What is the Most Effective Method for Quitting Smoking
When I finally decided to quit smoking, it took me several years and dozens of quit attempts before I finally quit for good and made it stick. Throughout those dozens of quit attempts, I tried using various Nicotine replacement products, such as the patch and the gum, as well as medications, such as Zyban. While those specific therapies did not work for me, they might be part of what eventually works for you if you decide to quit smoking. The question, then, becomes: “How am I to know what the most effective method of quitting is for me?”
Start with a Firm Deadline for Yourself
This is an important decision to make, and you can do it right now. Decide that you are going to be quit for good within one year, no matter what. The reason that this is important is because a failed quit attempt can be very discouraging. Sometimes, when I tried to quit smoking but failed, I would simply resign myself to being a smoker for a while. This could last for months or even years. You must not do this. Set a firm goal with yourself that you will be quit within a years time. That way, even if you fail to quit on your next attempt, you will push yourself to try again, with an increasing sense of urgency. This is a big part of the secret to quitting successfully. Never quit quitting!
If you Fail to Quit Smoking, Try an Alternate Approach
If you`ve tried to quit smoking in the past and failed, it is time to try something different. People have enjoyed success in quitting smoking using a variety of techniques and tips to help them through it. There is medication, Nicotine replacement therapies, hypnosis, and a variety of other techniques. The important thing is that you find something that works for you. If you happen to fail, go back to your mantra: Never quit quitting.
After trying a number of different tips and tricks myself, I eventually tried to quit smoking again by combining quite a few of the techniques I had learned. I still failed to quit on that try, but I came very close to making it. The reason I failed to quit yet again, however, was because I had not planned ahead very well.
What it Finally took for me: Strategic Planning
Look at it this way: You could continue to smoke forever, right up until the day you die. But what if you decided to plan ahead in such a way that you were going to give quitting smoking your ultimate effort about six months from now? That is exactly what it took for me to finally quit smoking for good. I had to plan that far ahead in order to get my life in perfect working order–so that when it finally came time to quit–I would have no excuses, and everything in my life would be taken care of for the first few weeks of my quit. I combined this strategic planning with previous techniques that had proved helpful to me, as well as an exciting reward system that actually made it fun and exciting to be quitting.
If you would like to learn more about planning a strategic quit for yourself, then visit this quitting smoking website to get more information on planning your quitting strategy.
Patrick Meninga is an ex-smoker who authors the Spiritual River website about overcoming addiction.