Final Answer on How to Stop Smoking Cigarettes

Here is a brief overview on how to stop smoking cigarettes. If you are ready to commit to a nonsmoking lifestyle and you are ready to put all excuses aside, this article is for you. Learning how to stop smoking cigarettes can be challenging, but it's not impossible. You need the right mindset and an arsenal of tools at your disposal to successfully give up tobacco. The good news, however, is that this arsenal of tools is easy to acquire, and that's what we will be discussing in this article.

The Decision

When you first decide you want to quit smoking you will want to reinforce your decision by writing out a list of reasons why you want to quit. Be sure these reasons are important to you. If you have children, for example, and you smoke around them you may feel guilty about second hand exposure and/or setting the example altogether. One of your reasons could be to not expose your children to this horrible and lethal habit. This list will not only help reinforce your decision now, it will serve as motivation in the future when you want to give up.

The Date

Setting a date to quit smoking is a highly individual process. Some people want to learn how to stop smoking cigarettes right away while others prefer to gradually ease into quitting. This article is designed for those who wish to set a date and prepare for quitting so it has less of a devastating blow to their lives.

Ideally, you want to stop smoking cigarettes when you're smoking around ten (10) each day. Also, you want to begin to cut out one (1) or two (2) cigarettes per day to get to this point. This step requires a bit of math. Determine how many cigarettes you smoke each day and try to set a goal to cut out at least one (1) cigarette every other day. Depending on how many you smoking your quit date could roll around in as little as a couple weeks or over a month. As long as you stay on track with your goals either will work just fine.

Spend a bit of time brainstorming things you can do which don't involve tobacco or nicotine while you're cutting out cigarettes from your daily routine. Also, once you cut out a cigarette, keep that time as a designated non smoking time. This way you will get practice each day not smoking when you otherwise would have.

For example, if you decide on your first day to cut out the cigarette on your second break at work, never smoke a cigarette during your second break at work. Go for a walk, have a light snack, or socialize with some nonsmokers indoors to avoid having a cigarette. You can do any number of other things, depending on your circumstances at work. Your process of learning how to stop smoking cigarettes will introduce you to a variety of contrary actions you can take to smoking.

Keeping Track

Keeping track of your quit during your cutting down cigarettes phase will help you stay on track with your quit date. Use a recovery track list to help you not only determine your cravings and keep track of the cigarettes you smoked and skipped, but also to help you stay aware of your intimate thoughts so you can become more aware of your smoking triggers and what you can do to combat them.

Quitting Time

Having relied on a recovery track list which you designed you are now on target with your quit date. You may deem it necessary to invest in stop smoking aids before you are without cigarettes. Smoking cessation aids will help you minimize physical withdrawal symptoms and will provide you with something else to do besides smoking. Remember not to use stop smoking aids all the time as an alternative. Try to practice using other tools like walking, deep breathing, drinking juice or a tall glass of cool water, eating fruit or crunchy vegetables, etc.

Cravings and Affirmations

When a craving occurs, it's time to rely not only on the list you created of alternative actions you can take to smoking, but also you can rely on affirmations to keep you willing to rely on contrary behavior to recover from nicotine addiction. Affirmations include statements like: I'm no longer a slave to tobacco; I am quitting and I don't have to smoke; I am healthy and I deserve to live as a non smoker; etc.

You CAN learn how to stop smoking cigarettes; it only requires dedication and a firm decision to give up tobacco forever.

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