Add Years To Your Life

Smoking is very bad for the human body. In the United States alone, smoking is responsible for more than 480,000 deaths per year. Furthermore, over 16 million American adults are living with a smoking-related disease. Quitting smoking, while not easy, is worth the effort. Giving up tobacco can add years to a person’s life. Here are the next steps for a person who has decided to quit.

Ready to Quit Smoking? Next Steps

Set a date to quit

Although some smokers decide to quite cold turkey without planning ahead, this method is often not very successful. People who intentionally set a date to quit smoking tend to have a better chance at quitting long-term. The best thing to do is consider quitting at a time without too many temptations or stressors.

Identify triggers

When a person figures out individual smoking triggers, this can make quitting easier because the person can develop a plan to quit. For example, driving or drinking coffee or alcohol could make a person want to smoke a cigarette. Different people will have different triggers, and there are many. Identifying triggers can help people find other things to do to distract from common cues to smoke.

Combat triggers

Once the personal triggers have been identified, a smoker can develop strategies to overcome them. For example, instead of smoking while driving to work, chew a stick of gum instead. If drinking coffee is a trigger, drink juice or tea for a few days instead.

Get the right mindset

Smoking is more than just a bad habit, smoking is an addiction. Learning to understand the effects of nicotine can help a person make the right decisions about quitting and possibly using smoking aids to help. A person who is serious about quitting smoking can get advice from a physician.

Choosing a quitting aid

There are a number of available aids to help people quit smoking. Quit smoking aids include patches, gum, an inhaler, and prescription medications. Even people who have unsuccessfully tried these aids before may find success the second or third time around.

Talk to someone

Giving up smoking can be a lonely process, but quitting doesn’t have to be. People who are quitting can find talking to a friend or family member who is trustworthy helpful. A person may also benefit from connecting with others who have been through quitting smoking.

Don’t give up giving up

Although quitting smoking takes a lot of determination, people who do quit will begin to feel better after just a few days. When weeks and months go by without smoking, the health benefits become increasingly noticeable. People who are having difficulty quitting smoking should talk to a medical expert for tips and advice.