Decided to stop smoking? Congratulations, you have won half the battle! Still a long way to go. Quitting smoking is a journey, not a single event that happens on one day. So, it’s better to consider the 21-day rule. It typically takes 21 days to stop/quit a habit and with a few practical steps each of the 21 days can enable a smoker to lead a healthier, smoke-free life. Smoking is not simply a bad habit, it’s an addiction and it also leads to heart ailments. Once this addiction is developed, it is very difficult to get rid of this enjoyable poison. But “nothing is impossible to a willing heart.” With this positive thought in mind, I will tell you how you can overcome your smoking addiction in just 21 days.
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Do very specific things and introduce the following changes into your daily routine. Finally, on 22nd day, you will be surprised to find that your smoking habit is automatically broken!
SET A QUIT DATE
Quitting is not that easy. But it can be a bit easier if you set a date and make a stop smoking plan. This is a key step and a great way of getting serious about your quit attempt. Pick a quit day within the next month as picking a date too far away gives you enough time to prepare.
VISIT YOUR DOCTOR
This should be the very first thing you do once you decide to quit smoking. Quitting is not easy, and you may experience some nicotine withdrawal symptoms like irritability, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, depression or urges to smoke or cravings. These symptoms are the toughest part of quitting. Your doctor can provide advice on managing these symptoms or suggest additional tools that may help you to quit. Never miss the follow-up appointments with your doctor as this will help to monitor your progress and keep you on track.
NICOTINE REPLACEMENT THERAPY (NRT)
If your doctor suggests that nicotine patches can help you through the next few weeks or months and ease your addiction, go for it! Using NRTs (transdermal patches, tablets, lozenges, chewing gums, inhalers and a nasal spray) can double your chances of success. Many are available without a prescription. Researchers have shown that NRTs increase the rate of quitting by 50 to 70%.
INDULGE IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Get physically active, even for just a few minutes to get through a craving. Exercise can help suppress the urge to light up a cigarette as it distracts you and keeps you busy. Set aside a regular time for a workout that works with your schedule.
Make sure to pick an exercise that you enjoy and consider exercising with a person who encourages you to keep going. Try taking up healthy exercises like running, cycling, swimming etc. Keep on trying a new activity from time to time so you don’t get bored.
STOP SMOKING WITH MEDITATION
Smokers mistakenly believe that cigarettes relieve stress. Once they start meditating, they will realise it. The de-stressing effects of meditation can reduce cravings for a cigarette, helping those who don’t even want to quit. Meditation is a great way to handle some of the psychological aspects of nicotine withdrawal.
PRACTICE DEEP BREATHING
Deep breathing is beneficial tool that will help you find your smoke-free way and relax you at the same time. Whenever you feel a craving, take a deep breath in and slowly let it out. It relieves stress when you are trying to quit smoking. The extra oxygen you inhale can help with your headaches and the feelings of dizziness and light headedness. Initially, it may be difficult but keep at, it will soon become a part of you.
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FIND REASONS TO STOP SMOKING
Make a list of the reasons why you want to stop and refer to them when tempted to light up. Choose a reason that is strong enough to motivate you. It could be to protect your family from passive smoking. Or for a healthy lifestyle that is free from deadly diseases like cancer or stroke, Or to look more youthful etc. Consider how smoking affects every aspect of your life (health, appearance, lifestyle, loved ones and everything). Keep reminding yourself why you made the decision to give up.
One of my friends who was once a chain smoker said that he used to carry a picture of his baby daughter in his wallet. And whenever he felt an urge to smoke, he’d look at that.
KNOW YOUR TRIGGERS
Triggers are the things that make you want to smoke and make it tough for smokers to quit. The triggers vary from smoker to smoker. For some, certain times of the day or certain places and for others even particular foods can spark a strong urge to smoke. Drinking tea or coffee, sitting down to a cocktail or glass of wine, driving in the car, talking on a phone are some of the examples. But sometimes being angry or even positive feelings of happiness can be triggers. Knowing your triggers will help you avoid them. Beware of such situations and try to keep yourself engaged or distracted during that time.
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TAKE UP A NEW HOBBY
The best way to stop doing something is to focus your energy and attention on doing something else. Take up a new hobby and use your newly-found interest to channel your thoughts into something. Go for a walk, call a friend, read a book, solve a puzzle or bake a cake etc. I mean, do anything of your interest to take your mind off smoking.
Planting a garden is a good activity to occupy your mind and body to help you deal with cravings. Engaging in exciting activities like cooking, painting, pottery etc. activates the same reward part of the brain that nicotine ignites.
STOP SMOKING ‘PIGGY BANK’
Do you know how much money can you save by quitting? Yes, giving up smoking is not only good for your health, it will be better for your wealth too. Depending on how many cigarettes you smoke, you can save a significant amount of money simply by not purchasing cigarettes. Put all the money you’re saving on cigarettes in a piggy bank every morning and utilise it for something you’ve always dreamt of doing. Isn’t it a fun?
ASK FOR HELP OR SUPPORT
Don’t hesitate, go ahead and ask for help from the people you trust. Tell your family, friends and co-workers when your quit day is, they can encourage you to keep going. Also ask them, not to smoke around you.
You can talk to a counsellor or go online for support. There are various “online stop-smoking programs.” You can read a quitter’s blog and post encouraging thoughts for someone else who might be battling to quit smoking. Learn from how others have handled their tobacco cravings.
Keep trying. It takes 21 days to change a habit!
This blog post has been done in collaboration with ICICI Lombard on the occasion of World Tobacco Day observed on 31 May 2018. For more information on health insurance, please visit: https://www.icicilombard.com/health-insurance.cms