New Delhi:
How to quit smoking? The daunting question troubles many smokers. Getting into tobacco or nicotine addiction and getting out of it is a tough battle and often takes multiple attempts until a smoker finally give up on tobacco for good. However, there is an easy way out if one is willing.
Cigarette smoking and all forms of tobacco consumption is the leading cause behind preventable disease, disability and deaths all around the world. Smoking cigarettes causes around 4,80,000 premature deaths in the US each year and and additional 16 million people suffer from various diseases caused by consuming tobacco, as per a leading survey.
And, for a regular tobacco consumer, life can be tough after you have decided to quit it. Many people don't quit smoking with the fear of withdrawal symptoms. However, not everybody gets them and it is not something which a human body cannot tackle.
Here are some common withdrawal symptoms:
Many tobacco consumers think that their addiction have already taken a toll to their health and quitting won't make a difference. But according to studies, quitting is beneficial at any age and stage of tobacco addiction.
For regular smokers, the knowledge that cigarettes are harmful is rarely a powerful motivation to quit smoking. So to quit, a person has to be at the top of his willpower.
On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day on May 31, we take a look at few easy steps that will help a smoker get rid of their addiction:
1. Exercise - To get rid of an unhealthy habit/addiction, a person needs to tackle it with its perfect nemesis. Consuming tobacco makes a person unfit whereas regular exercise is the perfect way to get out of the addiction. Regular gym or yoga classes would take a person's mind away from the fact that he/she used to be a regular smoker. Exercising is a great motivational tool to be a better version of oneself and remove all the toxic from a person's life.
2. Drink plenty of water - Water can cool down the tobacco craving by a great measure. Water flushes out all the toxic in your body as it is rich in anti-oxidants and protects your cells and encourage your health and wellness. It nourishes the body and skin and helps encourage quitting.
3. Chew Gum - Chewing gum is a scientifically proven method to cut tension off and that could help a person quit smoking and any form of tobacco consumption. Generally after quitting, a person who used to smoke or consume tobacco crave for it and it is the time when most of the quitters again start having it. Chewing a gum while having tobacco cravings is a great way to take your mind away from it.
4. Spend time with non-smoking friends and family - Spending time with non-smoking friends and family can be a great way to keep you away from your regular 'smoking' environment, and that will help you to quit smoking permanently. Having a gala time with your non-smoking friends can relax your mind and take you away from the fact that you used to smoke. If someone from that circle smokes, then you can excuse yourself for a while and take a small walk away from the smoking surrounding.
5. Avoid smoking triggers - Throw away all your cigarettes, lighters, and ash trays. Avoid caffeine during the initial days, as it can make you feel jittery. Get plenty of rest and eat healthy, as being tired can make you crave for a last smoke (which is not last at any cost). Change your routine (if possible) to avoid things which may remind you of taking a small puff.
If you are smoking or consuming tobacco from a long time then quitting it could be difficult but it is not impossible. It will happen with small-small steps at a time - one minute to one hour to one day at a time. A person has to stay positive throughout the initial days. You might face some problems, but what matters is that you don't smoke, not even a puff. Reward yourself for a landmark - like no smoke for a week, it will make you feel happy.
Above all, a person needs to stay motivated through the hard and long process of quitting. So, set a quit date now and it is OK if you need few more days to prepare your mind and body to quit smoking.
