We all want this quit-smoking attempt to bethequitthe one that lasts us a lifetime.
We’re looking for permanent freedom fromnicotine addictionwhen we stub out the last cigarette and begin toheal our bodies.
Making a plan, being patient with yourself, and staying positive can help.
Patcharanan Worrapatchareeroj / Getty Images
Keep reading to explore great tips to help you quit smoking for good.
Talk to Your Doctor
You should also talk to your doctor about your quit-smoking plans.
They can prescribe medications that may help you stick to your smoke-free goals.
Prescription medications that can help includeZyban(bupropion) andChantix(varenicline).
Chantix also works to make smoking less pleasurable and rewarding.
Research has shown that both bupropion and varenicline are effective for smoking cessation.
One study found that varenicline was significantly more likely to lead to continuous abstinence from smoking than bupropion.
NRTs are short-acting and intended to be used over several weeks.
You gradually reduce your dose until you are eventually able to stop using them.
That would be nice (very nice!
), but it doesn’t work that way.
Remember, smoking cessation is a process, not an event.
Sit back, relax, and think of time as one of your best quit buddies.
The more time you put between you and that last cigarette you smoked, the stronger you’ll become.
Have patience with yourself, and with the process.
Focus on the Present
Nicotine withdrawal plays mind games with us early on in smoking cessation.
We think about smoking all of the time, and we worry that we’ll always miss our cigarettes.
For the new quitter, it can be paralyzing to think aboutnever lighting another cigarette.
Thoughts like this, if left unchecked, can easily lead to a smoking relapse.
It will probably come as no surprise that we aim many of those negative thoughts directly at ourselves.
Face it, we’re almost always our own worst critics.
Here are a few stay-positive strategies to add to your quit-smoking toolbox.
Successful long-term cessationalwaysstarts with our thoughts.
Don’t rush it.
New quitters are tender.
Instead, focus on your own situation.
Consider postponing until you’re feeling stronger.
Keep your quit program in the top slot of your list of priorities for as long as it takes.
You should do whatever it’s crucial that you do to maintain your “smobriety.”
Don’t fall for it.
You may even find yourself smoking more than you used to.
When it comes to smoking cessation, there isno such thing as just onecigarette.
They travel in packs.
Just as success with smoking cessation begins in the mind, so does a smoking relapse.
Keep Up Your Motivation
You quit smoking for a reason.
Don’t let time and distance from the habit cloud your thinking.
Smoking cessation is a journey.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
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