How To Get Rid Of Nicotine Addiction?
For most people, getting rid of nicotine addiction means no cigarettes. Of course, there are other ways we get nicotine into our systems – cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco and snuff. Unfortunately, it is much easier to start smoking or chewing tobacco than it is to stop. Nicotine is a substance common to tobacco products. It is addictive in that once your body gets used to having nicotine on a regular basis, your brain will “ask” for more.
While getting “off” nicotine is difficult, it is certainly not impossible. But making the change means breaking a habit that might have been a big part of your life for many years. The first thing you will have to do is commit to quitting. This means telling yourself that you will not smoke or chew anymore – and believe it. But don’t stop with a commitment to yourself. Tell friends and family that you are going to break the nicotine habit. This is not something that you should try to do by yourself. In fact, it will work better with the knowledge and encouragement of others.
Start Like This
In addition to telling others about your decision to get rid of nicotine addiction, you should establish a realistic goal. When you are starting a major task, like breaking a lifelong habit, you need to have an objective. Pick a date when you will have the last cigarette, cigar or chew. If you think you can quit “cold turkey” you can set tomorrow as the day when you quit. However, a change as big as this doesn’t have to happen immediately. Choose a date sometime in the near future, even if it’s a couple of weeks away. Reduce your smoking as you approach the date. Then stick to your goal!!
If you have already told others about your decision and have set a date you are well on the way to kicking the nicotine addiction. But you should take the next step and write down your reasons for quitting. Most people don’t write things down often enough. They should make to do lists to stay focused on daily, weekly and monthly tasks, especially if they have difficulty starting and completing projects. This also applies to breaking the smoking habit. Write down your reasons. Be honest and list the important things – your health, family members, saving money etc. Check that list every day to remind yourself why you want to quit.
It’s a Habit
Remember that you are trying to stop doing something that has become second-nature to you. Breaking a long-time habit isn’t easy, as we mentioned earlier. So you will need to stay away from settings and locations that contributed to your nicotine habit. This might mean not going to the local club or bar where it’s OK to smoke. If you naturally reach for a cigarette when you pour your morning cup of coffee, change that habit slightly. Get rid of cigarettes, lighters, matches, ash trays etc. Don’t give yourself the opportunity to smoke while drinking coffee. Once you have made it to this point, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about nicotine patches, prescription medicines, gum and so on. Combine all of these steps and get rid of that nicotine addiction once and for all!
