How to Quit Smoking

Nicotine is one of the most harmful and widely available legal drugs in the world. It’s addictive and harmful both to smokers and the people passively exposed to smoke, especially children. If you’d like to give up smoking, but don’t know where to begin, create a structured plan. Realize why you want to quit, prepare for success, and carry out your plan with the support of others or medication therapy. Quitting smoking is difficult, but not impossible.

Method 1 – Deciding to Quit Smoking

1. Think about if you want to quit smoking. Nicotine is incredibly addictive and it will take determination to quit. Ask yourself if a life without smoking is more appealing than continuing your life as a smoker.
2. Determine why you want to quit. Make a list of all the reasons why you want to quit. This will help you become clear about your decision to quit. You’ll want to refer to this list later, if you’re tempted to smoke.
3. Be prepared for nicotine-withdrawal symptoms. Cigarettes are highly effective at delivering nicotine throughout your body.

Method 2 – Making a Plan to Quit Smoking

1. Choose a date for when your plan will start. Committing to a start date adds structure to your plan. For example you might choose an important day such as a birthday or holiday, or just pick a date you like.
2. Pick a method. Decide which method you would want to use, like quitting cold turkey, or slowing/reducing your use. Quitting cold turkey means that you completely stop smoking without looking back.
3. Prepare for cravings. Have a plan in advance for when cravings strike. You might try hand-to-mouth. This describes the action of moving your hand to your mouth for smoking. Have a replacement to fulfill this need.

Method 3 – Carrying Out Your Plan

1. Prepare the night before quitting. Wash your bedding and clothes to get rid of cigarette smells. You should also get rid of any ashtrays, cigarettes, and lighters from your house.
2. Ask for support. Your family and friends can be extra support in your cessation journey. Let them know your goal and ask them to help you by not smoking around you or offering you a cigarette.
3. Know your triggers. Many people find that certain situations trigger the desire to smoke. You might want a cigarette with your cup of coffee, for instance, or you might want to smoke when you’re trying to solve a problem at work.
4. Be committed to not smoking. Continue your plan even if you have bumps in the road. If you have a relapse and smoke for an entire day, be sure to be gentle and forgiving with yourself.

Method 4 – Using Aids to Quit Smoking

1. Consider using e-cigarettes or nicotine filters. Recent studies have suggested that using e-cigarettes while you quit smoking can help you reduce or quit smoking.
2. Get professional help. Behavioral therapy combined with medication therapy can improve your chances of successfully quitting. If you’ve tried quitting on your own and are still struggling, think about getting professional help.
3. Take Bupropion. This medication doesn’t actually have nicotine, but it does help reduce the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Bupropion could increase your chances of cessation by 69 percent.
4. Use Chantix. This medication curbs nicotine receptors in the brain, which makes smoking less pleasurable. It also reduces withdrawal symptoms. You should start taking Chantix one week before quitting.
5. Try nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). NRT includes all types of patches, gums, lozenges, nasal sprays, inhalers or sublingual tablets that have and deliver nicotine into the body.

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki that is building the world’s largest and highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Quit Smoking. Content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons License.