20 Tricks That Can Truly Help You Give Up Smoking

It’s hard to find a person nowadays who thinks that smoking is good for their health. There are a lot of scientific studies about the problem of smoking and many social projects are fighting this issue. But unfortunately, even our close friends and family start smoking and cannot give it up. Nicotine addictionis a disease (not a habit, as many people think) and it should be treated. The tips in this article can help you get rid of this addiction.

If you have your own ways of giving up smoking, we encourage you to share them in the comment section at the end of the article.

• Start small. Determine the specific moment when you’ll smoke your last cigarette. Try to choose a time when you don’t have any serious stressful situations (such as exams, changing jobs, and so on).

• Clear your house. Throw away all the ashtrays, lighters, and cigarettes you have. If there are people who smoke that live with you and are not going to give it up, ask them to respect your choice and try not to smoke when they are near you.

• As soon as you feel the urge to smoke, drink a glass of water.

• Put a transparent jar on the table and put every unsmoked cigarette inside it.

• Stop drinking coffee, at least in the beginning. Most likely, you were used to drinking coffee with a cigarette, so you’re in danger of sparking an urge to smoke when you drink some coffee.

• In the beginning, you’ll have to eat instead of smoke, so make sure your snacks are healthy. For example, it can be dried fruit, nuts, or fresh fruit.

• Tell people on social media about your decision. This is a really effective practice because you might be ashamed if you start smoking again and shame is a powerful motivator. Also, you’ll get some support from other people who have been through this and they will help you. 

• Read Allen Carr’s The Easy Way to Stop Smoking that helped a huge number of people to stop smoking (including some celebrities). And if you’re too lazy or too busy to read the book, watch the movie.

• Try to analyze the situations when you smoked most of the time and try to exclude them in the future. Avoid all possible provocations. For example, change your work schedule in order not to smoke with your colleagues.

• Wait for just a little. If you feel that you’re close to giving up and starting to smoke again, distract yourself for at least 5 minutes. Scientists say that this is enough time for your consciousness to ask yourself why you are doing something.

• Try to set a goal to stop smoking before a vacation or days off. Go out of town. And of course, don’t take your cigarettes with you! Don’t forget about your decision when you return home.

• Visit the nearest hospital where people with lung cancer are. Ask them what they think about smoking. The experience will shock you.

• Bet a lot of money on you stopping smoking with your friend. If you start smoking, you will have to pay your friend. Don’t cheat! 

• If you feel like you can’t fight anymore, brush your teeth, and wash your mouth out with cold water. If you can, drink a glass of milk. After doing these things, people usually don’t want to smoke.

• Ask everyone you know who smokes not to do so when you are near them for at least 2 months. And if you ask them for a cigarette, they must refuse no matter what.

• Try chewing bubble gum every time you want to smoke. This will keep your brain busy.

• Here is another effective but weird method. When you want to smoke, smell something disgusting. If you do this regularly, then soon enough, the desire to smoke will be associated with disgust.

• Try hypnosis, acupuncture, and psychotherapy. Some people have really managed to lose their nicotine addiction with the help of experts.

• If you feel scared thinking that you will never smoke again, set small goals that you can achieve. For example, the first milestone should be to “not smoke for 2-3 hours,” then “12 hours”. Then, go to a bar or coffee shop with your friends and don’t smoke a single cigarette. You will get through the entire nicotine-free month before you know it!