Quitting smoking may well be one of the hardest things you’ll ever do, but as is the case with any difficult goal, it’s all about taking one small step at a time. It’s usually not advisable to simply go cold turkey, as relapse rates are much higher when people do this. Thankfully, there are several tools you can use to ease yourself into it, and in this article, you’ll learn about the most popular options!
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1. Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) is an umbrella term that encompasses a number of different products that serve to deliver nicotine into the body without the use of cigarettes. This allows you to get your nicotine fix while gradually tapering off until you feel you don’t need it anymore, all without exposing yourself to the harmful compounds found in cigarettes.
There are gums, inhalers, patches, and many other types of NRT products available, and for most people, it takes a few tries to find the right fit.
2. Therapy and Counselling
For many people, their smoking addiction comes as part of a broader psychological issue – one that usually encompasses past trauma, whereby smoking was used as a coping mechanism. In these cases, therapy and counselling can be a big help.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is usually the first line of treatment. It focuses on drilling down into the behaviours that lead you to smoke, and reframing your core beliefs around them.
3. Support Groups
Support groups are another excellent asset you can use. Facing addiction can be a lonely place, and often, simply talking to someone else going through the same thing can provide exactly what you need.
Support groups bring multiple people together who are facing the same addiction to not only talk about their struggles, but to showcase their successes. Search ‘smoking support groups’ and then your area to find out more.
4. Vapes
While vapes are not considered a proper form of NRT and carry their own controversies, they’re still considered much less damaging than smoking. For this reason, a lot of people are turning to them as a step in the right direction for kicking the habit.
You’ll still ultimately need to wean yourself of these aswell, of course, but pre-filled vape kits offer a convenient way to get your nicotine hit without the same level of carcinogenic compounds found in cigarettes.
5. Applications
If you take a look at either the Google or Apple app stores, you’ll find several different quit-smoking apps. Each one is slightly different, but they all have the same goal of helping you manage cravings through various trackers and providing motivating tips as you work through tough days.
They probably won’t get you to quit on their own, but they’re a great supplement to the methods discussed above.
Wrapping Up
Quitting smoking is a major challenge, make no mistake about it, but there’s plenty of help available. It’s usually a combination of the above methods that determines the ideal recipe for success, so investigate each one thoroughly and try a few of them at once. Good luck!
