Quitting for smokers is not an easy thing to do. The years of smoking had brought so many changes in a smoker’s body. Many have tried but only few were successful. The low success rate of most smoking cessation treatments can be attributed to two things – first, is chronic nicotine addiction and second, is human error. The first reason is totally unavoidable for any smokers. Every smoker knows that Nicotine is a highly addictive substance, and that is a known fact, however, human error, or should we say the mistake done by a smoker when trying to quit, is definitely avoidable, and some may have done it unconsciously or due to lack of awareness.
Below are the 5 common mistakes smokers usually do when quitting:
1. Rushing into quitting without proper planning.
Kicking the cigarettes out for good is not something you can’t do overnight. It is a long and complicated process a smoker needs to endure. Jumping into quitting without a concrete plan may just put all your efforts into waste. You need to be emotionally, psychologically and physically prepared to do this. Further, you have to condition yourself and set the timeline. In this way you have something to guide you throughout the treatment.
2. Taking everything into your own hands.
As what I have said, giving up smoking is a long and complicated process. You need a support group to help you go through the difficult stages of your smoking cessation program. Some smokers chose to quit secretly, avoiding ridicule from former smoking buddies or from their peers. Your family, close friends or interest groups can help make it easier for you to quit. You may also want to seek the advice of your doctor about the smoking cessation products than can best help you quit the habit of smoking.
3. Failure to recognize yourself.
Every smoker has a reason why they smoke. Some smoke to reduce stress, others learn to light cigarettes as part of socialization, and still some smoke just for self-indulgence. Some smokers fail to realize the reason why they smoke. Quitting without knowing yourself or the reason why you smoke may just leave you lighting another stick. Understanding why you light up, can help you avoid these reasons, and allows you to explore other less harmful ways to confront your needs. This may not come easy, but it can certainly help you device a more effective plan.
4. Refusing help.
One way to be successful in your smoking cessation treatment is to recognize that quitting is difficult and you cannot do it just by yourself. Aside from your support group you also need the help of smoking cessation experts and of different smoking cessation products. The common mistake of some smokers is that they underestimate the effect caused by smoking in their system. You need to accept that it will be a lot easier for you to quit if you get all the help possible. There are support groups that offer free consultation and counseling.
Further, there are several smoking cessation products that can lessen the effect of nicotine in your body especially during the early days of your treatment. You can either choose from non-nicotine base products like Chantix, or from any NRT or nicotine replacement treatment like patches, gums, and nicotine sprays.
5. Switching to low nicotine or tar cigarettes.
This is among the most committed mistakes of smokers trying to quit. Switching to low nicotine or light cigarettes is a false hope. Studies proved that you just end up puffing the same amount of nicotine or tar, or even more. Smokers who switch to light cigarettes tend to puff deeper and spend more sticks of cigarettes. It is best if you just choose an NRT that fits you rather than smoking light cigarettes.
