This is the time of year that a lot of people try to break bad habits, in particular smoking. Thousands of people worldwide try to give up the habit – some even manage to stop completely. Some, however, will only be able to cut back and a vast majority fail completely. Because nicotine is so addictive, giving up is more difficult than with other bad habits.
This is because tobacco is largely made up of the addictive drug nicotine. Whether you smoke cigarettes, cigars, pipes or chew tobacco leaves, these will all let nasty nicotine into your body. The effects of nicotine work fast, within seconds it will give you an energy buzz and calm you down. This is why when people try to give up they tend to feel tired, irritable and can become depressed too. So how do you give up and for good too?
Being brutally honest, Honestly the only way you are ever going to give up is because you WANT TO! Only you can make yourself quit. Sure you can be scared into it by facts and figures, such as there are tobacco related deaths every minute. But at the end of the day it’s down to your sheer desire and willpower in wanting to succeed. It is important to keep in mind that you do not have to go through it alone, as help is widely available.
You can find tips on giving up everywhere, from self-help books and help lines to websites, speaking to ex-smokers and most GP surgeries too. You could join a ‘Quit Smoking’ or a similar help group. By sharing your problems and anxieties with others, as well as seeing a trained therapist, these can all help you with willpower and desire as well as give you helpful advice and techniques with how to deal with the effects of the tortuous withdrawal process.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy -also known as NRT – is often employed as an aid to help smokers slowly cut down, with the aim being to eventually stop. This works by giving the body with an different source of nicotine to actual cigarettes, such as nicotine patches, gum, lozenges, tablets and nasal sprays among many others. These can assist in reducing withdrawal symptoms and the craving to light up. This is because the body is still getting a release of nicotine, but without the physical act of smoking cigarettes and suchlike. There are even medicines which can be used to help combat nicotine addiction, which can be used as an alternative to NRT too.
However before starting any form of therapy or help, be certain to consult with your doctor first. Support from friends and family can be of great benefit to you too. They can help you with your motivation, and steer you away and distract you when you crave a cigarette. Try and find someone to quit with, be it a friend, relative or work colleague.
This way you can support each other and provide motivation in case of occasional slips. A positive mental attitude is also a great help – you will be able to do it. Just consider how much healthier and happier you are going to be when you’ve finally overcome it. Not to mention all the money you will save. It’s not impossible to give up smoking. It’s down to you. You can do it. You only need to try.
Matt Greene has vowed to give up smoking as a kind of valentines gift for his girlfriend. He would have preferred to get her a regular valentines present, though.