definitely come.
