When people do their research about quitting smoking, they rarely look for what not to do when they’re trying to stop this bad habit. Often, people fail to quit smoking not because they don’t know the steps towards the goal; instead, they don’t know the pitfalls that they’ll encounter while trying to reach the goal.
To help you have a better chance on how to quit smoking, here are four common mistakes that people make while trying to quit, and how you can avoid them:
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You can’t quit smoking if you have the wrong motivation.
The first step to effectively quit smoking is to figure out your motivation. Ask yourself: Why do I want to quit? When people answer this question, the common answers include “I want to be healthy” or “I’m doing this for my family.” However, although their reasons are good enough to quit, their motivations may be in the wrong place. Your motivation should not be “I’m staying away from cigarettes” but “I’m making healthier choices.” Try to make every motivation as positive as your reasons to quit smoking.
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You can’t quit without proper research.
Quitting smoking isn’t as easy as not buying a pack of cigarettes on your way to work. It’s not as easy as throwing away your lighter or avoiding the smoking area at your office. You need to do proper research about withdrawal symptoms and ways to make quitting much easier for you. What classes can you attend? Which support group can you join? What actionable steps can you take when you’re really itching for another puff of smoke? These are just a few of the questions that you need to find the answers to before you can even begin to consider quitting smoking.
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You can’t quit without the right plan.
After doing your research, you need to come up with a plan. Don’t quit cold turkey or else you’ll experience really bad symptoms as the days pass by. Start by cutting back on the number of cigarettes that you smoke daily. With each stick you don’t smoke, think of an alternative strategy that will “scratch the itch.” During this journey, you will also become irritable, so talk to your friends and family and ask for their support. You should also come up with activities that will transform your energy into good vibrations. Exercise and starting new hobbies will create positivity around you.
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You can’t quit if you’re thinking about failing.
If, in the back of your head, you’re already thinking about relapsing, then you’ve already failed. Quitting smoking takes a lot of mental effort, so you have to focus on the goal. Find ways to combat your triggers. If stress triggers you, then do an activity that relaxes and soothes you. For example, yoga works for some people. Meanwhile, if going to bars and nightclubs triggers you, then try to avoid this scene until you’re comfortable enough with not smoking.
Quitting smoking is a good decision but a hard goal to achieve. However, now that you know about the mistakes you may commit, ensure that you have a proper strategy while quitting.
these pitfalls, you will have a better chance of actually realizing this goal.