Cigarette smoking will make a person addicted to the drug nicotine. Nicotine causes a powerful addiction that can result in unwelcome experiences of withdrawal if you decrease your intake. You can overcome an addiction to cigarettes, but it will take intense effort and willpower.
For some people, it takes several attempts before they are successfully free of cigarettes. As you quit, it is important to remind yourself that you will experience cravings for cigarettes, but if you avoid giving in, the craving will go away after a few minutes, notes the Mayo Clinic.
Step 1
Determine why you want to quit. Create a list of all the reasons you want to quit. Add to the list when you think of more reasons. Keep this list with you as you go through the quitting process. Look at the list when you have a craving to smoke in order to remind yourself why you are quitting.
Step 2
Create a timeline. You can quit smoking all at once, or over a period of time, you can reduce the amount of cigarettes you smoke. Whichever way you decide to quit will lead you to experience withdrawal symptoms. According to the American Cancer Society, symptoms of withdrawal will begin within a few hours of nicotine level reduction. The symptoms of withdrawal will be more severe if you stop smoking all at once.
Write down your quit date. Include in your timeline things you want to be doing one week, one month, three months, six months and a year after you are smoke free.
Step 3
Quit smoking. You have set a date to quit. On this date, you must stop smoking or begin reducing the amount of cigarettes you smoke. As the levels of nicotine in your body go down, you may feel depressed, irritable, anxious, dizzy, frustrated, board and restless, notes the American Cancer Society. Be prepared to experience the physical symptoms of withdrawal such as headaches, constipation, cough, insomnia and weight gain.
Step 4
Avoid situations where you were likely to smoke and avoid people you used to smoke with. The Mayo Clinic reports that if you return to situations in which you smoked, it is important to prepare yourself, because your urge to smoke will intensify.
Do not put yourself in situations where the risk of relapse is high. Instead, develop other things you can do besides smoking, such as eating sunflower seeds, twirling a pen or chewing gum. Do not go anywhere without something that replaces the habitual act of smoking.
Step 5
Join a support group. Involvement in a support group will provide you with a connection to people who have gone through or who are going through the same experience. Attend regular meetings. Talk about your experience. Voice your concerns. Ask questions about what others have gone through. Listen to what members of the group say about the length of time it took them to overcome their addiction to cigarettes.
