According to the American Lung Association, e-cigarettes still produce a number of dangerous chemicals, many of which can cause lung disease, heart disease, COPD, and lung cancer. However, know that switching to e-cigarettes or vapes is not the answer. This can help you avoid common nicotine withdrawal symptoms like irritability, trouble focusing, and anxiety. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) provides your body with nicotine without the harmful chemicals found in cigarettes. One of the best ways to stop smoking cigarettes, or stop using other tobacco products, is with nicotine replacement. Once you know what sets off your urge to smoke, you can develop a plan to avoid those triggers or deal with them in a healthy way. Identifying your triggers is the first step to avoiding them. Nicotine addiction can be powerful, and you might feel the urge to smoke if you're stressed out, around other smokers, out at a bar, or even just drinking your morning coffee. ![]() If you want to stop smoking for good, you'll need to know your smoking triggers. If you have friends who smoke, let them know about your plans to quit so they can support you. It can also be helpful to avoid places where you normally smoke, such as bars or restaurants. This way, when you do quit smoking, you’ll already be used to smoking fewer cigarettes.Īs your quit date nears, work on getting rid of any leftover cigarettes or tobacco products, as well as ashtrays, lighters, and other smoking paraphernalia. This gives you time to mentally and emotionally prepare for the change, as well as start reducing how many cigarettes you smoke per day. Quitting smoking cigarettes cold turkey can be tough, so it’s often helpful to set a date that you will officially quit smoking. Whatever your reasons, writing them down and keeping them handy can help you remember why you’re doing this when you get the urge to smoke. These could be things like saving money, reducing your health risks, getting your nicotine cravings under control, or reducing how much secondhand smoke your loved ones inhale. The following tips on how to quit smoking can help you through this transition:Ī great way to motivate yourself at the beginning of your journey, as well as stay motivated when things get tough, is by making a list of all the reasons you want to quit smoking. However, there are many ways for a person to successfully quit smoking. Smoking is a leading cause of death and disease in the United States, but quitting smoking can be difficult. Balis says.Tobacco smoking cessation, or quitting smoking, is one of the most important things a person can do for their health. “Over time the cravings go away and it gets easier, but the risk of relapse is always present. If you relapse, treat yourself with kindness. Listen to music, watch some TV, or read a bookĥ.Reach for gum, candy, a toothpick, or a straw.Here are some ways you can draw your attention away from a craving: Keep your mind, mouth, and hands busy and the craving will go away faster, he says. ![]() Balis, “and if you use a distraction, they go away faster.” “The cravings don’t last forever,” says Dr. Prepare yourself with distractions for times when cravings strike. “Now that you’re not a smoker, you need to find another way to cope. “You need to manage or avoid those situations,” Dr. ![]() High-risk situations are when you’re around other smokers and when you’re dealing with stress. Recognize and anticipate situations where you’re at high risk of relapse. Balis and a certified tobacco treatment specialist.Īt your first visit, you can get a prescription for a smoking cessation medication, and the team will help you find one your insurance covers. The program at UT Southwestern offers individual counseling with Dr. Smoking cessation programs can help ex-smokers, too. “If you’re still having cravings, thinking about cigarettes, and exposed to smoking, you’re at higher risk and you might want to go longer.” 2. “It’s all about weighing the risks and benefits for that patient,” he says. People who have relapsed many times might want to extend that to a year. Balis recommends staying on medication for six months. While everyone’s plan is individualized, Dr. ![]() You can also try certain medications in combination. Balis says if a medication has side effects, doesn’t work, or isn’t covered by insurance, you can try others. They aren’t going to be done in a week, or even a month or two.”Įx-smokers can take three types of medication – nicotine replacement, Wellbutrin, and Chantix. “The longer you take medication the less likely you are to relapse,” says David Balis, M.D., Medical Director of the UT Southwestern smoking cessation program. “People often come to me and they’ve smoked 20 to 60 years.
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