Giving up smoking  can be hard. Not many people can tell themselves one day that they are going to stop smoking and manage it [by themselveson their own]. But if you really want to, the good news is that you can – and there is a lot of support available to help you. You will always be able to find a stop smoking program that suits you.

A lot of smokers have found that going ‘cold turkey’ just does not work for them, even when using nicotine patches, gum, fake cigarettes etc etc.  If you are like that and are determined to stop smoking and have the will power, then try the gradual approach.

Start by having your first cigarette of the day an hour after you get up in the morning rather than right away. If you find you can’t do this, then make your second cigarette at least an hour after your first one. Usually within a week or two your body will have become conditioned to accept this, and you will no longer crave that first cigarette, then you should start to make the  interval between cigarettes longer. Do this deliberately. If you really crave a cigarette, wait at least five minutes until you light up and after a week or two make it ten.

When you have become accustomed to smoking less, stop smoking during the afternoon and then either the evening or the morning, whichever is most comfortable. Eventually, one or two cigarettes a day will be sufficient to satisfy the craving and from there it is only a short jouney to giving up altogether.

Whilst you are cutting down on your cigarette consumption, make it a bit uncomfortable to smoke. Start by not emptying ashtrays, you will be surprised at how much the smell of long dead cigarettes will put you off. Next do not allow yourself to smoke indoors.

Try to avoid those places where you regularly smoke and spend less time with those colleagues you regularly smoke with. Tell them that you are kicking the habit and you may find that they will join you. Help and support is always good. You need to break the habit and to do so you may need to break other habits.If you use cigarettes as a reward system ( I will finish this and then I will have a cigarette) then you should give yourself a different reward. (I will finish this and then sit down and look at a magazine/t.v. for five minutes, go out into the garden) – whatever floats your boat.

If you do have a friend who also wants to quit, set up a mutual support system. Phone each other every day to exchange experiences and be available if either of you need support so as not to break the rules regarding where in the system you are.

Finally, set a goal for when you do finally stop smoking. Work out how much money you are saving and put this away weekly. You could use it to have a holiday, or buy a new wardrobe, or something else you really want. A goal that is not associated with cigarettes will help.

It is not easy to quit smoking,if you need other help and its available, use it. You will not regret giving up the habit. Smoking is no longer a sociable thing to do, in fact it is definitely anti-social.

Tags: free stop smoking, how to stop smoking, quit smoking, stop smoking, stop smoking program