Although practically everyone knows that smoking is bad for your health, many people seem to find it difficult to stop this habit. Therefore, we will discuss a cessation plan with ways that make it easier to quit smoking.
Being well prepared is half the work
Try to choose a date within now and four weeks. This gives you plenty of time to prepare your smoking cessation plan. Choose this date carefully. An upcoming stressful period is not a good moment for example because you need to be able to focus on smoking cessation.
- Create a list of benefits. This is a reminder for you during the difficult moments, so you do not forget why you gave up smoking. Write these key advantages down. for example: I want to feel fitter, I want to be a good example for my kids or I save a lot of money this way.
- Monitor your smoking behavior. What are the moments you smoke? Try to find alternatives for these moments and change your routines. Instead of smoking a cigarette with colleagues during a break, you can also take a cup of tea or go for a small walk.
- Think for yourself what you can do during a difficult moment. The success of smoking cessation often depends on the survival of the difficult moments when the urge to have a cigarette is at its greatest. How do you, for example, cope with the urge to smoke a cigarette during a stressful period. These urges don’t last longer than 5 minutes for most of the time. Write down what you can do to get through these difficult minutes. Finding distraction in the form of executing another task or finding relaxation through breathing exercises are often effective ways of dealing with these urges.
- Throw away everything around the house that is related to smoking. Also check your coats, bags and the car to make sure the chance of meeting cigarettes and smoking related stuff like lighters or ashtrays is as little as possible.
- Find the help that suits you. Only 3-5% of the cessation attempts succeed on their own. Smoking cessation support comes in many different forms. Self-help programs, coaching support, medicines, nicotine replacement, group therapy and different apps are all ways that can support you with smoking cessation.
Smoking cessation in the long run.
Most withdrawal symptoms disappear after the first 48 hours and after a week all the nicotine has left the body. However, after this period, failures in smoking cessation are still present all too often. This partially comes from the fact that you are still mentally sensitive or vulnerable for smoking. It is important to realize that you are vulnerable to prevent relapse. Furthermore, it is important to be aware of a few things.
- Do n0t give up after you gave in to your urges, but learn from this. A lot of people give up their cessation attempt after they have sinned. This is a shame because you were on the right track. Do not see this or yourself as a failure but as a small and single relapse. Find out why, out of all moments, you gave in at this moment. Use this knowledge to prevent this from happening next time.
- Do not lose your goal out of sight. Use your smoking cessation plan to remind you of the reason(s) you want to give up smoking.
- Focus on the positive effect of giving up smoking. How is your state of mind and health now that you gave smoking? Many apps also remind you of the money you saved by giving up smoking. These are key motivators, which help you to stay smoke free.
