Scientific Tips to Help You Stop Smoking

scientific-tips-stop-smoking

It’s not easy to stop smoking because nicotine addiction is one of the hardest to beat. There many health risks which are associated with smoking and that’s why smokers are usually advised to quit. But this unhealthy habit requires a great deal of dedication. Because of the emotional and physical side effects that come with nicotine withdrawal, there are scientific ways to quit smoking which have been established. These techniques include:

Set Personal Goals

This is the first and most important step. Do you want to stop smoking? When? How? Setting goals is important because it will help you outline when and how you want to quit.

Remember that when you are setting goals, it has to be step-by-step. So, set short-term goals which will then lead to long-lasting results. Start by reducing the number of cigarettes you smoke on a daily basis. Gradually build up on this before you can completely cut out cigarettes from your life.

Enroll for nicotine replacement therapy

nicotine-patch

Nicotine addiction often leads to physical dependence. This means that withdrawing from it can lead to serious side effects. However, nicotine replacement therapy can help to alleviate the withdrawal symptoms. An individual is normally given products which contain nicotine in small amounts. This could be in the form of lozenges sprays, gum, inhalers, and patches.

By minimizing the severity of withdrawal symptoms, nicotine replacement therapy allows you to focus on the psychological side of quitting smoking. Scientific research studies show that using this therapy alongside counseling can help to improve the whole process.

Use smoking-cessation medication

This method has been proven scientifically to be effective. Smoking-cessation drugs help to reduce withdrawal symptoms, lower tobacco cravings and prevent you from using cigarettes again. During the first few months, doctors normally medications such as Chantix to help those who want to stop smoking. Zyban is another great alternative. These smoking-cessation medications block the brain receptors that are responsible for triggering nicotine cravings.

However, the effectiveness of these prescription medications depends on other factors. The smoker must first make it clear to themselves that they want to quit. Next, they must have a good plan to help them deal with nicotine urges. Lastly, they need support from family, friends, and the doctor.

Seek Professional Counselling/Support

Nicotine replacement therapy and the use of smoking-cessation medications are all good. But scientifically speaking, those who want to quit smoking should also seek professional counseling. Completely giving up smoking is not easy. This process comes up with numerous behavioral conditioning. So, seeking professional counseling can help addicts deal with this process. You can go for one-on-one counseling. Besides that, you can also seek support from web-based counselors or call a help-line.

Identify When You Crave to Smoke

smoking-cravings

Most nicotine addicts tend to smoke at specific times and in certain situations. One of the major ways that can help you stop smoking is identifying when this happens. Write down about the triggers and when they occur.
Once you know about this, find the best techniques on how to deal with them. For instance, do you smoke often when you are stressed? Well, you need to find a better way of dealing with stress. Or does coffee make you feel like you should smoke? This means that you could alternatively start drinking tea.

Practice Mind-Body Exercise

This is one of the best ways to stop smoking. Smoking becomes a habit that forms over time. So, one of the best ways to counter it is by practicing various activities that relate to the mind and the body.

Exercising, for instance, can help to reduce nicotine cravings. Besides that, it reduces the severity of withdrawal symptoms. The best body exercises are aerobics such as cycling, running, and swimming. These are good coping mechanisms for those who want to stop smoking. Mind practices such as meditation, mindfulness, and yoga are also important. They help to reduce cravings and improve your focus on better health.

Conclusion

As much as the above-mentioned techniques have been scientifically proven to be effective, quitting is not easy. The whole process depends on the individual. Different techniques work for different people depending on their needs and goals. But the overall goal of every method is to help nicotine addicts to successfully ignore their cravings permanently.

If you’re still struggling to quit, you can try out the Craving to Quit® app and get your first 3 days free.

 

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