Tips and Tricks to help you Stop Smoking
There is plenty of research that shows that smokers often try several times to quit. You would often see ads that claim how difficult it is (usually from nicotine replacement companies). The problem with most of these methods is that they tell you to quit - they don't teach you how to go about doing it.
This page contains a lot of information. Some of the information you might need right now, other pieces you may need in a few weeks time. Some information you may already know, and other pieces might be new. Either way, save this page, print it out, and use what's here to help you quit.
Introduction
Nicotine
Almost everyone knows that nicotine is addictive. What this means is that your body has become accustomed to have nicotine in it. Your body became used to the effects of nicotine and as this happened, you may have noticed you slowly smoked more and more. When you quit, your body has to get used to not having nicotine in it. Sometimes this can make you feel bad.
As your body gets used to the change, these feelings go. It takes less than 3 days for your body to be free of nicotine. Within a week these physical withdrawal symptoms will be gone.
If you smoke a cigarette during this time, you prolong the effects and it makes quitting harder. This is just one of the reasons I dislike nicotine replacement therapy (such as nicotine gum and patches). They keep you addicted to nicotine, and still don't teach you how to quit.
Habit
You may have tried to quit in the past, and found yourself reaching absentmindedly for your pocket and purse for your cigarettes. You may have felt strong cravings when drinking a coffee, or out with friends, or stuck in traffic. Often these are times when you regularly smoked in the past. These times are what we call triggers.
Moods
Most smokers use smoking to control their mood. When you are tense, you might smoke. When you are angry, you might smoke to cool down. When you are stressed, you have a smoke. Even when you are feeling good and having fun you might have a smoke. This is another reason why some smokers have trouble quitting when they are under extra stress.
Quitting smoking can be easy
Knowing about the triggers, habit, how nicotine effects your body, and your moods helps you quit. This is the part of the process that allows you to prepare and be ready to quit. Being able to redesign and change your behaviour easily through methods like hypnosis and cognitive behavioural therapy is the other part that teaches you the how of quitting.
Beware of High Risk Situations
There are certain times and places where your desire to smoke might be increased. Being aware of these situations allows you to prepare and practice new and beneficial behaviours beforehand.
Habitual Triggers
These are the common times and places where you regularly smoke. For examples these triggers might be drinking coffee, having a drink with friends, after dinner, when you first wake in the morning or just before bed and driving your car.
Other times that are common triggers are watching someone else smoke, being offered a cigarette by a friend, attending a sporting event or concert, being put under extra stress.
Task: To help you prepare for these triggers and to be able to practice alternative behaviours, make a list of:
- All the times and places you always smoke.
- All the times and places you like to smoke.
- The people with whom you regularly smoke.
- What moods cause you to smoke.
- What caused to to start smoking in the first place.
Stress and negative moods
Most smokers who quit then return to smoking do so because of external pressures. These might be increased stress or negative mood. During the first week or two, even a small stress can increase the desire to smoke because you remember how smoking was able to relax you.
However much having a smoke now might help you, within a day, or even an hour, you will know that smoking didn't help, and in fact increased your pressures.
One of the many benefits that comes from hypnosis is the positive relaxation effects as well as teaching you how to relax fully and easily without the need for external gadgets.
You might also find that your body absorbs other stimulants like sugar and caffeine more. This can make you irritable, jittery and disrupt your sleep. Unfortunately this is often confused with nicotine withdrawal symptoms, when it is in fact a sign you are becoming free of nicotine.
You don't need to avoid these situations (although some people do for the first week or two). Just that you need to be aware and prepare for these situations.
Cravings
Some people think that when they quit they will have cravings for the rest of their life. This is not true. With hypnosis, most people experience zero cravings and instead feel comfortable, relaxed and healthy.
Though be aware that, for up to two months after you quit, you may experience a mild but sudden craving. If you find yourself in this situation there are many things you can do.
- Drink a glass of water (sometimes cravings are for things other than cigarettes)
- Chew gum
- Take several deep breaths
- Leave the situation and go for a walk
- Practice your relaxation techniques
- Eat an orange
- Do something with your hands
Task: Create a list of at least 5 other things that you can do in case you experience the rare craving.
Weight
Some smokers gain some weight when they quit. There are several reasons for this, these include:
- Nicotine increases your metabolism in negative ways. For example your heart beats faster. This means you burn more calories.
- Changed eating habits. Because eating for some smokers is often related with smoking, they sometimes find themselves eating more during dinner, or having dessert when they used to smoke.
- Changing likes and dislikes. When you quit for good, your sense of smell and taste improves. This makes food and during taste better, increasing your desire.
- Wanting the feel of something in your mouth. Some smokers replace having a smoke with having a snack. Often this snack is high in sugar, salt or fat.
- Replacement. Some smokers simply exchange having a cigarette with food and thus increase their daily food intake.
With hypnosis, all these effects can and are dealt with to ensure you remain relaxed, comfortable and healthy. While some smokers do increase their weight, research shows that within 6 months this extra weight is gone.
Task: List the times and places when you eat food even when you are not hungry.
Prepare to Fail
Some people are afraid to prepare for a slip because they fear that this plan allows them to have a cigarette. This is actually the opposite. If you are prepared for the event, you can deal with it quickly, easily and without stress or guilt.
Being prepared for a slip if not the same as telling yourself it's ok to smoke. You need to prepare to be able to put out that cigarette and the skills to prevent you from lighting another.
Most people who quit do have another cigarette. Of those that have another, most take that single slip as complete failure. When in fact it should be taken as a message that you are on the right track and the changes you have made continue to benefit you. Times like that are a chance to prove to yourself that you are a committed non-smoker. Use that slip as a chance to learn about yourself and prepare for next time.
Start Today
The number one thing that makes the difference between a smoker and a non-smoker is your decision to quit. Once you make that firm decision, the only thing left is to learn how to do it. So once you make that decision - set a date when you will quit for good.
That date will be the start of a brighter, healthier you.
Contact our office now either via email or calling 02 9299 8766 (International +61 2 9299 8766) to book your first session to learning how to be free.