It may also be helpful to keep a quit diary and list your reasons for wanting to quit smoking in the first place. Reminding yourself of the health benefits of quitting smoking can also help strengthen your motivation and desire to quit. While there is no magic bullet that will make smoking cessation easy and painless, there are steps you can take to quit smoking in a way that will bring you long-term success. Using smoking cessation medications along with some smoking reduction support can greatly increase your chances of successfully quitting.
In fact, doctors often recommend a combination of smoking cessation assistance and counseling as the best approach to quitting. People who use telephone, group, one-on-one or internet counseling are much more likely to quit smoking than those who try to quit on their own. Studies show that the majority of people who have quit smoking for a long time have sought help to cope with physical and mental cravings for tobacco. Behavioral therapy also helps people trying to quit smoking: it involves working with a counselor or support group to find ways to quit, identify triggers, and create a plan to overcome your cravings.
Understanding the problems, formulating a plan, using cessation aids, and finding ways to cope with quitting are all important parts of the process. A good smoking cessation plan addresses both the short-term goal of quitting smoking and the long-term goal of preventing relapse. Knowing when and why you smoke can help you choose a quitting strategy that is most likely to work.
One of the best ways to quit smoking is to identify what makes you want to smoke, including specific situations, behaviors, feelings, and people. Smoking remains the leading cause of death and preventable disease in this country, with 480,000 premature deaths each year2. Although understanding the adverse health effects of tobacco use may aid in quitting smoking, it is well known that many smokers do not permanently quit smoking on the first attempt and require multiple attempts to succeed. Jonathan Brick, a professor of public health at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center at the University of Washington in Seattle, said most smokers quit 8 to 12 cigarettes before finally successfully quitting. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle.
Try some ways to reduce smoking, such as gradually increasing the time between cigarettes until the official quit date. If you go back to smoking but are smoking less than you used to, try to keep smoking at that lowest level to make it easier to quit in the future. If you are taking varenicline, you may be able to stop smoking a little, which may increase your chances of quitting.
Current guidelines recommend varenicline as a first-line option for smoking cessation, but they note that nicotine patches and treatments may also help. Varenicline Share on Pinterest Kwanchai Lerttanapunyaporn / EyeEm / Getty Images Doctors often prescribe varenicline (Champix or Chantix) to people who want to quit smoking. Varenicline (Chantix) is a drug that helps people quit smoking by blocking nicotinic receptors in the brain, thereby reducing withdrawal symptoms and making smoking less enjoyable.
The drug can serve as a nicotine substitute and reduce the frequency and intensity of cravings. Ask your doctor about a prescription for nicotine-free drugs (such as Chantix(r) or Zyban(r)) that can help you stop smoking. Get Ready Talk to your doctor or local health authority about medications and what help is available in your area for people who want to quit smoking. Your doctor can also tell you about other services that can help you try to quit smoking, such as a smoking hotline.
According to Dr. Panagis Galiatsatos, people who want to quit smoking can talk to their doctor to come up with a treatment plan that includes several strategies. When trying to help the smoker, make it clear that you are approaching the situation without judgment or judgment, Galiatsatos said. Be completely honest with your doctor about what you smoke so he or she can develop strategies that will work for you. The American Lung Association can help tobacco users understand the reasons for quitting and then take the plunge to quit for good.
You can get a free, confidential, one-on-one consultation from a smoking cessation coach, and you may be eligible for free medication to help you quit smoking, vaping, or other types of tobacco. Colorado QuitLine Colorado residents 15 years of age or older who are ready to quit can also call the Colorado QuitLine at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) for a free one-on-one consultation, as well as free stock nicotine patches or chewing gum. Smoking and vaping are expensive, so save money and rely on free and proven smoking cessation methods, including FDA-approved recommendations and medications. A pharmacist is testing drugs to help you quit smoking Using drugs to help you quit can double your chances of success.
Use the time left until quit day to prepare and gradually reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke, the number of cigarettes you smoke, or the consumption of other tobacco products. Even one or two cigarettes can inadvertently return to regular smoking, but many smokers can return to quitting by changing their plan. While some smokers are successful in quitting, most people are better off sticking to an individually designed plan. Some people find that talking to a friend or spouse, going for a walk, or doing something like playing basketball instead of smoking helps them stay steadfast in trying to quit – it means figuring out what works best for you. differs from person to person.