Stop Smoking: How to Ignore the Cravings
Quitting smoking is never an easy task. More often than not, a person who is trying to stop smoking will have a craving due to the lost nicotine addiction. Smoking withdrawal cravings vary from person to person, so certain no smoking methods must be employed per individual; it is essential to find which no smoking technique works for you. Here are some ways to quit smoking that have served helpful to a wide number of individuals; perhaps they will work for you.
Cigarette smoking is a hard habit to quit. Even when you stop smoking, you will still feel the urge to continue the habit. The initial two weeks serve to be the hardest, as the body tries to flush our any nicotine addiction left in the body before it hopes to reach its status quo. Technically, the body tries to remain normal. And with this sudden no smoking change in lifestyle, it has a hard time returning to normal. However, knowing that the body wishes to revert to normalcy should be taken to your advantage.
What makes smoking cessation so hard is the guilt and anxiety that one feels while trying to stop smoking. The body starts to feel out of control and indecisive about whether to quit smoking now or not. Because of this, there is an increase in stress levels, which in turn causes the person to crave smoking to release it. This could become a never-ending cycle if you are not careful with your smoking habits.
The first two weeks are the hardest because that is when the body starts to change. Quitting smoking entails dedication and willpower, even through the hardest of times. During this time, try to avoid anything that could cause even the least amount of stress. Do not try to quit smoking right before you start a new job, for example, or when someone dear to you is about to undergo surgery.
Healthy distractions are good distractions. If you see some fresh fruit, forget the nicotine addiction and eat the fruit. Tangy fruits, like oranges or pineapples, are usually more effective in forgetting the nicotine addiction.
Whenever you feel the sudden urge to start smoking again, try listening to your favorite songs. Songs usually last about the same time it takes to smoke, so try to block the smoking out of your head and concentrate on the music. Elevating songs are highly recommended to forget smoking. Anything that requires intense concentration is good when one is trying to stop smoking, really. Do anything that suits your personality.
Another helpful technique to avoid smoking is to keep your hands busy. Squeeze a ball or something. This way, you will eliminate the thoughts of smoking, as well as aid your circulatory system to get back in shape.
It should not take long before you start forgetting about your nicotine addiction. Although the nicotine addiction may resurface through time, it will become easier to stop smoking as time goes by. Keep reminding yourself of the long-term benefits of quitting smoking and the short-term advantages you may have thought were present during your period of smoking will diminish into oblivion.
