14 DAY TRIAL // Those trying to quit smoking rarely succeed it from the first time. You must be prepared to try it more times till you win. A relapse must not be seen as a defeat.
Regard it as a little failure in a program that can prove a success. First, you must prepare yourself mentally. You must be convinced that it's worth all the effort.
Count the reasons for quitting smoking and the disadvantages of smoking. Note on paper when, where and why you smoke during the day.
This way, you will foresee the situations in which you could be tempted to smoke after quitting.Establish a precise date for doing it.
This must be a day with less external stress and you should renounce completely, once and forever. Before that day, put out of the house all ash-trays, matches and lighters. Clean all your clots of cigarette smoke odor.
Ask others (mates, friends, family members) to try not to smoke in your presence. Program for that day a visit to a place where smoking is forbidden (theatre or museum) or take a walk or practice a sport. If you smoke hard, in a few hours after the last smoked cigarette you will experience the craving.
Amongst craving's symptoms are: irritability, impatience, hostility, anxiety, depression, insomnia, agitation, appetite increase and an uncontrollable desire to smoke. Drugs can decrease the intensity of these symptoms.
During the first weeks, eat low calories food and drink a lot of water. Between meals, chew raw vegetables, like carrots or celery.
If you exercise, you won't gain weight and you will calm down. Avoid places and situations where you could be tempted to smoke.
Avoid ideas that make you fail, like "I'll smoke JUST TODAY, in order to get over these terrible moments", "Smoking is my ONLY vice", "It cannot be so bad, some smokers live over 90", "I must die of SOMETHING", "Without tobacco, life has no magic".
If you are at the point of surrendering, delay the moment. In 10 minutes, the strong desire could disappear. Sometimes, the thought of never smoking again could overwhelm you. In this case, think that you are quitting just for that day.
The first three months are the hardest, but even after that, you should avoid smokers' company and situations that would tempt you to smoke. Do not fool yourself that you can smoke from time to time, even one year after quitting smoking.
Resist the temptation of smoking "just one cigarette". One cigarette can easily lead to others and in short time, all your hard efforts of quitting smoking will be in vain.
If you did not resist a cigarette, you do not have any reason to smoke one more. If you have relapsed, quit again! Millions of smokers have succeeded it!