More and more people are trying to give up smoking nowadays. With the massive media attempts to make smoking look disgusting, to the frightening health hazards, to the huge warning labels on advertisements and cigarette packages, quitting should be easy, right? Wrong. When you are shaking, losing sleep, and sick to your stomach, it can be hard to care what society or the Surgeon General thinks. However, most smokers are so caught up in the strength of their addictions and the hold that cigarettes have on their bodies that they are unaware of the fact that the withdrawal symptoms that quitters must go through usually lose their strength after just one week. Of course, former smokers always fight the urge to smoke, but that intense feeling of loss does go away after a week or so. I have to admit that I have not personally gone through this experience myself, but I watched my father quit cold turkey when I was a teen. I watched the terrible mood swings, the cravings, the constant yearning for one more cigarette. That was eight years ago, and it’s now thankfully a very distant memory. Read on to make your smoking history a distant memory, too.
First, don’t even try to quit without making a detailed plan that you will stick to during the hard times. Begin by writing down what times you are most likely to smoke during the day (try to refrain from writing down “all the time” and get more specific) and try to figure out what triggers your smoking the most. Is it your boss? Financial problems? Hunger? Social environments? Whatever your triggers are, it is important to identify them. Understanding what makes you more susceptible to smoking will help you learn the difference between craving a cigarette and “needing” one. Once you have determined what your worst triggers are, develop other outlets to use during the times that you are exposed to them. For example, if you feel that stress triggers a craving (as it does for most smokers), study up on instant stress relief techniques that can be used anywhere, such as deep breathing or a walk around the block. Most importantly, have an arsenal of weapons to use against cravings and their triggers. A cigarette is used by most simply as an outlet. Develop other outlets to replace them, and try them out frequently before you even begin the quitting process.
Now that you are prepared to fight your smoking habit, it’s time to hold on tight. The first week is the hardest. Many even take a week off of work to devote to quitting smoking, and that’s not a bad idea. A week of vacation time used for working toward a longer life and better health is a week well spent. Don’t hesitate to use it. If you don’t have a week, start your quitting program on a weekend or on your regular time off. If you think you can work during those first 48-72 hours, stop kidding yourself. Some have done so successfully, but it isn’t easy. You’ll need to devote as much time as possible to this. That being said, you absolutely must try not to sit around with nothing to do, either. Sitting in front of the TV with nothing to fill your time but concentrating on your cravings is a harsh thing to do to yourself. Plan the day out with fun leisurely activities, preferably with supportive, non-smoking friends or loves ones, and prepare yourself for what’s coming that night.
When the lights are turned off and the rest of the world is drifting away to sleep during your withdrawal week, you’ll be awake. You’ll be tossing and turning and desperate for a cigarette. It’s better that you know this going into it. Go ahead and have some activities planned for that first night, as well. Have a good friend stay up with you to help you through, or have the number to a quitting smoking help hotline handy, and don’t hesitate to call it as much as you need. It’s ok to need help. If you’re going about this alone, it is especially recommended that you use a help hotline, as it can greatly improve your chances of success. Do what you have to, but just get yourself through that long first night.
I wish I could say that the next few days got better, but it’s really that first week that is so terrible when you are trying to quit smoking. You can expect extreme irritability, increased hunger, insomnia, cold-like symptoms, intestinal problems, and more for anywhere from one week to several. That’s just the way it is. The good news is, the symptoms will gradually get better and better, especially after 7-14 days. The point is to get yourself through by any means necessary. Avoid alcohol and caffeine at all costs, and avoid stressful situations that will increase your desire to smoke. Surround yourself with as much peace and serenity as possible. Talk to your doctor if your withdrawal symptoms are severe, and be ready to use every single resource available to you for the process. One of the biggest mistakes smokers make is not treating nicotine withdrawal as seriously as they should. Just as you would take time to heal after a medical procedure, take the time to heal after you have pulled cigarettes out of your life. If you get discouraged, think of all the reasons you want to quit smoking for motivation. Also, remember that just one week could make the difference between a long life and a short one. Just one week could be what it takes to change your health for the better forever.
