Smoking can be very addictive, and it may seem impossible to break the habit without great effort and willpower. The urges to smoke can hit you throughout the day and come without warning. Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do to make your efforts to stop smoking more successful, including choosing an effective replacement, reducing your cravings with the right strategy, and setting realistic goals for yourself along the way. If you’re serious about quitting smoking cigarettes but you don’t know where to start, check out these three ways to help you quit smoking cigarettes once and for all.
THE DANGERS AND HEALTH RISKS OF SMOKING
Smoking cigarettes and smoking related diseases kills over 480,000 people each year in America, 100,000 in the UK and over 8 million people around the world every year. Having just one cigarette can elevate your blood pressure and heart rate and can double your risk of a heart attack. There are many other long term health issues that can arise from smoking cigarettes like stroke, lung cancers, diabetes and more. The dangers of smoking cigarettes should never be underestimated; research suggests that smokers have twice as many respiratory illnesses as non-smokers.
It’s not just your health that can suffer from smoking cigarettes. Smoking cigarettes can affect your friends and family with the dangers of 2nd hand smoke being very well known.
If you’re a regular smoker or feel like it’s time to quit for good, there are a number of effective ways you can reduce cravings and stop smoking for good.
BENEFITS OF QUITTING SMOKING
The health benefits of quitting smoking are endless. From reducing the risk of smoking related diseases like COPD or lung cancer, saving you a fortune on the price of cigarettes, improving your overall lifestyle and increasing your energy levels, Making the decision to live smoke free will give you a new lease on life!
Yes there will be nicotine withdrawal when you quit. Some people try going cold turkey, but most people find they need some extra help. So we are exploring 3 great ways to help you quit smoking for good.
3 WAYS TO HELP YOU QUIT SMOKING
MAKE A FIRM COMMITMENT AND STICK TO IT
The first step when you make the decision to ditch the cigarettes is to make a firm commitment to quit with yourself and then stick to it. Some people will mark it on their calendar, others will pick a memorable date like a birthday or anniversary - but whatever date you pick, you need to 100% committed to making a positive change. So set your quit date, tell your close friends and family and to paraphrase the legendary Michael Jordan - Just Do It!!
GETTING SUPPORT TO HELP YOU QUIT SMOKING
Quitting smoking will be easier to do if you get support to help you along the way. Your family should be your biggest supporters as they have the most to gain. When you quit, you will have more energy, more time and generally a better life with those you love.
Get your friends involved as well. They will also gain so much from a new and improved you!
There are also lots of quit smoking support groups that will be a great help in your smoking cessation endeavours. Support groups will be full of people just like you who used to smoke and have successfully quit! You will be able to find these support groups on social media, on the internet and through local community groups.
The NHS also provides an amazing behavioral therapy and smoking cessation services to help you deal with the nicotine cravings. Packed with great medical advice and additional information to help your quit attempt, these Stop Smoking Services are available across the UK and are available at GP surgeries, pharmacies and specialist community locations. Here is a list of where to find a local NHS Stop smoking service near you.
There are also online resources and tools that may help you when you decide to quit smoking!
OPTING FOR ALTERNATIVES TO HELP YOU QUIT SMOKING
There are a lot of safe and effective alternatives to smoking traditional cigarettes. Generally, these are referred to as Nicotine Replacement Therapies or NRTs. Nicotine gum and nicotine patches are 2 NRTs that have been around for a couple of decades. The concept of an NRT is that it helps to replace your nicotine craving with a cleaner version compared to a normal cigarette.
Nicotine gum and nicotine patches can be used individually or together to help fight the cravings throughout the day. Patches are worn on your skin, usually on your upper arm or on your thigh. Nicotine gum is chewed like a normal gum.
A new alternative to smoking cigarettes that has become incredibly popular is the e-cigarette. Also known as an electronic cigarette, a vape or a cigalike, e-cigs produce a realistic smoking sensation by heating up a flavoured and nicotine liquid to create a vapour which you inhale. E-Cigarettes have been shown to be up to 95% less harmful than traditional cigarettes as they only have 4 ingredients compared to the 4,000 chemicals and 50 known carcinogens that you will find in a cigarette.
Recent studies have actually shown that e-cigarettes are almost twice as effective than other types of NRTs to help you to succeed in quitting smoking!
No matter which alternative you choose - nicotine gum, nicotine patches or a nicotine e-cigarette, your chances of successfully quitting smoking using one of these NRTs will dramatically improve.
SWITCHING TO E-CIGARETTE TO HELP YOU QUIT SMOKING
E-Cigarettes are truly an engineering marvel. They are relatively easy to use, produce a realistic smoking sensation and deliver the nicotine you crave - but without all of the extra chemicals found in a cigarette.
E-Cigs and Vapes work using a lithium-ion battery which heats up a small element (or coil) to heat up and vapourize a liquid that contains nicotine and flavours. When you draw on a small cigalike, the battery automatically starts the vapourizing process and you can enjoy the same satisfaction immediately.
Some of the many benefits of using an e-cigarette to help you quit smoking are:
Up to 95% less harmful than smoking a traditional cigarette - according to Public Health England.
They remove most of the 4,000 chemicals and 50 known carcinogens you would normally consume with cigarettes.
E-Cigarette DO NOT have any tar or produce any 2nd hand smoke
E-Cigarettes can be up to 80% cheaper than normal cigarettes
Finding a suitable e-cigarette starter kit doesn’t have to be complicated. There are thousands of different types of vape and e-cig kits to choose from, but starting with a small and easy to use e-cigarette starter kit should be your 1st step.
E-Cigarette or cigalike starter kits come with a rechargeable battery, a USB charging device and may have a couple of pre-filled e-cigarette cartridges to get you started. And you can pick one up from SMOKO for as little as £10 - cheaper than your next pack of cigarettes.
If you are a pack-a-day smoker, using an e-cigarette will cost you between £1.60 to £2.00 a day compared to spending £10.50 for a pack of cigarettes. So making the switch can improve your health as well as save you a fortune.
3 WAYS TO HELP YOU QUIT SMOKING CIGARETTES CONCLUSION
You know smoking cigarettes is one of the worst things you can do for your health, your finances and your long term wellbeing. There is a lot of support out there to help you to quit smoking for good.
So set your Quit Date, get the support from your family and friends, visit a NHS Stop Smoking Service and pick up a safe and effective NRT like an e-cigarette to help you to kick the habit!
