According to the Epidemiological Addiction Survey (ESA), there are around twelve million smokers in Germany alone – based on the total population, 27 percent of men and 20 percent of women smoke. If these statistics are to be believed, fewer and fewer people will be taking up cigarettes in the next few years. But how many smokers actually manage to completely cut down their nicotine consumption on the first try? In fact, only three to five percent succeed; everyone else needs an average of six to eight attempts until they are no longer stuck on the smoldering stick. If you are also thinking about quitting smoking, the following tips may help you.
Which smoker doesn’t want to be able to give up his nicotine addiction within a few weeks without much effort? The book “Finally a non-smoker! The easy way to quit smoking” promises anyone willing that they can overcome their physical and psychological addiction in just a short time using the “Easyway” method. If the customer reviews are to be believed, the guiding principle does not seem to be a loose promise.
If you really want to quit smoking, you should banish everything from your home that reminds you of cigarettes: from ashtrays to lighters to tobacco and rolling papers. And since you will almost certainly still think about smoking, it is important to distract yourself, especially in the beginning. Find new tasks, do new things or meet friends.
The first few days are particularly hard for long-time smokers, as they not only have to fight against their addiction, but also against withdrawal symptoms. On the one hand, exercise can help you burn off your excess energy and distract you. On the other hand, you can reward yourself for your perseverance – and save money every day, for example by investing it in a nice dinner or a trip to the cinema.
Most smokers have fixed rituals for which they always light a cigarette. Be it after your morning cup of coffee, after every meal or after every sip of alcohol. For this reason, you should avoid anything that you associate with nicotine, especially in the beginning. Switch to tea in the morning, chew gum after every meal and avoid alcoholic beverages.
Once you have made the decision to quit smoking, you need to stay strong. If you just want to reduce your cigarette consumption slowly, that’s okay, but you should stop smoking once you haven’t smoked for a day at the latest. Once you start setting a daily limit of two or three cigarettes a day, it quickly becomes more and you end up back at square one.
As soon as you have managed to do without your glow sticks for a few days, the first benefits become noticeable. This is partly because your respiratory function improves after just three smoke-free days. After a week you will have lower blood pressure and after nine months you will cough significantly less as the mucus clears from your lungs. So stay tuned!
Use your family environment to receive support from all sides in the task of quitting smoking. The more people you let in on your plan, the more mental support you will get. Apart from that, friends and family members will certainly encourage you to fight your addiction successfully and also help you to stop relapsing.
Always keep in mind what quitting smoking will mean for you and your health. Non-smokers not only live longer, but also reduce the risk of becoming seriously ill. Your skin will thank you as much as your lungs, but so will your family and your partner. Aside from that, your sense of smell and taste will improve significantly, allowing you to enjoy delicious food even more.
There are people who can stop smoking from one day to the next – but this is more the exception than the rule. If you are not confident about radical withdrawal, you can also try to gradually reduce your nicotine consumption. These chewing gums or these plasters from Nicorette are supposed to help. The manufacturer himself points out that his products are more for irregular smokers.
Many smokers fear that they will gain significant weight if they give up cigarettes. In fact, going cold turkey or giving up nicotine initially causes an increased appetite. However, you can counteract this by eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly. This will reduce the risk of you automatically gaining a few pounds when you stop smoking.
Source: ESA, Federal Ministry of Health
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