Smoking isn't just a habit you picked up along the way: It's a real addiction. You will experience withdrawal as the remaining nicotine leaves you and your body learns to cope without its steady stream of chemicals. While getting over this hump is difficult, it's certainly not impossible. Putting a solid smoking cessation plan into action and sticking to it can help you get through the withdrawal phase and join the ranks of the world's nonsmokers.
Step 1
Start a cravings journal, according to Helpguide.org. Write about what kinds of cravings you have and at what time of day. Read over your journal to help pinpoint times when your cravings are the most intense, so that you can pay special attention to those situations.
Step 2
Change the habits associated with your most intense cravings. For example, if you always smoke right when you wake up, make a new morning routine. Get up and get straight in the shower, or go for a jog. If you like to smoke with your morning coffee and paper, switch to orange juice and drink it on the way to work instead.
Step 3
Drink plenty of water and keep drinking it at a steady rate throughout the day. Doing so helps make cravings less intense, according to the Helpguide website, by flushing craving-causing chemicals from your system.
Step 4
Talk to your pharmacist about the types of cravings you're having and when they're the strongest. She will be able to direct you to over-the-counter smoking cessation aids, such as gum and patches, that can get you over the roughest patches. If these aren't effective, talk to your doctor about prescription medications to help you quit.
Step 5
Experiment with alternative therapies designed to help with smoking withdrawals. Try acupuncture, hypnosis or behavioral therapy to rein in cravings.
Step 6
Call a friend or family member when you have a craving you don't think you can control. Ask the person to go for a walk, do something fun or just talk you through your moment so that you don't relapse. Giving in to temptation will only make your withdrawal process longer and more difficult.
