How to stop smoking
How to Stop Smoking
Quitting smoking is tough – you need to be prepared for the urge to smoke from the habitual and psychological nicotine cravings you'll encounter.
Knowledge
Knowledge
Learning about the quitting smoking process is essential to kicking the habit. Being informed can help you prepare for any challenges you could face along the way.
Want to know why you get the urge to smoke? We can give you the knowledge you need to prepare for the pitfalls ahead and say no to cigarettes.
Here are some key reasons why it’s hard to cut out your cigarettes:
- Your body is addicted to the nicotine in cigarettes
- Smoking is a habit linked to everyday things you do, like eating
- Smoking is linked to your emotions, like being stressed
Your body is addicted to the nicotine in cigarettes
Smoking is a habit linked to everyday things you do, like eating
Smoking is linked to your emotions, like being stressed
The addiction to nicotine is particularly important as you can experience nicotine withdrawal symptoms within 4-12 hours of your last cigarette. These symptoms include a craving to smoke, irritability, restlessness, anger, anxiety, headaches, dizziness and increased appetite.
As Nicotinell products contain nicotine they can help relieve these symptoms.
Motivation
Motivation
What drives you to want to stop smoking? Deciding on a motivation that inspires you will give you the determination to help you get the job done.
Experts agree that being – and staying – motivated is essential if you want to change your smoking habit.
Take some time to think about why you are inspired to make this change. It may be because you are worried about your health – smoking can cause heart disease, strokes, breathing problems and many different cancers in particular lung cancer. Or you may want to save money or be a role model for your children.
Think of three main reasons why you want to change your smoking habit. When you are finding it hard to stick with your goal, reminding yourself of these reasons can give you the strength to stick with it.
Guide
Guide
Choosing a mentor to encourage and guide you on your journey – ideally someone with experience of quitting smoking successfully – can really help.
Think of the person that has successfully made the change you’re aiming for. It seems tough but like them, you can do it.
It helps to have someone to call on who has also changed their smoking habit. They know the challenges and can offer tips on how they managed to relieve the urge to smoke or cope with difficult situations.
Support
Support
When the going gets tough, having the right support in place can really help you deal with the urge to smoke.
We can help you identify the support you need so you’re not on your own.
Tell family, friends and co-workers you need their help to distract you when you feel the urge to smoke. You can also call on your motivational contact for support
The Benefits
The Benefits
Changing your smoking habit is a huge achievement – celebrate and reward yourself when you reach a major milestone!
There are many benefits when it comes to changing your smoking habits for example:
- Financial – put aside the money you would normally spend each day on cigarettes. You’ll be surprised at how quickly it can mount up.
- Health - stopping smoking can have major health benefits. In the long-term it reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke and certain types of cancer, especially lung. But did you know your body can start to feel the benefit just 20 minutes after your last cigarette?
The first two weeks of stopping smoking are the toughest so plan your rewards so you have something to look forward to. Major milestones to celebrate include:
- The first day
- The first week
- The second week
- The first time you stayed strong and didn’t smoke when you were tempted
Environment
Environment
Understanding what occasions or environments drive your cravings will remind you to take extra precautions.
If you want to manage the temptations around you, we’ve got ideas to help you manage your urge to smoke.
It’s important to make sure you are not surrounded by things that remind you of smoking or that make you want to smoke. By creating a smoke-free zone you are less likely to pick up a cigarette and smoke it as it won’t be easily available.
To do this:
- Remove cigarettes and ashtrays at home, work and in the car
- Avoid places where you can smoke
- Ask your smoker friends not to smoke around you
Craving Control
Craving Control
Make sure you know which nicotine replacement products are right for you to keep the moments when you feel the urge to smoke in check. Our range offers something for everyone.
To succeed you’ll need to overcome the urge to smoke. Luckily, we’ve got Nicotinell products, that offer a proven method to help you give up together with lots of tips to help you manage your cravings.
Nicotinell patches, lozenges and gums can help you relieve the cravings and help you on the way to become smoke free. Our products come in a number of flavours, formats and strengths to suit you. Some other strategies that may help you manage your urge to smoke include:
- Delay – all it takes is 1-2 minutes before the urge to smoke passes
- Deep breathing – take 10 deep breaths to relax yourself
- Drink water
- Distract – do something else, like reading, listening to music or going for a walk