Quitting smoking is very difficult, but it is certainly possible. There are several tools there to help you quit, but the most important thing you need is actually a very strong sense of self-motivation.

​

WHY IS QUITTING

SMOKING SO DIFFICULT?

 

Quitting smoking is so difficult because of the highly addictive nature of Nicotine. It stimulates some receptors in your brain, and these receptors essentially keep telling you that you need to keep feeding them with a regular supply of Nicotine.

 

If you go without smoking suddenly, you may find it difficult to focus on what you are doing, and you may be more irritable with the people around you.

​

WHY DO YOU

WANT TO QUIT?

 

You need to sit down and think about your reasons for quitting smoking. Without a clear sense of why you are doing this, it can be difficult for you to kick the habit.

 

HEALTH REASONS

 

Smoking is incredibly unhealthy and bad for you. Cigarette smoke is full of a whole lot of toxic chemicals that are KNOWN to be carcinogenic - they cause cancer in your body, given enough time.

​

Smoking also increases the inflammation in your blood vessels, and leads to the build up of little plaques in your arteries - these cause circulation problems in your legs, heart attacks, and strokes.

 

A stroke can be very debilitating, especially if it happens at a young age - you may end up with permanent weakness on one side of your body, and have difficulty with
basic things like dressing and taking care of yourself, and you'll also have difficulty doing the work you used to do.

 

Even worse, a heart attack or large stroke can kill you. Not something to be taken lightly!

​

Smoking also causes chronic inflammation in your airways, causing a chronic cough, and chronic lung disease. You may end up requiring the long-term use of inhalers just to be able to breathe properly, and you'll definitely not be able to keep up with any sort of strenuous physical activity because of your reduced stamina.

​

Smoking is also really bad for your skin, and will make you look a lot older (and worse) than you normally do, especially as you age and your skin starts to lose its normal healthy elasticity.

​

FAMILY

​

Smoking will affect your life with your family. Family members that don't smoke often dislike that you smoke, and the second-hand smoke from your cigarette is known to affect them adversely, and expose them to similar health risks as what
a smoker faces.

​

When you don't get to smoke, you'll feel more irritable, and are more likely to snap at your family members over minor issues.

​

If you get a stroke, a heart attack, or cancer, you'll also lose out on precious time and memories with your loved ones - time you won't be able to get back, no matter how much you regret taking up smoking in the first place.

​

JUST DON'T GET STARTED

 

The best thing to do is to simply never touch a cigarette. Smoking is well-known to be highly addictive. Once you stop, it is exceedingly difficult to get yourself off this nasty habit.

​

It may seem tempting to want to fit in with the crowd, especially if a lot of your friends and colleagues smoke as well, but this social acceptance really sin't worth the health risks you'll be exposing yourself to, and the difficulty you'll face when you're trying to quit.

​

Just stay far away from cigarettes, and you'll be doing yourself a huge favour. trust me, your future self will thank you.

​

HOW DO I QUIT?

 

FIRST STEP

 

Set a quit date. Pick a date some weeks from now, so you have enough time to get the medications you need to help you quit.

 

Some smokers are able to just force themselves to go 'cold turkey' and quite outright, but most smokers find an approach like this difficult, and prone to failure. Remember, failing to plan is planning to fail.

​

When you hit your quit date, you MUST stop smoking.

 

You cannot have 'one last stick', or smoke just because a certain day in the week is particularly stressful, or it's your birthday and you want to have a smoke to enjoy yourself. No exceptions allowed!

​

NICOTINE PATCHES

 

Pop down to your local pharmacy, like Watsons or Guardian, and ask to speak to the pharmacist on duty. He or she will be able to recommend some Nicotine patches, and will adjust the strength based on how much you smoke daily. He or she will also give you some advice on how to substitute these patches for cigarettes. 

​

The most important thing to remember is that you absolutely MUST NOT smoke while you are using the patches. The higher amount of Nicotine influx will give you a slightly euphoric feeling, and make it so much more difficult to quit smoking
while using the Nicotine patches.

​

There are also Nicotine gum and lozenges available, but a lot of people find that they taste awful, and dislike using them.

​

CHAMPIX

 

When the Nicotine patches fail and you have relapses back into smoking, you can try Champix. This is a medication that binds to the receptors in your brain that normally tell you that you need a smoke.

 

It's absolutely fantastic in helping you quit smoking, with an effectiveness rate of more than 90%. 

​

However, it is EXPENSIVE. A month's supply typically costs around $150, and you'll need to take this medication for 6 months to see a very low relapse rate. 

​

Some side effects that can happen include: 

• Mood changes, depression, paranoia, anxiety, even suicidal ideations. Your risk is higher if you have any pre-existing psychiatric illnesses

• Sleep disturbances, including sleepwalking, or difficulty sleeping, or excessive sleepiness

• Rashes, which can be severe, with blisters and skin breakdown

• Increased appetite and weight gain

• Giddiness and headaches

• Nausea, stomach discomfort, and abdominal bloatedness

​

While these potential side effects may sound scary, a lot of the more serious ones are actually pretty rare (like feeling suicidal, or having a serious skin rash). Also, a lot of what you may feel can also be attributed to you stopping smoking - like mood disturbances, excessive sleepiness, and increased appetite.

​

If you are interested in giving this medication a try, speak to your doctor for him or her to write you a prescription, since a lot of GP clinics don't typically carry this medication.

​

FIND AN ALTERNATIVE

​

You need to find something to do to replace your smoking habit, to increase your chances of quitting successfully.

​

It's a good idea to have some sugar-free sweets or lozenges on standby to suck on, since a lot of people miss having the sensation of having a cigarette between their lips, and the motion of inhaling and exhaling the cigarette smoke. 

​

NO ROOM FOR ERROR

​

There are definitely going to be some days when you feel more stressed, frustrated or upset than normal. You'll want to smoke then, since you know that smoking will relieve a lot of the stress that you feel. However, you must RESIST.

 

Once you take that first puff again, you'll wake up the receptors in your brain, you'll slowly need to smoke more and more again.

There is no such thing as 'just one stick'. 

 

Find a constructive hobby to do, like exercise. It'll help you to feel better, and will help you alleviate some of the stress you feel.

 

WRAP IT UP!

 

Quitting smoking is exceedingly difficult, especially if you have been smoking for many years, or are a heavy smoker. However, you can do it, if you have the right motivation.