How Can I Quit Smoking?

Control Your Cravings and Quit Smoking!

To quit smoking is probably one of the most difficult tasks to do. Even if you are able to abstain from it for a few days, or even weeks, it still remains hard. Luckily, there are ways to control your cravings; other than the fact that you need to develop self-control and enough willpower.

How to Control Your Cravings and Quit Smoking for Good?

1. Remain Active

People tend to smoke out of boredom, which is why you should remain active. Try to exercise, play games, read books, or simply anything that will keep your mind occupied. You can even try to find people who are trying to quit as well, so you can understand each other better.

2. Replace it with a better Habit

Whenever you feel the urge to smoke, try to do something to act as a replacement. Eating candies have been the popular choice of most people because this will not only be a cheaper choice, but it will keep your mouth busy as well.

3. Eat Smart

Sugary food will help you suppress your cravings because your serotonin level will increase. Serotonin transmits that “feel-good” feeling to the brain, which will then satisfy your craving for a cigarette. Bananas are also recommended, because they are believed to help suppress urges to smoke. Try making some banana shakes so that you will be able to absorb the component that helps prevent those urges from coming up.

4. Try Acupuncture

Smokers smoke because it relaxes them. Another way to relax is increasing your endorphin level, which is believed to be gotten from acupuncture.

5. Self-help Books

When all else fails, try to read some self-help books. Not only will it keep your mind occupied, but it will also provide the information that you may need to finally stop the habit.

6. Use Cigarette Substitutes

If you really can’t control your cravings, try some nicotine patches or electronic cigarettes. Nicotine patches are there to provide you with nicotine (cause of your addiction) without smoking. Electronic cigarettes do not have tobacco and will serve as a great substitute, because you will be tricking your brain – in a way – that you are still smoking.

Remember, once you light another cigarette, it will only take about ten seconds for the nicotine to reach your brain and do its harmful effects. So try to avoid getting any major dose of nicotine in your system to finally quit smoking.

Chemicals in Cigarettes that Should Make You Quit Smoking

What do a lighter, a battery, a sewer system, and your cigarette stick have in common?

Nasty chemical ingredients!

All contain bad chemicals and the difference being one of them is acceptable to put in your mouth and inhale. Well if you have better sense, these substances should scare you enough for you to quit smoking.

It is a wonder that a regular stick of cigarette contains about 600 ingredients which can create up to 4,000 chemicals when you burn it later. Most of these chemicals are not the neighbourhood-friendly type--- the substances found in a typical cigarette are a concoction of poisons designed to kill you slowly. One guilty huff out of peer pressure may be okay, but regularly breathing the same ingredients of jet fuel, industrial solvents, and insecticides, will surely deliver you to the hospital sooner or later.

Maybe you need a little convincing to finally quit smoking. Read on below and find out the effects of some of these nasty compounds you should be better off cleaning or painting with:

Carbon Monoxide – the colorless, odourless gas is produced from car exhausts and burning carbon fuels. It poisons the body by displacing oxygen in the blood and tightly binding to it, resulting to less oxygenation of the tissues of the body.

Radioactive heavy metals – The soil in which tobacco is grown contain heavy metals that can be adsorbed by the leaves. Fertilizers used in the tobacco industry contain radium and its decay products lead-210 and polonium-210. Heavy metals are already bad for the cells of the body; what more if you add radioactivity to the mix? It’s swallowing X-rays.

Formaldehyde – this industrial chemical is present in many households as glues, adhesives, and cleaning products. They’re also perfect for preserving corpses in medical schools. Light up a cigarette and you get formaldehyde as a combustion by-product, causing irritation to the eyes, nose and throat of smokers.

Ammonia – addition of ammonia to cigarettes enhances the dissociation of bound nicotine, producing free nicotine that easily vaporizes and more rapidly absorbed by the body. The agent is also used in disinfecting agents and fertilizers.

Nicotine – a derivative of the tobacco plant, Nicotiana tabacum, nicotine has been around for thousands of years. They were mainly used for spiking healing potions but it was also thought to have harmful effects on the body. If you’ve been trying in vain to quit smoking, blame nicotine, the main ingredient that gets people hooked in the first place.

2 Practical and Helpful Ways to Quit Smoking

Having to quit smoking is without a doubt a very hard thing to do. Even though most of the smokers in your area would always tell they want to stop smoking, they can’t. The bad thing about smoking is that when you try to lessen the cigarettes you take, you’ll find yourself asking for more cigarettes to smoke the next day. And it can get even harder in the days to come. Not only that, but you’ll also suffer the physical and psychological symptoms of withdrawal that will surely put you in much more distress.

But once you’re successful on kicking this habit, you are sure to enjoy lots of things in the world. That’s predominantly because of the higher chance for a longer life that you can get after getting rid of that unhealthy desire to pollute your lungs. There are practical ways that can help you on how to quit smoking. The following are two effective tips on kicking the habit of smoking:

1.List the Good and Bad Things About Smoking

Write down in a piece of paper or better yet in a notebook the good things and the bad things you know about smoking. It’s better if you make two columns. List on the first column the things you like about smoking and list on the next column the things you hate about smoking.

Take note which list is longer. If you notice that the “hateful things about smoking” is longer than the other list, it may mean that you truly feel in your heart that you don’t like smoking that much anymore and you’re ready to quit. And that’s a good thing because willpower and determination can get things done.

Moreover, when you look at your lists, you can see physically see how cigarettes affect you. That can help you focus more on your logical thinking and find your own ways on how to still get the same good feeling that you get in smoking from other healthier activities.

2.Inform Everyone

The people surrounding you are your guardian angels. Making them know that you are on your way to a healthier life by quitting your smoking habit is an effective way to be successful on your mission. They can give you tips, introduce you to their friends who had successfully kicked the habit, provide you helpful materials such as books, etc. But what’s really important is that support from your loved ones gives you more determination and helps you push more courage on defeating that evil nicotine stick and finally quit smoking.

Assistance on how to quit smoking

Almost every smoker has the same reaction when smoking cessation is being discussed. Some refuse to listen to the tips and advice; some are willing, but have no idea how. There has to be a guideline to successfully quit smoking.

First of all, when the smoker feels the need to quit smoking, he must be convinced that he really wants to and be decided 100%. Making this decision involves considering the harmful effects of nicotine to your body and the benefit you can get from being free of it. Ask yourself: “Am I afraid to suffer from the diseases which are related to smoking?” If your answer is “yes”, then convince yourself that you do not really want to have any of these diseases. Convince yourself and make yourself believe that there are more benefits in quitting than in smoking. Look back to the people you know who already suffered from the diseases that smoking brought. Do you want to be like them? Of course not! Now, ask yourself, once you are decided, if you are really ready to quit smoking. If you are, you can now proceed to the next move.

Once your decision to quit smoking is final, the second important thing to do is to pick an exact desired date to do it. Concentrate on it. Pick the nearest possible date. Longer delays can make you change your mind. Just give yourself an ample time to prepare yourself, and be ready for the withdrawal. It is advisable to pick a date that is important to you so you can make it special. The tip to achieve your goal is to little by little minimize your cigarette consumption. Like, let us say, in the last two weeks before your quit date, smoke lesser and lesser each day. It really helps.

Then comes the quit day! The most awaited day in the process of quitting where you will not smoke at all. Not even a single puff. Repeat, NOT AT ALL. Consume yourself with other things like walking, jogging, exercise, cycling, be active. Avoid looking at people who smoke and stay away from them so you will not be tempted. Change you ways. Keep yourself out from situations that may push you to light up a cigarette. Avoid alcoholic drinks.

Instead, drink a lot of water and fresh juices. Read more tips and advice to conquer your desire to smoke again. And finally, be ready to deal with the withdrawal symptoms.

Alternatives to Help You Quit Smoking

When you crave for a smoke, you are actually craving for nicotine, the chemical responsible for cigarette dependence. Fortunately, there are various products and methods nowadays to help you quit smoking. There are nicotine replacement products and non-nicotine medications that target the receptors in the brain, helping you ease out from the smoking habit. Do remember, however, that each type of treatment has its own benefits and limitations. A combination of therapy may be required in some, while others don’t. Consult a physician if you have other medical conditions such as hypertension or diabetes, in order to prevent adverse effects.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy

NRT should be taken according to the recommended dose and duration. Tapering off use is also expected.

1.Transdermal Nicotine System – or nicotine patches are available in different types and doses. An individual may experience side effects such as skin irritation and nausea, but this may be due to factors such as the patch brand or dose.

2.Nicotine Gums – these over-the-counter replacement is available in 2 mgs and 4 mgs and can be used as needed. They are recommended for heavy smokers.

3.Nicotine Lozenges – like nicotine gums, they are available OTC in the same doses. The lozenge is required to be used as part of a 12-week program.

4.Nicotine Nasal Sprays and Inhalers – both replacements require a doctor’s prescription. The nasal spray route delivers the nicotine most rapidly to the bloodstream, while the inhaler allows the individual to feel like they are smoking, since some of the nicotine goes to the mouth.

Non-nicotine Medications

For individuals who really want to quit smoking but find it extra hard because of the withdrawal symptoms, the following are medications you can take:

1.Bupropion – this prescription anti-depressant relieves the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal by targeting the same receptors in the brain.

2.Varenicline – unlike bupropion, this drug was designed for smokers who want to quit. Its mechanism of action is to block the nicotine receptors in the brain, reducing cravings. Varenicline has been shown in several studies to increase a smoker’s chances of quitting.

3.Clonidine – this drug is actually used to treat high blood pressure, but it can be taken as a pill twice a day for smoking cessation.

Other

Hypnosis – clinical studies of hypnosis show that it is one of the most effective tools for kicking the habit. There are reputable hypnotherapists that your doctor can refer you to.

A Guide on How to Quit Smoking

Smokers decide to quit smoking when they already had enough of the bad benefits of cigarettes. At whatever angle people look at it, smoking will simply be non-beneficial to smokers. The only ones benefitting from it are the rich and huge companies that sell them. Even with the presence of different quitting methods, a guide will be very helpful in increasing the chances of success. Unsuccessful quitters return to their bad habits due to the fact that most methods are simply not enough to stop them from smoking. Additional guidance and support will mean a lot to desperate smokers who really want this to work.

Designing a quitting program or plan will help smokers stay on the correct path. The program should consist of the person’s goals, plans, track records and reasons why they plan to quit smoking. These reasons can be due to health problems, emotional problems and even due to a simple promise. Keep these reasons as inspirations especially during hard times. Having short and long term goals in the program will keep the smoker motivated in this journey. The smoker can also track his/her success by checking if these goals are actually achieved. Also, it is wise to keep track when cravings are experienced. Write the things that triggered these cravings and avoid them in the future. Finally, following the plan is the most important part of this process. It will be the body of the whole program. Without it, nothing will be achieved. This program must be with the person at all times. It will serve as a reference especially when cravings occur.

When planning to stop smoking, it is important to announce it to friends and family. They can give the support every smoker will need in this journey. And maybe along the way, other smokers might quit as well. Having a friend or family quit at the same time can make this task easier. They can treat it as a competition where the person who lasts the longest will win. In this case though, both competitors will win since every person will have a competitive instinct. No one would like to lose that’s why it can serve as a great motivator.

Smokers choose to quit smoking to help themselves and the people surrounding them. Every smoker knows that quitting smoking is no walk in the park but it is the right thing to do. Quitting may not be good for other situations but smoking is an exception for this. Remember that the best thing a smoker can do to his/her life is to stop and never return to smoking ever again.

5 Simple Tips on How You Can Quit Smoking Forever

To successfully quit smoking, you need to learn how to deal with the withdrawal symptoms and also how to resist the temptation of falling back into the habit. Here are a couple of tips on how you can be successful in quitting smoking:

1. Prepare a “Quitting” Plan

To make sure that your efforts to kick the habit will not be in vain, you need to create a plan for quitting the habit. For starters, list down all of the bad things connected with smoking and also list the benefits of stopping this nasty habit, this will serve as your motivation for quitting. Then give yourself a deadline on when you should completely stop smoking, like maybe a couple of weeks or months.

2. Wean Yourself from Cigarettes

Start buying less and less cigarettes every day until your deadline for smoking comes. For instance if you smoke one pack of cigarettes a day, gradually lessen the amount of sticks that you light until your cravings cease. You will find that it gets easier to quit once you can get by with just one or two sticks a week.

3. Tell Your Family and Friends about Your Decision to Quit

If you have friends or family members who smoke, kindly ask them not to tempt you by offering you a cigarette or smoking in front of you, if they truly care about you and your decision then they will gladly grant your request.

4. Be Prepared for the Withdrawal Symptoms

Once you start cutting back on your nicotine consumption you will start undergoing withdrawal symptoms, most of the time this will cause you to go back to the habit, but not if you prepare. Before you start experiencing withdrawal symptoms, take away all tobacco-related stuff lurking in your home. If there is nothing to remind you about smoking then the withdrawal symptoms will start to subside.

5. Find Healthy Substitutes for Cigarettes

If you have a habit of lighting up a cigarette or two after a meal try replacing cigarettes with some fresh fruits like an apple or a banana. If you like to smoke while you are out drinking with friends, kill your urges by snacking on some nuts or chips, or maybe chewing on a straw or a toothpick.

By following these surefire tips on how to quit smoking for good, in a month or two, you will start to forget why you ever did smoke in the first place.

3 Tips on How to Quit Smoking

There are a number of smokers who want to stop smoking cigarettes, but they do not know how. Fortunately, there are five ways on how to quit smoking, so you can try these out.

First, smokers have to be educated that even if the manufacturer says that cigarettes are “light,” “filtered”or“low tar” these kinds of cigarettes are still dangerous and very addicting. It does not matter how these products are advertised because the fact is that smoking will cause damaged blood vessels, lungs and cells throughout the body. The important thing is that smokers should not be misled by cigarette products and their supposed “benefits.”

Secondly, a person should write a journal on why he or she would like to quit puffing cigarettes. This is important because this will enable a person to regain control of his life, be healthier, be an example to his sons or daughters and protect his loved ones from other people’s cigarette smoke. By keeping that journal, a person will be able to kick his habit sooner than expected. Thirdly, a smoker is aware that he has gotten used to the effects of cigarette smoke due to nicotine. This drug makes it hard for a person to quit smoking because of its addicting properties. However, a person can win his or her personal battle if he or she realizes the need to quit. By preparing for withdrawal symptoms, a smoker will be able to deal with his bad moods and control the urge to puff a cigarette.

Also, an ex-smoker may use a number of nicotine replacement products that are approved by the FDA and use them if they have the urge to look for a cigarette. Still, it is not easy because of the withdrawal symptoms that may bother them. However, the worst symptom will only last for a few days at the least or a couple of weeks at the most. Perhaps the best way to approach this dilemma is to quit a day at a time, so this approach will eventually bore fruit in the long run. Fourth, the good news is that millions of people have willed themselves on how to quit smoking. They have decided that there are more things to life than just wasting their time puffing packs of cigarettes.

Lastly, there are some smokers who need help so they can call any non-government organization or other groups that will help them curb their need to smoke cigarettes.

Why Do You Want to Quit Smoking?

There are endless good reasons to quit smoking, including reducing your risk of cancer, heart disease and early death. Despite these well-known risk factors, however, many smokers find themselves needing a more personal reason to want to kick the habit; possibly because the threat of "maybe" contracting a deadly disease just doesn't seem likely (the old, "it will never happen to me" syndrome).

This article is going to share some easy steps to help you come up with your own powerful, compelling reason(s) to quit smoking once and for all.

1) First, take a few moments to jot down on a sheet of paper the negative aspects of how smoking makes you feel. You can include actual physical problems like shortness of breath and fatigue; as well as feelings like embarrassment that your clothing and hair may stink; feeling like an outcast stepping outside to smoke while everyone else stays inside socializing and having a good time; or even your fears, like dying young and leaving your children before your time.

Write down as many reasons as you can, and try to make them reasons that really matter to YOU - not just what other people have said to you or you've heard others say before.

2) When you're done with your list, look it over carefully. Read each item on the list, and really think about how it feels to experience that situation in your daily life. Now choose the top three reasons that are most repulsive to you and circle them.

Take another sheet of paper and write a longer description of each of those three items. For example, if one of your top reasons was "to not die young and abandon my children", write a paragraph or two about why that is important to you. How would it affect your children if you died before your time? How will your smoking impact them, now and in the future? Will your smoking addiction encourage them to smoke later in life? Continue writing until you feel you have identified your core reason for wanting to quit smoking. This may seem like a morbid exercise, but it can be incredibly powerful. Being a smoker for a long time desensitizes you to the true long-term effects of smoking. This exercise jars you out of the haze of denial.

Now go through this same process for the other two important reasons on your list.

3) When you've got your three descriptions written, read them over again. Now take a final sheet of paper and write a description of the opposite outcome. When you do quit smoking, what will happen instead of those other experiences? For example, you might write that you will be around to love your children and grandchildren for many years to come, your kids will be really proud of you for quitting, they'll be blessed with a healthy, strong parent that has the energy and stamina to play with them, and so on.

Do this for all three reasons you described earlier.

Carry these lists with you and read them slowly each day, really paying attention to how they make you feel. With enough repetition, you will actually begin training your brain to view smoking as an unpleasant, dangerous activity - which will make quitting easier when you decide it's time.

While this may not remove the discomfort that comes along with nicotine withdrawal, it will certainly help you to stop seeing smoking as a harmless activity and instead see it for what it is: a true threat to your health, happiness and longevity.

If that isn't enough reason to quit, what is?

Smoking: A Threefold Addiction

You may have heard that smoking is one of the most difficult addictions to overcome, and the majority of people who have successfully done it would probably agree. In fact, it has been said that quitting smoking is even more difficult than overcoming addictions to illegal drugs like heroin and cocaine. Why is that?

One of the reasons may be that smoking is for the most part a socially acceptable habit (though this is acceptance level is declining steadily), but there are also other reasons why smoking is such a powerfully addictive habit.

1) Physical addiction.

Nicotine is a powerful drug that acts directly upon receptors in your brain. These receptors are stimulated by nicotine, resulting in several different physiological responses such as elevated heart rate, blood pressure and respiration, and increased mental alertness, among others. The longer you ingest nicotine, the more of these receptors you develop. Over time, these receptors become less sensitive to nicotine and begin to require increased doses to achieve the same level of stimulation. When you try to stop smoking, feelings of intense discomfort (known as withdrawal) will occur.

People have described nicotine withdrawal symptoms as "demons" or "torture" because they are so strong. Most people report feelings of intense restlessness, irritability, fatigue, dizziness, and even flu-like symptoms or chest pain.

Physical withdrawal symptoms can often be eased with the use of nicotine replacement products like gum, patches and lozenges, but many people feel that these products only delay the inevitable by keeping the ex-smoker hooked on nicotine. Still other people claim that using nicotine replacement products helped them conquer one aspect of quitting at a time - for example, the psychological or emotional repercussions, before tackling the physical addiction.

2) Emotional addiction.

The emotional connection to smoking can easily be as strong as physical dependence upon nicotine. There are a variety of reasons why people smoke, but one of the most common reasons that develops over time is an emotional "crutch" or "cover".

Many smokers report using smoking as a coping mechanism for feelings like anger, frustration, boredom, stress and sadness that they don't know how to deal with otherwise. Rather than processing their emotions, they reach for a cigarette (or cigar, pipe, etc.) and distract themselves from it.

Of course, this doesn't really help them deal with unpleasant feelings, but they believe it does. When the smoker tries to quit smoking, they suddenly find themselves overwhelmed with difficult emotions and no way to handle them.

One of the most effective ways to handle these errant emotions is to find alternative ways to process them when they come up. Journaling, venting to a friend, exercise, meditation and affirmations are often helpful. The important thing is not to bottle up your emotions and avoid them, because they just keep coming back until they are fully processed and released.

3) Psychological addiction.

Still another powerful connection to smoking results from the physical act itself: psychological dependence. Since most smokers smoke many times in a day for years at a time, they get very comfortable with the act of smoking, always having a cigarette, cigar or pipe in their hand and mouth. Even if a person is successful in reducing physical cravings and dealing with their emotions, they still may struggle with a sense of loss or aimlessness. The activity that used to occupy so much of their time and attention every day is now gone and they don't quite know what to do with themselves.

One good way to conquer this type of dependence is to change your smoking routine in the weeks leading up to your quit date. For example, if you tend to smoke while driving, talking on the phone or watching television, gradually reduce your smoking habit during those activities. Smoke in locations where you normally wouldn't, like standing outside. When you finally do quit for good, you'll have an easier time engaging in your normal activities without missing the act of smoking so much.

Natural Methods to Quit Smoking

Have you been thinking about quitting smoking but are hesitant to ingest chemicals and nicotine from stop smoking aids? Now more than ever there are plenty of natural methods to help you quit smoking - without harmful chemicals and the side effects that often come along with them.

Below you'll find information on some of the most common natural methods to quit smoking:

- Herbal supplements

Unfortunately, there are no definitive studies that confirm the effectiveness of herbal supplements in reducing the effects of nicotine withdrawal. Personal feedback also varies; some people say it helps, others say not. But if you're interested in exploring the possibilities, start with these herbs commonly used for smoking cessation: St. John's Wort, lobelia, ginseng, valerian, skullcap.

Some of these herbs are actually smoked in a pipe or hand-rolled cigarette, while others are taken orally as supplements. Note also that herbal supplements can be dangerous for some individuals. They are not regulated by like prescription drugs, so knowing the proper dosage and safe usage guidelines can often be hit and miss. Another concern is that some herbal supplements can interfere with prescription medications or aggravate existing medical conditions. If you are unsure whether herbal supplements are right for you, consult your healthcare practitioner.

- Alternative treatments

Many people report success in quitting smoking with the use of alternative treatments like acupuncture, acupressure, hypnotherapy, EFT (emotional freedom techniques), meditation and visualization, massage and reiki. Some of these treatments focus on clearing the thoughts and beliefs that lead you to be a smoker, while others claim to clear the human energy field (aura) and promote healing on an energetic level.

It's interesting to note that these modalities are most often effective when people believe they will be. If you are not open to these types of treatments, it's doubtful that they would be effective in reducing your urge to smoke. Of course, the same could be said for any type of treatment: if you believe it is helping, you will be successful in abstaining from smoking.

- "Cold turkey"

Probably the best known natural method to quit smoking is simply stopping, commonly referred to as "cold turkey." There's no doubt that it's the most final way to become a non-smoker, but it's definitely not easy for some people to do.

It is possible to combine the cold turkey method with less intense natural methods, like cutting back gradually for a few weeks or having one or more hypnotherapy sessions before making the final leap.

Are natural methods better than traditional methods to quit smoking?

It depends who you ask. Manufacturers of nicotine replacement products not surprisingly claim that using gum, patches, lozenges or nicotine inhalers work the best. Drug manufacturers claim that prescription medications work the best. Individuals who have successfully quit smoking report that different methods worked best for them - some natural, and some traditional.

In the end, you are the best person to decide which method will work for you. There's no shame in using any method, provided it's safe and helps you meet your ultimate objective: to be a non-smoker.

Hypnosis To Quit Smoking - Does It Work?

If you've ever wondered whether hypnosis to quit smoking actually works, the answer is yes. And no. Actually, it works for some people, and is completely ineffective for others. Why is that? How does hypnosis really work anyway, and how does it impact a habit like smoking?

Hypnosis works by implanting strong suggestions into the subconscious mind of a person who is in a very relaxed, open state. Contrary to popular belief, you are not "unconscious" while being hypnotized. In fact, most people feel that they are simply relaxed and calm - yet fully aware of everything that is happening around them.

During the session, the hypnotherapist will verbally implant strong suggestions in the subconscious mind of the patient that reinforce their desire to be a non-smoker. These may be statements that support the person's desire to breathe freely, respect their body, be free from addictions, and so on.

When It Doesn't Work

So how come it doesn't work all of the time? Why do some people just keep on smoking after being hypnotized to stop?

Most often, it's because they are making a conscious decision to override the new suggestions implanted in their minds during hypnosis. When it comes right down to it smoking is a conscious decision, even if the desire to smoke may be triggered subconsciously.

Remember too, that there are many different reasons why people smoke. Physical addiction, emotional pacifier, ingrained habit and more - a person might decide to keep smoking because they don't know what else to do with their hands. They may decide to keep smoking because others around them are smoking, or any other number of reasons. But at the core of every failed attempt to quit smoking is the smoker's conscious decision to return to smoking.

Another possible problem is that the smoker was not able to become sufficiently relaxed during hypnosis, so the suggestions did not penetrate the subconscious mind deeply enough. In order for a hypnotherapist to access a person's subconscious mind completely, the person must be in a very relaxed, open state. They must be willing to accept the subconscious suggestions. If they are resistant to the idea of quitting smoking or unable to fully relax and open their minds to hypnotic suggestion, they simply won't have the will to resist cravings.

The main thing to understand about hypnosis to quit smoking is that it's not a magic cure. It certainly can seem like one for people who successfully succumb to it, but for others it might not be the right method to quit smoking.

How To Quit Smoking Gradually

Quitting smoking "cold turkey" can be a daunting idea for many people. They dread the thought of dealing with physical, mental and emotional cravings while at the same time trying to overcome the mindless habit that smoking has become during so many of their activities.

However, there is an easier way to give up smoking that works well for many people; gradually cutting down the frequency of smoking before quitting altogether.

There are many ways to do this, and all of them can be equally effective:

- Keep track.

Sometimes just being aware of how much you are smoking each day can help you to smoke less. Because smoking is often a "mindless habit," you may not realize that you are smoking more than you think. There are a couple of ways to use this method. If you tend to smoke in only one place, like at home for example, try emptying all of your ashtrays each morning before you smoke your first cigarette. At the end of the day, count how many butts have accumulated in the ashtrays and write the figure in a notebook. Each day as you smoke, keep in mind that you'll have to count every single butt and write it down later; that alone may help you to smoke less.

Another technique is to tape a small piece of paper to your cigarette pack and make a mark every time you smoke a cigarette. If you finish one pack and open another, simply move the paper to the new pack and continue making a mark every time you light up. At the end of each day, tally up your marks and write the total in a notebook.

The goal with this method is to gradually reduce the amount of cigarettes you smoke each day until you are down to just a few, then quit completely.

- Start with less, smoke less.

You can also set a firm limit to smoke only the amount of cigarettes you start with each day. If you normally smoke one pack a day, you'll start with that amount. On day one, you smoke the full pack of 20 cigarettes. On day two, you remove one cigarette from the pack and put it away somewhere and only smoke the 19 cigarettes in your pack. On day three, remove two cigarettes and store them away, smoking only 18 cigarettes. Continue like this each day, gradually reducing the amount of cigarettes you smoke each day.

If you feel it's too intimidating to cut down daily, try extending the timeline a bit by reducing the number of cigarettes weekly instead of daily.

- Disassociation from other activities.

Another helpful method is to first disassociate smoking from your other activities. Do you always smoke while you're talking on the phone? What about when you watch TV, drive, or use the computer? Try no longer smoking during these activities. It will probably feel a bit uncomfortable at first, but you will adjust little by little. Do you always smoke after a meal? Try holding off for half an hour or more to get yourself used to not smoking when you finish eating. When you finally do quit smoking completely you'll have a much easier time and not feel so lost.

All of these methods of quitting smoking gradually have one thing in common: the necessity of being determined to stick with it. If you are not motivated to cut down or quit smoking, you simply won't do it. If, however, you are ready to kick the habit for good, you may actually find it enjoyable to reduce your intake of nicotine and look forward to the day when you finally say with conviction, "I quit!"

How To Minimize Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms - Part I

Nicotine withdrawal is one of the most difficult challenges smokers face when they quit. Symptoms may include feelings of irritability, dizziness, mild chest pains, fatigue and difficulty concentrating; as well as nausea and abdominal upset, headaches, insomnia, anxiety, and more.

Some of these symptoms are due to the emotional and psychological separation from smoking, but more often than not the body's dependence on nicotine sets the newly reformed smoker up for serious discomfort that can last for weeks.

The good news is that there are several ways to minimize withdrawal symptoms so they become more bearable.

This two-part article is going to share many helpful tips for making your quit easier.

- Deep breathing

Smokers tend to breathe very shallowly, so expanding your lungs each day can help you feel better and reduce stress and anxiety - not to mention the benefits of fully oxygenating your body.

How to do it: Whenever you feel a craving coming on (or you're ready to scream because of the emotional tension), simply close your eyes for a few moments and begin inhaling slowly through your nose. Allow your abdomen to expand first, then as your lungs fill, your chest will expand also. When your lungs are full, pause for a second or two, then exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat a few times slowly so you don't hyperventilate.

- Meditation

Meditation is most often considered to be a spiritual pursuit, but it has amazing benefits for anyone - especially people who are dealing with the stress of quitting smoking!

How to do it: Meditating can be as simple as closing your eyes and quieting your thoughts for a few minutes a day. Sit or lie in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and consciously release all stressful thoughts from your mind. Focus on the darkness behind your eyelids, or call up a mental scene of something calming, like the last time you were at the beach or a fun camping trip with your family.

Try to hold your attention steady for as long as possible. When random thoughts try to intrude into your mind, gently push them aside and take control of your focus again. Meditation does take practice to master, but you'll probably find that the benefits far outweigh the effort you have to put into it.

- Purging angry or tense feelings

If you used to use smoking as a way to avoid dealing with uncomfortable feelings like anger or stress, you may suddenly find yourself feeling overwhelmed when you try to quit smoking. Suddenly you've got all these feelings coming up - and no idea how to handle them! One simple method is to begin working through your feelings as they arise. This may not always be easy to do (especially if you are used to avoiding them), but over time it will prove to be a much more effective coping technique than smoking.

How to do it: There are many ways to purge your feelings, including writing them down in a journal, blogging about them online (you may want to make it a private blog or be sure your name isn't on it!), or even shouting them aloud into a pillow. There really is no magic system with this method; you simply get into the habit of expressing your emotions in a safe and productive way. You'll probably be surprised to find that expressing your emotions immediately makes you feel better - no need to cover them up with smoking anymore!

There are also more active things you can do to help minimize your nicotine withdrawal symptoms; read Part II of this article for more helpful tips.

How To Minimize Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms - Part 2

Beyond meditation, breathing exercises and emotional balancing, there are more physical activities that can help reduce your discomfort when you quit smoking.

Here are a few more ideas:

- Exercise

Since most people don't smoke while they exercise, getting active is a great way to distract yourself from your desire to smoke.

How to do it: First speak to your doctor to be sure physical activity is safe for you. Once you've gotten the green light, consider the types of exercise that would be most appealing to you. For the first few weeks of being a non-smoker, you may want to avoid very intense exercise unless you are already in great shape, because overdoing it will only make you more miserable. Instead, consider lighter forms of exercise that will get you moving but not tax your body too much, like walking, swimming, golfing, or dancing.

Exercise helps in several ways. First, it helps you burn off feelings of irritability and tension through physical movement, plus induces feelings of peacefulness and well-being when those endorphins start to flow. Plus it helps you expand your lung capacity again, which is likely diminished if you have been smoking for a long time.

- Rest

Quitting smoking is draining to say the least, on physical, emotional and mental levels. One of the best ways to help yourself get through it is to allow plenty of time to rest. Avoid quitting smoking during an extremely hectic or stressful time in your life. If you can, set your quit date for a time when you'll be on vacation, or at least have a lighter schedule than normal.

Don't be surprised if during the first several days of your quit, you feel very tired and have trouble concentrating. Nicotine is a stimulant that your body has become dependent upon and when you stop ingesting it, you'll probably feel like someone has "pulled the plug" and most of your energy has drained away. If this happens, simply allow yourself to rest as much as possible. Treat your fatigue just like you would the flu or a bad cold. Drink plenty of fluids and take it easy until it passes.

- Distraction

Another helpful technique is to keep your mind focused on other things while you're in the early stages of quitting. It's best to choose activities that would make it difficult to smoke while you do them, like spending time in public places that do not allow smoking, or cleaning out and organizing your attic. It may also help if you keep something similar in size or shape to a cigarette in your hands during idle moments, like a pen or straw.

More than any other coping method, however, your own attitude and determination will have a lot to do with your success or failure in becoming a non-smoker. If you want it badly enough, you'll be willing to deal with unpleasant side effects as they come up. Just keep reminding yourself that the symptoms are temporary. In as little as a few weeks, you'll be feeling much stronger physically, mentally and emotionally.

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