There are two schools of thought when it comes to quitting smoking. One encourages the use of nicotine replacement therapy or medications. The other advocates quitting cold turkey, which means taking an all-or-nothing approach. Proponents of this method assert that unless dependency upon nicotine is broken entirely, the addict only prolongs the withdrawal process. If you want to succeed, however, you must do a little preparation first.
Step 1
Make a list of the reasons that you want to quit and keep copies posted in places where you smoke, such as your office, car or living room. If you need an incentive, consider that the American Cancer Society estimates that 1 in 5 deaths in the United States are attributed to a smoking-related disease, and that half of all smokers can expect to experience the same fate. However, your reasons don't have to be strictly health-related. Think about the money you'll save, the fact that your hair and clothes won't smell anymore or that you'll be setting a good example for your children.
Step 2
Separate your smoking habit from your daily activities. The EX Plan, created by the American Legacy Foundation, refers to this step as "separation" and considers it critical to re-learning daily life without cigarettes. This means waiting to light up while you enjoy your morning coffee, for example, by increasing intervals for several days. Remember, you're not quitting cold turkey at this point, but you are priming your brain to stop entering "autopilot" mode which enables you to smoke without thinking about it.
Step 3
Set a quit date that's between 2 weeks and 30 days from now. Your chances of success will be greater if you avoid picking a timeframe that's likely to cause smoking triggers too difficult to ignore. In other words, if there's a party or vacation coming up, wait until that event has passed before you quit. However, special dates, like a birthday or anniversary, are fine.
Step 4
Remove all cigarettes, lighters and ashtrays from your home, car and office the night before you plan to quit for good. It's also a good idea to leave a copy of your list of reasons to quit in very prominent places, like on the bathroom mirror or next to the coffee pot in the kitchen.
Step 5
Remind yourself often on your quit day and each day thereafter that every urge to smoke, although strong at times, will pass in a few moments. In fact, be aware that you'll be thinking a lot about cigarettes during the first few days. That's because the whole time you were actively smoking, your brain was busy creating more and more nicotine receptor sites on the surface of cells. When those cells stop getting switched on by receiving nicotine, they start complaining. This is what produces withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Fortunately, your body will eliminate all nicotine from your system and your brain cells will stop expecting nicotine in just a few days.
Tips and Warnings
- Accept the fact that like an alcoholic or drug addict, you can never take up the same substance without getting hooked again. Keep busy. Walking, exercising, playing with the dog, knitting or anything else that keeps your mind and hands occupied will help you to stay focused and withstand cravings. If you slip up, forgive yourself and try again.
- If you experience significant withdrawal symptoms, such as depression or anxiety, see your doctor. Not everyone succeeds quitting cold turkey, and there's no shame in considering medications to reduce withdrawal symptoms.
