Advantages: If you have to quit because you have a serious health problem as a result of your smoking, quitting cold turkey will be the quickest way to improve your health or to keep it from further deteriorating. You will also be more motivated to do it on your own if you have a serious health risk. You may feel more pain, but you’ll feel it for a shorter amount of time. Instead of spending months or even a year dealing with medication and nicotine therapy and slowly weaning your body off nicotine, you will be able to conquer your addiction more quickly if you do succeed. Disadvantages: You may experience intense and unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, such as depression, insomnia, irritability, and anxiety. You have less of a chance of success if you quit cold turkey than if you try to use a combination of other methods.
If you have to quit because you have a serious health problem as a result of your smoking, quitting cold turkey will be the quickest way to improve your health or to keep it from further deteriorating. You will also be more motivated to do it on your own if you have a serious health risk. You may feel more pain, but you’ll feel it for a shorter amount of time. Instead of spending months or even a year dealing with medication and nicotine therapy and slowly weaning your body off nicotine, you will be able to conquer your addiction more quickly if you do succeed.
You may experience intense and unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, such as depression, insomnia, irritability, and anxiety. You have less of a chance of success if you quit cold turkey than if you try to use a combination of other methods.
Know your triggers. Write down the triggers that lead you to smoking, whether it’s drinking whisky, going to parties, or even listening to jazz. Decide how you can avoid them. [2] X Research source Keep reminding yourself why you want to quit. Once you start your plan, keep telling yourself that you want to quit for health reasons, for your family, and for your friends. [3] X Research source You can even write a motivational note to yourself and keep it in your wallet. [4] X Trustworthy Source American Lung Association Nonprofit health organization dedicated to improving lung health through education, advocacy, and research Go to source Remember that the first few days are the hardest. Factor this into your game plan. Reward yourself for getting through your first few days, or first few weeks, of quitting cold turkey. Keep a journal where you record your thoughts and feelings throughout the process. Make a plan to write in the journal at least once a day, so you feel more in touch with how your mind and body are feeling.
Reflect. Write down all of the factors in your life that are leading to stress and figure out how you can minimize them. If you can eliminate or reduce any sources of stress before you start trying to quit, the process will be much easier. Do activities that calm you down. Try meditation, yoga, taking long walks, or listening to soothing music before bed. Get lots of rest. You will feel much more capable of dealing with stressful situations if you go to bed and wake up around the same time every day, and give your body enough time to sleep. Open up to a friend about your feelings. You will feel much more at ease if you don’t feel so alone in your decision to quit smoking.
Keep your mouth active. Drink lots of water, tea, juice, or anything to keep your mind occupied. Chew gum or suck on mints when you need to. Keep your hands busy. Squeeze a stress-relieving ball, doodle, play with your phone, or find another way to keep your hands busy so you don’t end up reaching for a cigarette. Get some exercise. If you don’t have an exercise routine, pick one up. Working out for just 30 minutes a day can make your body and mind feel more fit and relaxed. Go for walks. This is a great thing to do, especially when you have a craving.
Accept more invitations. Take this as an opportunity to go to more events, even if you’ve avoided them in the past. Invite a friend out for coffee, a walk, or a drink. Turn an acquaintance or a casual friend into a closer friend by taking the time to chat. Try to invite them to an activity that won’t lead to one of your triggers. When you hang out with friends and family, open up about how you’re trying to quit. This will make you feel less alone and more supported. Do something fun that involves activity. Go to a yoga class with a friend, go out dancing, or invite a friend for a hike or a trip to the beach to go swimming. Find new ways to be socially active that don’t revolve around smoking. For instance, join a photography or hiking club. [8] X Expert Source Natalie Feinblatt, PsyDClinical Psychologist Expert Interview. 30 July 2021.
Try to avoid hanging out with other smokers as much as you can. Of course, if one of your best friends is a smoker, just have a serious conversation about it, and try to minimize your time around the friend when s/he is smoking. [10] X Expert Source Natalie Feinblatt, PsyDClinical Psychologist Expert Interview. 30 July 2021. Avoid the places where you used to buy cigarettes. If you can’t go to your usual grocery store or drive by the convenience store where you buy your cigarettes without wanting to buy a pack, avoid your usual route and find new stores. Avoid situations where you tend to smoke. If you always smoke when you hang outside the mall, go to a particular restaurant, or go out to clubs, try to cut those situations out of your routine.
Do something with your hands. [12] X Trustworthy Source American Heart Association Leading nonprofit that funds medical research and public education Go to source Try writing a short story or a poem, or take a pottery or art class. Try running. If you set a goal to run a 5K or even a 10K, you’ll be so focused on your new training plan that you won’t have time to think about smoking all the time. Be adventurous. Try hiking or mountain biking. Do something completely out of your comfort zone that will take your mind off cigarettes. Find a new love for food. Though you shouldn’t replace your cigarette cravings with food cravings, you should take the time to appreciate food and maybe even learn how to cook. Notice how much better everything tastes now that you’re not smoking.
Did you have a relapse because you were feeling stressed? If so, you should think more about how you can minimize your stress, or avoid particularly stressful situations. For example, if you had a cigarette because of a stressful day at work, find a way to deal with another stressful day at work, such as having ice cream or watching your favorite movie after work instead. Did you have a relapse because you were in a situation that made you want to smoke? If you had a cigarette at your friend Beth’s party because you associate her parties with having a nice cool smoke on the back porch, then you should either avoid her parties for a while or come equipped with gum, a dessert, or a game plan for beating the craving. What were you feeling right before you relapsed? Recognizing those feelings can help you fight them in the future.
Just do what you’ve been doing. If you’ve been trying to quit for a while, then your body will be craving cigarettes less than it normally would, even if you’ve had a relapse. Be extra vigilant after the relapse. For the week after the relapse, try harder than ever to stay busy and active, to avoid temptation, and to manage your stress.
Behavioral therapy. A behavioral therapist will help you find your triggers, provide support, and can help you decide the best way to quit. Nicotine replacement therapy. Nicotine patches, gum, lozenges, and sprays are ways of giving your body nicotine without the tobacco. This is a good way of weaning your body off off nicotine instead of quitting all at once. Medication. See your doctor about getting a prescription for a medicine that will help you quit smoking. Combination treatments. Behavioral therapy, replacement therapy or medication, and ample support from friends and family can be the best way to ensure that you will truly quit smoking for good.
