Table of Contents

I. Kick the Habit

II. Nicotine Replacement Therapy

III. Get the Body Moving

IV. Find Support

V. Acupuncture Therapy

VI. Relaxation Techniques

VII. Hypnotherapy

Kick the Habit

Smoking tobacco is dangerous to your health and wellbeing. The chemicals in cigarettes affect every organ in the body, turning a bad habit into a hazard to your body. There is no benefit to having tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide floating around your bloodstream and you should try to kick the habit if possible. Smoking affects every system of the body and drastically increases your risk of developing cancer. You may be severely addicted to nicotine if you:

• Have your first cigarette within five minutes of waking up.
• Go outside to smoke even if it’s freezing or raining.
• Feel the need to smoke in places you shouldn’t, like the library, school, movie theater, or hospital. [1]

Doctors can prescribe bupropion, Chantix, and clonidine for people who want to kick their nicotine habit. These medications can trick your brain into not wanting nicotine, but they may not fix every aspect of your addiction. There are several tips and tricks you can enact to make it easier to get rid of cigarettes for good. [2]

Nicotine Replacement Therapy

Nicotine is as addictive as illegal street drugs like heroin and cocaine. When a person smokes for some time, their body begins to crave nicotine. Cutting out nicotine can be the most difficult part of the quitting journey. Luckily, there are several nicotine replacement therapies available. Chantix is one popular prescription drug that helps people curb their nicotine craving. [4]  

Along with prescription drugs, smokers may also want to try over-the-counter nicotine patches and gum. Nicotine gum and patches decrease withdrawal symptoms by providing a small amount of nicotine to the body. [3] Instead of picking up a pack of cigarettes in the morning, pop a piece of nicotine gum. Chew the gum until you feel the tingling of nicotine in your mouth then place the gum between your cheek and gum. You can repeat this process for about 30 minutes per piece. Doctors recommend not chewing more than 24 pieces of nicotine gum a day. [4]

Get the Body Moving

When quitting, it is essential to distract yourself from the thought of cigarettes. A short jog or run up the stairs can make a tobacco craving go away. It can be beneficial to your body and mind to get outside for a walk if you feel cravings come on.

Being active can be difficult, especially if you are stuck in an office or cannot get outside due to weather conditions. If you feel comfortable, do some squats, deep knee bends, pushups, or run in place at your desk. It may confuse your co-workers, but once you let them know what you’re doing, they can act as positive motivators on your quitting journey. Picking up a new hobby that involves your hands, like needlework, woodwork, or journaling can also help distract your mind. [3]

Find Support

You are not the first person to quit smoking, and you won’t be the last. This means that there are tons of support groups you can utilize online and in person. If you do not want to go to an in-person group, you can find several online stop-smoking programs. You can also learn from others by reading a quitter’s blog and learning from other people’s experiences.

It can also help to reach out to friends and family members. If you are particularly close with a relative, you can ask to reach out to them anytime you feel the urge to smoke. You two can share some laughs and distract your mind from cigarettes. There are also free telephone quitlines that provide support and counseling. You can reach these groups by phone via their toll-free lines. [3]

Acupuncture Therapy

Acupuncture is frequently used to help people quit smoking. Acupuncture involves inserting hair-thin needles into various parts of the body (pressure points). These needles will be inserted to points in the ears during a session, and the acupuncturist will leave them there for 20 minutes. When you feel a craving, you can press these pressure points at home to stave off cravings.

One five-year study in Hong Kong found that acupuncture was an effective method to help smokers quit. This study followed over 5,000 people and noted that, on average, the number of cigarettes per day decreased. When using acupuncture, the average relapse time was 38.71 days, which is longer than the relapse time found when using e-cigarettes or nicotine patches. Eight sessions of acupuncture within the first month proved to be the most effective. [5]

Relaxation Techniques

Many people use smoking as a way to relax and decompress. You do not have to get rid of your relaxation time, but replacing cigarettes with a healthier activity is a good idea. Managing stress is key to quitting smoking for good. Many people can take the edge off through helpful relaxation techniques. Everyone enjoys different relaxing activities, such as deep-breathing exercises or listening to calming music.

You can also implement new exercise regimes and pair them with your newfound sense of relaxation. You can start practicing yoga or treat yourself to a massage every once in a while. Finding inner peace is essential to enacting new habits and starting a fresh chapter without cigarettes. [3]

Hypnotherapy

Hypnosis involves an altered state of awareness where you appear to be in a trance or asleep. In clinical settings, hypnosis can be used to treat physical and psychological problems. Hypnosis can help people get in control of chronic pain and weight issues, speech disorders, and addiction problems like smoking. It is important to find a licensed and qualified hypnotherapist.

When a person seeks hypnosis for smoking, they are typically asked to imagine unpleasant outcomes from their smoking. The hypnotherapist may make suggestions that cigarette smoke smells like car exhaust or that your partner may not like the smell of a smoker’s mouth. They may also give you affirmations to repeat to yourself if you feel a craving. Repeating positive mantras can help you stay on your path to quitting. [6]

The content in this article is intended for informational purposes only. This website does not provide medical advice. In all circumstances, you should always seek the advice of your physician and/or other qualified health professionals(s) for drug, medical condition, or treatment advice. The content provided on this website is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.