Knowing the reasons why many smokers fail in their attempt to quit smoking is very important so when it’s your turn, you’ll know what to avoid and how to address such issues. Below are the top 10 reasons why many, many smokers can’t make it to stop their unhealthy habit.
1. Unbearable Withdrawal Symptoms
The top reason why more than half of smokers around the world failed to quit in their first attempt to quit smoking is because of the withdrawal symptoms. Before you throw your cigarette away, you need to be sure that you’re ready for it. Expect that you will suffer from extreme irritability, anxiety, and even depression. Another worse thing to expect is the craving. As early as today, you may want to come up with ways on how you can conquer the withdrawal symptoms of smoking cessation. This way, you can prepare yourself.
2. Weight gain
Many people who try to quit smoking find themselves eating a lot to satisfy their intense craving for smoking. You may or may not experience this but it’s better to prepare yourself for the possibility of weight gain. So make sure to adopt a healthy lifestyle, exercise, and choose the right foods to eat. Its okay to eat more than the usual but the food you’ll eat should be composed of fruits and vegetables. This way, you can bust off the craving and at the same time develop a fitter body.
3. Quitting without planning
Many smokers quit just because they want to. Without prior planning, they will just stop. But as soon as the craving gets in, they will smoke again. Trying to quit is as good as not quitting. When you decide to stop smoking, do it for good. But this can be extremely difficult without prior planning. For a successful smoking cessation, set a quit date, determine what approach you will do to quit, and how you are going to deal with the withdrawal.
4. Lack of social life
Some people think that their life is boring without cigarettes. You may be ‘left out’ by your friends because you no longer smoke but its okay. Once you have completely freed yourself from smoking, you will realize that life is more enjoyable, fun, and meaningful.
5. Delaying smoking cessation for one more cigarette
This is a very common reason why smokers fail to quit over and over again. When they crave for cigarettes, they will try to justify their act by saying ‘it’s just one, I’ll try again tomorrow’. If you let this happen to you, you’ll never, ever succeed. One cigarette will lead to another, and then another, and so on.
6. Giving up so easily
You might find yourself not smoking for two weeks but you’re now dying to light just one. But you have to be strong. Depression is common among people who try to quit. It’s not you, nor your mind. It’s the nicotine. So don’t blame it on yourself. Don’t give up.
7. Lack of social support
You’ll realize that for you to be able to quit successfully, you will need help from other people. If you smoke, it’s most likely that you have friends who smoke which will just intensify your craving whenever you’re with them. Finding a quit buddy can be helpful. This person doesn’t need to be a smoker like you who also wants to quit. You just need someone who will remind you, encourage you, and give you strength as you go through the tough process of smoking cessation.
8. Smoking as a habit that goes with breathing
It just takes a week or two to build a habit but it can take a lot of years to break it. Cigarette is a bad habit to break. It really is. But it doesn’t mean it’s impossible to overcome. This is where you will need some mind-setting. If you are optimistic about quitting smoking, you will succeed.
9. Not seeking help
Sometimes, you need guidance from a health professional to be able to quit for good. If you are a heavy smoker, you need a stronger cessation program to deal with the withdrawal symptoms. You may be asked to take medication, undergo therapy or counseling, whatever is suitable for you.
10. Lack of Self-Confidence
Many smokers think they can’t make it and won’t be able to make it even though they haven’t started yet. Not believing in yourself will bring you no good results and will just make smoking cessation impossible.
Now you know what causes failure in smoking cessation. It’s time to think of ways on how you can overcome each one of them.
