Breaking the Habit of Smoking

Trying to quit smoking might be one of the hardest things you will ever do. The severity of the addiction and the reason for the addiction will play roles in your ability to quit. One common complaint of why it is so hard is due to the habit of smoking, not just the addiction to nicotine. To break the habit of smoking, and the urge to do something with your hands and mouth, it is important to find a healthy alternative. It took you a while to get the habit of smoking; therefore it is going to take you a while to break the habit.

If you have your mind set to quit smoking you have already started on your journey to becoming a non-smoker. If you decided to become healthier by your own choice, not because your health has already been affected, is even better. You may be shocked to find out that some people had never thought of stopping smoking until their doctor recommended it.

To have a greater chance of becoming a non-smoker, it is best if you decide to quit on your own. Being coerced into not smoking by someone else can also be obtained, however, your odds of quitting are better if it is your decision. If you are allowing someone to force you to quit smoking you may be setting yourself up to fail.

Most smokers have made smoking a routine, and, if you are like most smokers you probably have too. For example, if you are accustomed to smoking a pack of cigarettes a day, chances are you will smoke a pack a day. The only times you may vary from this routine is during an illness or when you are in a situation that does not allow you the freedom of smoking. It is unlikely that if you are going to be a pack a day smoker that one day you will only smoke a couple of cigarettes on accident. A routine is a routine and you have to purposefully change it.

Changing your habits, your routine, is one of the first initial steps to stopping smoking. It may be best to stop smoking slowly. A way to reduce some of the cigarettes out of your normal daily routine would be to not smoke after meals. Brush your teeth as soon as you have finished your meal. Chewing gum after a meal instead of smoking may also help curb the cravings for a cigarette directly after eating. Nicotine gum can also help in these situations.

If you know what triggers your want for a cigarette, plan ahead so you can avoid it if possible or can come up with an alternative plan. For example, if you always want to smoke after work on your way home, you could consider carpooling with a friend that does not allow smoking in the car. Do whatever you can do to break away from your smoking routine.

You must find a way to answer your body's want for the nicotine. This can be accomplished in various ways. You will have to test several options to find the most optimal result. Some find that chewing Nicotine Replacement Therapy gum helps to calm their nicotine fits, others prefer nicotine sticks. The nicotine sticks are another type of Nicotine Replacement Therapy. They are little sticks that mock a real cigarette. You hold this pretend cigarette as you would a real one and gives your hands something to do.

It may take weeks or even months for you to quit smoking. Do not despair because you are not alone in the struggle. Many people claim they had several failed attempts before they considered themselves to be ex-smokers. Depending on how hardcore a smoker you are, it may only take you one try or it may take several. With every attempt, successful or not, you are one step closer to a healthier life.

Generally it will take 2 weeks for you to begin to adapt to a new routine or habit. You must repeat whatever new routine you have chosen in place of cigarettes in order for you to get used to it. Make sure whichever routine you adopt is healthier than smoking because the new routine will be like a new addiction for you. You do not want to replace one unhealthy addiction for another unhealthy addiction.

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