Introduction:
Have you ever considered the decision to quit smoking but felt that the habit has gone out of control? Are you someone who even tried to quit smoking several times but relapsed due to overwhelming challenges with the decision? If so, then most probably you've studied the numerous attempts made by others and wondered, "Can I truly break free from this habit?" Well, many people are in the same boat, facing the same set of challenges that smoking cessation brings. Boarding on the journey to quit smoking is undeniably a challenging task, but be mindful that the rewards are infinitely positive.
In this article, we will try to equip you with various strategies to help you achieve your goal of smoke-free life. From practical tips to cope with withdrawal symptoms to understanding the withdrawal symptoms of quitting, we've got you covered. Let's untie the complexities of this journey together and empower you to overcome the hurdles that may arise on the road to a healthier, virile and smoke-free future.
Managing Withdrawal Symptoms:
To be able to make strategies, you first need to understand what withdrawal symptoms you will expect to face. Recognizing these symptoms is early on is essential to overcome them effectively as they start to appear. Let’s look into the most expected withdrawal symptoms you will surely face during your journey of smoking cessation. Be strong and be prepared in advanced to overcome them.
- Nicotine Cravings:
If you are a regular smoker, then nicotine cravings is one of your destiny in the journey of smoking cessation. These cravings are typically hard during initial days after quitting. Further, the intensity of these cravings depends upon how frequently you smoke. Nicotine cravings can be triggered by many things, like friends you smoked with, activities you did while smoking and emotions you associated with smoking.
Remember that: No matter how strong the nicotine cravings get, it can’t hurt you, unless you give up and start smoking again. (alert-custom)
- Irritability and Mood Swings:
You may feel irritable and annoyed by things happening around you. These feelings may stay with you for up to 1-3 weeks. Practicing mindfulness and deep breathing will help you stay calm during this time.
Remember that: You can always choose to stay calm and unannoyed, because you know it is not really annoying. (alert-custom)
- Difficulty Concentrating:
You may feel difficulty focusing on your work. Get ready to become less productive especially during the first week after quitting smoking. If you can’t compromise your productivity, don’t just give in. Nicotine patches might help you stay productive during these times.
Remember that: We recommend you take this challenge without medications, because if you use nicotine patches you still remain dependent on nicotine for your daily life activities. (alert-custom)
- Increased Appetite and Weight Gain:
After quitting your appetite may increase significantly, resulting in weight gain. If you are someone looking for weight gain, it is a good time for you to increase your diet and add healthy foods into your list. On the other hand, if you are already obese, increased appetite may be a bad for you.
Remember that: If you are overweight, you can have sugar free chewing gums to trick your mind, drink plenty of water to stay full, and engage in regular exercise to burn extra calories. (alert-custom)
- Sleep Disturbances and Restlessness:
Expect to get a disturbed sleep routine especially during the initial few days. Try deep breathing before going to sleep to aid sleeping. Listening to a calm music, reading a book and writing a journal before sleeping can also help you sleep.
Remember that: Working out and engaging in other physical activities to exhaust your energies during the day might help you sleep better at night. (alert-custom)
- Coughing and Respiratory Changes:
Shortness of breath and coughing are not the most common symptoms but expecting it in advance can be helpful for you. Consult your healthcare provider for any medications if coughing lasts more than 7 days.
Strategies for Quitting Smoking:
Deciding to quit smoking can be very hard, especially if you've been doing it for years. Over time, the habit establishes strong roots, making it difficult to break free. Further, the longer you've had this habit, the more challenging it becomes to stop because it's intertwined with many activities of your daily life. These daily activities then turn into triggers that prompt you to smoke.
For instance, if you used to smoke while watching movies, quitting might make watching movies a trigger for smoking. Therefore, having strategies to cope with smoking cravings will empower you to successfully break free from this habit once and for all. Let's dive into these effective strategies below, unlocking the keys to your success in your journey of smoking cessation.
- Describe you why:
To start off, think about why you want to quit smoking. This reason is unique for every individual, but it should be really powerful to help you resist smoking when you get those cravings. For many people, I've noticed their reasons are to feel more vital, live younger, stay youthful, and stay healthier overall. Others do it to steer clear of the risks linked to smoking. Whatever your "why" is, make it strong and let it be your motivation to stay smoke-free forever.
- Set a Quit Date:
Pick a specific date when you're going to stop smoking. This gives you a clear target and makes you feel committed. It's not just a decision; it's now a committed decision. As Bob Proctor says, "When you make a decision, you only do it if it's easy. When you make a committed decision, you're going to do it regardless." Now there is no room for excuses and no delays should be entertained. Let's make it happen!
- Have a support group:
Make friends and new connections with those who align with your decision. Share your decision with friends, and family. Having a support system can provide sense of encouragement and motivation. Further, appoint any of the non-smoking friend or family member as an accountability partner to remind you and share your progress with.
- Let your smoking buddies know about your decision:
Besides having a support group, it's crucial to tell the people you used to smoke with about your decision. Steering clear of such company during the first 3-4 weeks can significantly boost your journey. Get friends and family members looking to quit on board, as it creates accountability and support for everyone involved. Let's conquer this together!
Remember: It is not crucial to have someone with you onboard, you can always do it alone. Take responsibility of your own actions, health, and happiness. (alert-custom)
- Avoid Triggers:
Identify and steer away from situations that trigger cravings. Recognize that everything you associate with smoking becomes a trigger upon quitting, whether it's a cup of tea or listening to a song. If you smoke during breaks, then breaks can be triggers for you. If smoking accompanied movie-watching, then watching movies could be a trigger. Any activity linked to smoking becomes a trigger when you quit. List these activities to anticipate and handle cravings effectively. If feasible, consider changing daily routines or finding alternative activities to help you on this journey.
- Stay Active and Stay Hydrated:
Engaging in regular physical activity helps you effectively manage stress and improves your mood. Exercise also aids in distracting you from smoking cravings. Additionally, drinking plenty of water helps flush toxins out from your body. Drinking a glass of water when cravings arise may help you redirect the thoughts of smoking. Moreover, exercise and hydration will help you speed up the recovery process during smoking cessation.
- Track your progress and celebrate milestones:
Whether you mark days on a calendar, jot it down in a journal, or use an app, make sure to track your progress. As your streak grows longer, you'll find increasing motivation and determination. Set weekly and milestones and celebrate them. Remember that celebration itself can sometimes trigger cigarette cravings. Celebrate your milestones with your support group who encourage your journey on smoking cessation.
Personally, I use the TickTick application to monitor my habit streaks. This app is versatile, available on Windows, iOS, Play Store, and Apple Store, and you can even add an extension to your browser. The standout feature for me is the habit widget on your phone screen, displaying streaks for each habit you're tracking. Just check in every day to stay on top of your progress.
- Prescription Medications:
According to CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), there are medicines approved by FDA (Food and Drug Administration) which can help you quit smoking. These medicines can help you quit smoking by helping you manage the nicotine cravings. These medicines are meant to manage the withdrawal symptoms and are not meant for regular use. Please consult a healthcare professional for right product, frequency and strength of dose. These medicines are listed as below:
Nicotine Patch: These patches typically come in three strengths i.e. 7mg, 14mg, 21mg. If you smoke less than 5 cigarettes a day, consider taking 7mg nicotine patch. If you smoke between 5 and 10 cigarettes per day, consider taking 14 mg nicotine patches. If you smoke more than 10 cigarettes per day, consider taking 21 mg nicotine patch. Finally, to get the right dose of nicotine patches and prescription schedule please consult your doctor or any healthcare professional online.
Nicotine Lozenge: These Lozenges come in two strengths i.e. 2mg and 4mg. You need to hold a lozenge between your cheek and gums. These lozenges can be used in combination with nicotine patches incase of strong cravings. Please consult your healthcare provider for right directions.
Nicotine Gum: The nicotine gums look like chewing gums but aren’t used just like that. Nicotine gums come in two strengths i.e. 2mg and 4mg. You chew it for a minute and then hold it between your cheeks and gums. Like lozenges, nicotine gum can be used in combination with nicotine patches for controlling strong withdrawal symptoms. Please consult your healthcare provider for right directions of usage.
Nicotine Oral inhaler: A nicotine inhaler is a small plastic tube. You need to take frequent light puffs throughout the day. While taking puffs you need to make sure that you aren’t inhaling deep into the lungs like a cigarette. To buy this product, you need a prescription from your healthcare provider.
Nicotine Nasal Spray: This product comes in a hand-held sprayer. Unlike the inhaler, you do not need to inhale through your nose, but nicotine is mostly absorbed in your nose. To control nicotine cravings, you need one spray in each nostril, frequently throughout the day. To buy this product, you need a prescription from your healthcare provider.
Varenicline Pills: These pills come in two strengths 0.5 mg and 1mg. Varenicline pills do not contain nicotine and works differently from the above-mentioned medicines. You need prescription from your healthcare provider. Use as directed by your healthcare provider.
Bupropion SR Pills: You need prescription from your healthcare provider to buy these pills. Bupropion SR does not contain nicotine and works differently from above mentioned quit-smoking medicines. Use as directed by your healthcare provider. (alert-custom)
Remember that: Taking these medications isn’t compulsory. Taking these medications will help you quit smoking and manage withdrawal symptoms effectively. The medications are not for long-term usage and overtime you need to reduce the dose of whatever medication you are taking. Use these medications as directed by your healthcare provider. In case of allergy or any side-effect, consult to your healthcare provider immediately. (alert-error)
- Practice Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques:
Practice mindfulness, meditation, or deep breathing exercises to manage stress and reduce anxiety, the common triggers for smoking. You need to stay conscious about your journey and do not get tempted by the cravings. These cravings are temporary, and once your body adjusts to the changes you will finally feel better and free from the captivity of this devasting habit.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, recognizing and navigating the challenges of smoking cessation is important for the success in quitting journey. This involves addressing withdrawal symptoms head-on. Strategies such as, setting exact date, having support groups and understanding why behind your decision to quit smoking play crucial roles in equipping individuals even before starting the journey.
Recognizing and managing common withdrawal symptoms like nicotine cravings, irritability, and sleep disturbances are essential steps towards a smoke-free life. In extreme cases nicotine patches, gum, inhaler or other medications can be used to regulate withdrawal symptoms. By combining the knowledge of symptoms, strategies at hand and tapping into any available resources, individuals will be able to easily break free from the grips of tobacco addiction and embark on a journey of healthier and happier lifestyle.