Quitting Smoking: 3 Ways To Go About It

Most people who start smoking start at an early age. In fact, according to CDC, about 9 out of 10 people who smoke had first tried smoking by the time they turned 18. Needless to say, stress isn’t the most prevalent reason for people taking up smoking; many just do it during adolescence out of curiosity, due to peer pressure, or simply to fit in better.

But while smoking often starts as a fun one-time thing, it very quickly becomes an addiction. This is due to the nicotine content present in cigarettes that release dopamine that your brain gets used to and starts craving.

So, if you’re wondering how to quit smoking, remember that it won’t be a piece of cake.

But here are three different ways you can go about it.

Go Cold Turkey

Going cold turkey means abruptly giving up on a habit or addiction like smoking or taking drugs. Moreover, it means that you will be completely shutting off your body’s access to nicotine, i.e., there will be no replacement therapies or medications involved.

A common misconception about going cold turkey is that you need to stop smoking right away the day you decide to go cold turkey. This isn’t necessarily true. You can set up a date and prepare for it in advance. Of course, this day shouldn’t be too far into the future, and you can reduce your intake gradually leading up to this day.

Also, keep in mind that when you go cold turkey, the first few days will be terrible. There will be cravings, but you need to devise ways to stay busy and distracted until the cravings pass.

Ease Into It with Nicotine Replacement Therapy

Nicotine replacement therapies, also known as NRTs, are also very popular. However, it’s important to keep in mind that it’s not the most successful route, statistically speaking. But that being said, you can still try it out if going cold turkey sounds too stressful.

You can try different types of NRTs like chewing gums, skin patches, prescription nasal sprays or inhalers, or lozenges.

Make sure to discuss your NRT choices and dosage with your healthcare provider.

Consider Alternative Therapies

Alternative therapies are also very helpful and something many smokers are turning toward these days. You can try many of these, such as meditation, yoga, acupuncture, or even hypnosis.

In fact, smoking cessation programs using hypnosis are getting incredibly popular nowadays, and it’s something we can help you with here at Blossom Hypnosis. Reach out to us, and we’ll explain how hypnosis can help you quit smoking.

You can also get a free consultation!