Smoking has drawn the attention of the public eye during the past several decades due to the continuing discoveries of all the health risks. Smoking has been linked to lung disease, COPD, cancer, and many other medical issues. Second hand smoke has been linked to deadly medical diseases within the populous to people who don’t even smoke. In short, smoking kills, and by now that is common knowledge.
Governments have even regulated where you can smoke to help curb this horrible habit. New mandates, such as no smoking in restaurants and not smoking eight (8) feet from a business entrance, brought smoking down in the U.S. to 15.1% in 2015.
But actually stopping the habit is a feat in and of itself. Don’t be fooled that you can just slap a patch on and be done with it. You will go through withdrawals and cravings. You will need a support system. Having that support is a powerful bulwark, especially if you have a goal to work toward at the end. Breaking an addiction is one of the most difficult experiences humans can go through.
There are several ways to quit the smoking habit, which you will need to stop and study about. Below are some tips to help you keep away from the cigarettes after you have committed to stop smoking.
 
 

1. Begin with a Cleaning Party 

Start your new smoke-free life with a clean home. Clean the carpet, wipe down the walls, wash your clothes, and basically clean anything that can have a smell attach to it. Stale smoke smells can trigger your cravings for a cigarette. In fact, scent has been identified as the most effective way to revive old memories and habits. For that reason, it is crucial to eliminate the smell of smoke.
However you can, invest in eco-friendly odor neutralizing products. Go overboard with the spraying if you have to. Just make sure to get rid of that nostalgic smell of smoke.
 

2. Try an Alternative

If you do have a craving, don’t turn back to the pack. The hidden reality is that your brain has been programmed to go through the motions of smoking whenever you get triggered — whether it is stress, social situations or other stimulants. While the best case scenario is to quit smoking altogether, replacing a fatal habit with a less dangerous one is still an improvement.
If you absolutely need an alternative habit replacement, there are healthier alternatives such as E-Cigs. Vaping has rapidly evolved over the last few years with many different small niches and products. Understanding each of them is crucial in selecting one that is tobacco free.
There are several types of E-Cigs and E-Cigars out there. Learn about the different units available by visiting the License To Vape website.
 

3. Grab Yourself a Ball

You will become stressed due to the nicotine not being in your system. Instead of lashing out in anger, try finding something to keep your hands busy. Find anything you can to stay relaxed.
Common items for relaxation would include a stress ball, fidget cube, silly putty, fidget spinner, or any other hand held item you can find. Keep in mind that it needs to be something that you can do mindlessly so you can focus on other tasks while you go about your day.
 

4. Watch Your Intake

This is a two-fold issue you need to watch. When you smoke, your appetite and caffeine is suppressed by the nicotine in the cigarettes. So when you stop smoking, your appetite will increase and any caffeine will have more of an effect on you than it did when you smoked.
After you quit, you will be hungrier. Be aware of what you are eating and how much so you do not begin to overeat in order to deal with the stress.
The same goes for caffeine, but in a different way. With caffeine levels affecting you more it will make dealing with your stress harder since caffeine is a stimulant. Said stimulants can also lead to insomnia, which would also affect your attitude. This increased impact of caffeine will tempt you once again to start smoking. If possible cut caffeine out altogether.
 

5. Speed It Up

Just like with a drug addict, your body needs to be detoxed of the nicotine within it.
Drinking plenty of water will help you not only keep you hydrated during the detox, but also help to battle your increasing hunger. Did you know that water also helps ease your cough? Coughing is your body’s reaction to trying to get the bad mucus and sludge out of your lungs so you can breathe better. In short, drinking more water than you need will dramatically help deal with the side-effects of smoking.
 

Get Through It

The key to all this is to not give up. You can overcome your smoking habits. Such changes will not happen overnight, you will need the courage to stick to your guns to see yourself through this new chapter in your life.
 
Have you or a loved one tried to quit smoking?
Share you thoughts and comments with us.
 

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