6 Obstacles When Quitting Smoking

Smoking remains to be the number one cause of preventable disease, killing 440,000 people every year, according to the American Cancer Society. A lot of people attempt to quit but only a very few succeed. Why? It is because smokers are often bombarded with various obstacles such as:

1. Bar-hopping

Majority of bars allow smoking. One of the worst smoking triggers is going to the bar and other restaurants where one can see many people smoking. If you are trying to quit, avoid going to places like this.

 2.  False smoking myths

Many people find it hard to quit because they are surrounded by false beliefs about smoking cessation. One major myth is that quitting is hard. It is not. The difficult thing is coping with the withdrawal symptoms. Fortunately, the vast treatments available today makes it easy for smokers to quit without having to suffer from the debilitating withdrawal symptoms.

3.  Quitting cold turkey

This is supposed to be a way to quit smoking for good. But studies show that quitting cold turkey only gives you a little chance of success. In fact, only 7% of those who attempt to quit through this are successful. Remember that the issue here is not about smoking alone. The thing you are dealing with is “nicotine addiction”. Eliminating your brain’s dependency on nicotine is not easy. It takes time, and may necessitate medical or psychological intervention.

 4.  Friends and family

Family and friends are the best people to turn to especially during the smoking cessation period. But sometimes, they become the smoking triggers instead. If you have a friend or a relative who smokes, you may want to explain to them what you are going through, so whenever possible, they should not light up when they are with you. Otherwise, you may just avoid them. Or, you can also encourage them to quit.

 5.  Binge-eating

Smokers find it more satisfying and pleasurable to light up after a heavy meal. So if you are undergoing smoking cessation, you may want to control your food intake. Avoid sugary treats like chocolates, soft drinks, chips, and the like. Sweet foods will just heighten your craving to smoke. Instead, eat more fruits and vegetables. Studies show that consuming fresh fruits or vegetables immediately before smoking make the taste of cigarette bitter. Aside from this, observing a well-balanced diet helps your body recover faster from the ill-effects of smoking.

 6.  Age

Research shows that smokers 65 years and above are less likely to quit than their younger counterparts. This is probably because they think that it’s already too late to stop as the damage has been done. But actually, quitting smoking at any point in your life (whether you’re 30, 40, 60, 70, or older), you will still benefit from quitting smoking. In fact, the health benefits of smoking cessation can be experienced within minutes after your last cigarette. So it is NEVER too late to quit! Stop smoking today and say hello to a better life.

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