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Quit Smoking Before Smoking Quits You
Tips to Quit the Habit
You know smoking is bad for you. Everyone knows smoking is bad for you. And yet, you just can’t seem to give it up. While smoking isn’t as prevalent as it once was—gone are the days of smoking on airplanes, at restaurants, or in the maternity ward—it persists. An estimated 38 million Americans smoke, and for every one of the 480,000 people who die from smoking-related diseases every year, there are 30 people living with a smoking-related disease. Smoking has exactly zero redeemable characteristics and will eventually kill you. So quit. Easier said than done, right? Well, it might not be as hard as you think. Try these tips to kick the habit.
Replace It: If you’re used to smoking at a certain time during a certain activity (for example: in your car on the way to work), replace the habit with something incompatible with smoking. Try chewing gum or making phone calls during your former “smoking time” and you’ll see how easy it is to keep your mind and mouth occupied without lighting up.
Medicate It: There are some prescription medications that can assist with quitting smoking. Talk to your doctor about your options. If you’re already taking medications, ask if these will need to be adjusted due to your plans for quitting smoking.
Talk About It: People who talk about their intention to quit smoking tend to have more success quitting. The more supportive and helpful people you have in your quitting community, the better.
Find Another Source: To reduce cravings, some people turn to nicotine replacement patches and gums. This can be quite effective for quitting, especially when used in conjunction with other therapies.
Exercise: Exercise might seem like the last thing you want to do when trying to quit smoking, but it really, really works. Replacing that nicotine buzz with the endorphin blast you get from something like spin class will make quitting that much more satisfying.
Get Help: There are dozens of great programs that can help you quit smoking. From apps that encourage you to stay on the right path to online counseling, to 800 numbers that can talk you though it any time of the day or night, there are plenty of resources so you don’t have to feel like you’re doing this all on your own.
Congratulations on making it even this far. Exploring your options is a great first step on the road to quitting smoking. Remember, you’re not alone and the staff at Howard Memorial Hospital is behind you every step of the way!
