How to quit smoking: 11 best ways, according to scientists

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Nicotine addiction is formed in smokers under the influence of nicotine contained in cigarettes. The degree of dependence can be different and depends on temperament, lifestyle, and overall health. People also fall into these “networks” in different ways. Some are influenced by unhealthy fashion, some are for company, and some are on the wave of giving up other bad habits - food or alcohol, for example. Many people smoke simply because they have “nothing to do,” alternating boring work or simple idleness with a couple of puffs.

How to get rid of nicotine addiction? How to quit smoking once and for all? There are different methods for quitting smoking, and not all are effective. However, if you decide to quit smoking, you can try to do it yourself or seek the help of doctors.

Why quitting smoking can seem so difficult.

Smoking tobacco is a physical addiction and a psychological habit.
Nicotine from cigarettes is addictive. Stopping regular use of nicotine will cause physical symptoms and cravings in your body. Because nicotine makes you "feel good" it has an effect on the brain, you may also have become accustomed to smoking as a way to cope with stress, boredom, depression, anxiety, etc. At the same time, the act of smoking has become ingrained as a daily ritual. It may be an automatic reaction for you to smoke a cigarette with your morning coffee, during a break from work or school, or while driving home at the end of a long day. Perhaps with friends, family members, coworkers—smoke has become part of how you connect with them.

To successfully quit smoking , you will need to reconsider your tendencies and habits that support your smoking habit .

Why does addiction occur?

The main danger of smoking is that addiction occurs gradually and completely unnoticed by a novice smoker. Being a stimulant, nicotine provokes the release of adrenaline, dopamine and endorphins. It acts on humans similarly to caffeine, but the mechanisms of action are different.

A person who does not consider himself a smoker may occasionally smoke a cigarette to calm down or concentrate on work. And since the taste of smoke does not delight him, he is absolutely sure that he will not become a smoker. He calmly “uses” cigarettes for his own benefit, without feeling how slowly but inevitably an addiction is forming.

There are two complementary forms of dependence:

1. Physical
   . A dose of nicotine causes a strong release of hormones and endorphins, but the rest of the time their production decreases. A person is increasingly depressed, but another cigarette improves his well-being. He has already fallen into the nicotine trap, but he does not realize it.
2. Psychological
   . Having experienced relief after smoking a cigarette, the future smoker is already thinking and even dreaming about the next one. A clear cause-and-effect relationship is formed in his perception: if he smoked, he felt better. Therefore, for the subconscious, cigarettes turn into the same necessity as food and water.

Numerous studies show that psychological dependence is much stronger than physical dependence . Anyone can cope with discomfort when they are sure that it is necessary. But the thought of giving up cigarettes forever causes fear, panic and... a desire to smoke immediately in the smoker.

Psychological dependence is enhanced by such factors as:

1. Smoking environment
   . A person subconsciously strives to fit in with the team so as not to lose contact with others. And how can you quit smoking if there is always someone nearby with a cigarette?
2. Demonstrating your own independence
   . It’s not just children who try to prove that they are “adults” by smoking. A thirty-year-old person can demonstrate that “despite the harmfulness, he decides for himself what to poison with.”
3. Stress
   . Tense situations arise for everyone, and many people think that a cigarette helps them cope with them. This is the most important factor in psychological dependence - a person is afraid that he will lose a powerful “sedative” if he quits smoking.
4. Self-confidence
   .
   Many people, having become smokers, remain confident for years that they do not smoke.
5. Boredom
   . For some, a cigarette helps them relax and calm down, for others it helps them pass the time or cope with boredom.

Having dealt with the main factors and causes of addiction, let’s move on to the most important thing – getting rid of it.

Questions to ask yourself.

Take time to think about what kind of smoker you are, what parts of your life call for a cigarette , and why. This will help you determine which tips, techniques or treatments may be most beneficial for you.

• Do you think you should smoke with every meal?
• Do you consider yourself a drug addict and need to go to the hospital? Or do you think that a simple nicotine patch will help you quit smoking with ease ?
• Do you reach for a cigarette when you're feeling stressed or low?
• Are there certain activities, places, people that you associate with smoking?
• Is your smoking related to other addictions such as alcohol or gambling?
• Are you open to hypnotherapy and/or acupuncture?
• Are you someone who is open to talking about your addiction with a doctor or counselor?

How to quit smoking plan with STR.

S = Set the quit date.
Select a date within the next 2 weeks. You have plenty of time to prepare without losing your motivation to quit smoking . If you smoke mostly at work, quit on the weekend so you have a few days to adjust to the change.

T = Tell family, friends and colleagues that you are planning to quit smoking.

Let your friends and family know about your plan, and tell them you need their support and encouragement to stop. Find friends who want to quit smoking and also, you can help each other get through difficult times.

= Anticipate and plan for the problems you will encounter upon exit.

Most people start smoking again within the first 3 months. You can help yourself prevent

This is by preparing in advance for common problems such as nicotine and cigarette cravings.

R = Remove cigarettes and other tobacco products from your home, car, and work. Throw away all your cigarettes (no emergency kit!) , lighters, ashtrays, and matches. Wash your clothes and freshen anything that smells like smoke. Get your car dry cleaned, curtains and carpets cleaned, and your furniture cleaned.

T = Talk to your doctor and ask for help to quit smoking.

Your doctor may prescribe medications or suggest other alternatives. If you can't see a doctor, you can get many products over-the-counter at a pharmacy or grocery store, including nicotine patches, nicotine lozenges, and nicotine gum.

Keep a diary

Keeping a journal can help you focus on your patterns and urges to smoke. In the week or so before your quit , keep a diary of your smoking. Pay attention to all the moments every day when you crave a cigarette:

• What time was it?
• What intensity was the craving (on a scale of 1-10)?
• What did you do?
• Who were you with?
• How do you feel?
• How did you feel after smoking?

Do you smoke to relieve unpleasant or overwhelming feelings?

How to quit smoking if you think smoking helps cope with stress. Smoking under stress Thinking that you can manage unpleasant feelings such as stress, depression, loneliness, fear and anxiety are some of the most common reasons why adults smoke. If you're having a bad day, it can feel like cigarettes are your only friend. As much comfort as a cigarette provides, it's important to remember that there are healthier (and more effective) ways to keep unpleasant feelings at bay. These may include exercise, meditation, using sensory relaxation strategies, and practicing simple breathing exercises.

For many people, an important aspect of quitting smoking is to find alternative ways to get rid of those difficult feelings without smoking . Even when cigarettes are no longer a part of your life, the painful and unpleasant feelings that may have motivated you to smoke in the past still remain. So, it's worth spending some time thinking about the different ways you intend to deal with the stressful situations and daily irritations that usually lead you to a cigarette.

See also: How to treat alcoholism?

Professional advice on how to get rid of nicotine addiction

Modern medicine has a whole arsenal of tools to help you quit smoking. These include nicotine-containing drugs (chewing gum, patches, hypnosis, laser coding, acupuncture, coding according to the Dovzhenko method. The treatment method is selected by the doctor based on an assessment of the patient’s condition, his type of psyche, length of service as a smoker, and general attitude to fight smoking.

The disadvantage of professional coding for smoking is the irreversibility of the process and the need to replace habits. Therefore, when treating smoking, it is important to develop a plan to “save” the free time of a former smoker so that he does not acquire other bad habits to replace the lost one.

The advantage of medical methods for treating smoking is their effectiveness. All methods are aimed at blocking emotional attachment, eliminating cravings for nicotine at the subconscious level, and loss of “nicotine” memories. Just a few procedures will help not only give up cigarettes, but also overcome withdrawal symptoms, relieve irritability, nervousness, eliminate sleep disturbances and food cravings, which always appear as a side effect of quitting smoking.

"Alcoclinic" will help you overcome even strong nicotine addiction quickly, painlessly and comfortably. We will select a methodology for you, give you tips on organizing your personal time in the first time after coding, teach you how to cope with friends’ suggestions to “smoke just once,” and give you the joy of a healthy, tobacco-free life.

Call us at +7 (495) 744-85-28 and make an appointment for your first appointment. Quitting smoking is easy if you trust us!

The text was checked by expert doctors:
Head of the socio-psychological service of the Alkoklinik MC, psychologist Yu.P. Baranova, L.A. Serova, a psychiatrist-narcologist.
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Tips for preventing incentives that encourage smoking.

• Alcohol. Many people have the habit of smoking when they drink. TIP: Switch to soft drinks or only drink in non-smoking areas. Also, try snacking on nuts and chips, or chewing on a stick or straw in a smoothie.
• Other smokers. When friends, family and colleagues smoke around you, it becomes doubly difficult to quit or avoid relapse. TIP: Your social circles need to know that you are changing your habits so talk about your decision to quit smoking. Let them know they can't smoke when you're in the car with them or during a coffee break together. At work, do not go with smokers during breaks, communicate with them when they do not smoke, or change your social circle to non-smokers.
• After meal. For some smokers, after eating, the prospect of smoking arises and the ritual requires a cigarette. TIP: replace that moment after eating with fruit, a (healthy) dessert or a bar of chocolate, or chewing gum.

How to quit smoking: Fighting nicotine (withdrawal syndrome).

After you quit smoking , you will experience a number of physical symptoms as your body rejects nicotine. Nicotine deficiency begins to be felt quickly, usually within thirty minutes of an hour after the last cigarette and reaches a maximum approximately 2 to 3 days later. Relief from symptoms can last for several days to several weeks depending on the person.

Common nicotine withdrawal symptoms include:

Craving for cigarettes Irritability, frustration, or anger Anxiety or nervousness Difficulty concentrating Restlessness Increased appetite Headache

Insomnia Tremors Increased cough Fatigue Constipation or upset stomach Depression Decreased heart rate

These withdrawal symptoms are unpleasant, but they are temporary . They will appear over several weeks as toxins are flushed from the body. At the same time, let your friends and family know that you will not be able to behave as before and ask them to understand you.

Tips for coping with nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
Symptom	Duration

What happens to the body

When smoking

After smoking a cigarette, the pressure in the body increases, which really speeds up blood flow and yes, the person becomes warmer, the brain works faster (blood vessels dilate). This is precisely why many people rejoice. At first, very often a cigarette:

• increases productivity and memory activity;
• improves reactions;
• gives a feeling of peace and reduces hunger;
• Therefore, writers or musicians are often considered in unity with this habit.

But! The higher the rise in strength, the lower the decline will be afterwards (after about 15 minutes the vessels narrow again). The level of strength will not become the same (before the cigarette), it will fall lower. Accordingly, the person decides to smoke again. This creates a vicious circle. Moreover, over time, the surge of strength is no longer observed, brain activity decreases. Besides:

• dizziness is noted;
• chronic insomnia occurs;
• muscle weakness;
• hand tremors;
• problems with concentration and memory;
• nausea and vomiting (when smoking on an empty stomach);
• irritability.

Interesting fact: in gardening, nicotine is used as a poison for aphids and other pests. A cigarette contains about 1 mg of nicotine, a cigar contains about 300 mg. The lethal dose for humans is 15% of 1 mg administered intravenously. Due to the fact that the smoker stretches the dose and does not inject it directly into the blood, poisoning occurs, but does not cause instant death.

Chemistry and psychophysiology of smoking:

• Nicotine reaches the brain through the blood in just 10 seconds. In response, it produces dopamine, the pleasure hormone.
• Substances that make up tobacco smoke destroy protein in the body (this causes an unpleasant odor).
• Ammonia, released during the breakdown of protein and contained in the smoke itself, irritates the nerve endings of the respiratory tract.
• Together with the dilation of blood vessels and the release of dopamine, this gives a feeling of relaxation and a surge of strength.

Thus, a cigarette is a means of improving the psycho-emotional state of an individual. The question naturally arises: is it possible to fill your life with other pleasures and positive stimulants of the psyche and emotions? This is the answer to the question of how to quit smoking.

After quitting smoking

It's hard to fight what you don't understand. Here's what happens when you give up cigarettes:

• After just 12 hours without cigarettes, nicotine levels decrease, and the body happily begins the work of self-healing.
• Blood pressure, pulse and body temperature return to normal after 20 minutes without cigarettes.
• After 8 hours, carbon monoxide and oxygen in the blood reach normal levels.
• After two days, new nerve endings begin to grow, receptor function improves, tastes and smells become sharper. By the way, this often helps to additionally get rid of overeating or alcoholism, and become more selective in choosing foods.
• After 2 weeks - 3 months, the general condition and functionality of the body improves by 30%.
• After 1-9 months, the immune system is strengthened and sleep is normalized.

Former smokers note that their performance has increased and their brains have become clearer. L.N. Tolstoy wrote about this: “I became a different person. I sit for five hours at a time at work, I get up completely fresh, but before, when I smoked, I felt tired, dizzy, nauseated, and foggy in my head.”

Help

Craving for a cigaretteMost intense during the first week, but may last for several months. Wait out the urge, distract yourself, go for a walk.Irritability, intoleranceTwo to four weeks Exercise, take hot baths, use relaxation techniques, avoid caffeine.InsomniaTwo to four weeks Avoid caffeine after 6 pm, use relaxation techniques, exercise; monotonous activities (for example, reading) when it is difficult to fall asleep. FatigueTwo to four weeks Take a nap, don't overwork...Lack of concentrationFor several weeks, reduce your load and avoid stress.HungerSeveral weeks or longerDrink water or low-calorie drinks and eat low-calorie snacks.Cough, dry throat, itchy noseFor several weeks, drink plenty of fluids and use cough suppressants.Constipation, gasAfter one to two weeks, drink plenty of fluids, add fiber to your diet; exercises.

How to Quit Smoking: Managing Cigarette Cravings.

Avoiding the urge to smoke will help reduce cravings , but you can't avoid cravings completely. The craving for a cigarette does not last long, so if you have the urge to start again, remember that the craving will pass and try to wait it out. It also helps if you prepare in advance. Having a plan to deal with cigarette cravings will help keep you from slipping 1 mm quitting smoking

• Distract yourself. wash the dishes, turn on the TV, take a shower, or call a friend. The activity doesn't matter as long as it distracts you from smoking.
• Remind yourself why you quit smoking. Focus on the reason for quitting smoking, including the health benefits, improved appearance, how much money you save, and improved self-esteem.
• Avoid tempting situations where you are or what you are doing may cause cravings. If so, change your environment.
• Reward yourself to strengthen your victories. Whenever you conquer a craving, give yourself a reward to keep yourself motivated.

Instantly overcome your cigarette addiction.
Find a replacement for a cigarette in your mouth	Keep things around to cover your mouth when cravings occur. Good choices for this include caramel, carrots or celery, chewing gum, and sunflower seeds.
Fill your consciousness	Read a book or magazine, listen to music, do a crossword puzzle or Sudoku, or play online games.
Keep your hands busy	Squeeze balls, pencils, and paper clips are good substitutes to satisfy this need for tactile stimulation.
Brush your teeth	Just brushing, a clean feeling can help get rid of the craving for a cigarette.
Drink water	Slowly drink a large, cold glass of water. Not only will this help eliminate cravings, but it will also help minimize nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
Candle or something else	Instead of lighting a cigarette, light a candle or incense.
Active actions	Go for a walk, do a few squats or push-ups, try yoga or jogging (How to force yourself to exercise?).
Try to relax	Do things that calm you down: take a warm bath, meditate, read a book, or practice deep breathing exercises.

How to quit smoking if you have no willpower

Have you decided to quit smoking, but have no willpower? When you feel an irresistible urge to take a drag from a cigarette, abstract yourself and take a deep breath. Look carefully around, feel the moment, understand where you are, what you want to do. Why do you need a cigarette? Now the level of awareness is important - it will help you leave the illusory world of imposed needs. Do you understand why you need a cigarette? Replace the need with another. If you are looking for peace, drink mint tea. Bored - read an interesting book. If you’re sad, call your loved one. A cigarette cannot be a necessity; it is easily replaceable.

How can you not gain weight (get fat) after you quit smoking?

Weight gain is a common problem when quitting smoking. Some people even use it as a reason not to smoke. While it is true that many smokers gain weight within six months of quitting , the weight gain is usually not large until 5 kilograms, and the weight decreases over time . It's also important to remember that adding a few extra pounds over the course of a few months won't harm your heart as much as smoking. Of course, gaining weight is not inevitable when you quit smoking .

Smoking suppresses appetite. It also inhibits your sense of smell and taste. Thus, after you stop smoking, your appetite will likely increase and food will taste better . Weight gain can also occur if you replace the satisfaction of smoking with food, especially if you turn to unhealthy foods. Therefore, it is important to find other, healthy ways to cope with stress and other unpleasant feelings.

• Educate yourself. Instead of turning to a cigarette or food when you feel stressed, anxious, or depressed, learn new ways to calm yourself (Stress Management Techniques).
• Eat healthy, varied foods. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and limit your fat intake. Look for low-fat options that look appetizing. Avoid drinking alcohol, sugary sodas, and other high-calorie drinks.
• Drink plenty of water. Drinking plenty of water, at least 300 to 900 grams, will help you feel full and keep you from eating when you're hungry. Water will also help flush out toxins from your body.
• Take a walk. Walking is a good form of exercise. Not only will it help you burn calories and keep weight off, but it will also help alleviate the feelings of stress and frustration that come with quitting smoking.
• Eat low-calorie foods. Good choices include: sugarless gum, carrots and celery, chopped bell peppers or caramel, etc.

Quit smoking - once and for all!

Smoking is the most insidious, most sinister bad habit created by the joint efforts of man and nature. The “habit of smoking” is an unbroken chain that lasts a lifetime, as each cigarette creates the need for the next. The only problem is that YOU DO NOT KNOW THE LENGTH OF THE WICK. Every time you light a cigarette, you are one step closer to exploding a bomb. HOW DO YOU KNOW IT WON'T BE NEXT?

There are about 1,500,000,000 smokers in the world, of which about 65% are men and 45% are women. Every year, 5.5 million die from diseases caused by smoking. By 2028, the number of deaths annually could rise to 10 million.

Today it is generally accepted (and even by smokers themselves) that smoking is an antisocial habit.

In the old days, strong people smoked. If you didn't smoke, you were considered a weakling, so we all worked hard to get into smoking. In every pub or bar, most men proudly inhaled and exhaled clouds of cigarette smoke. There was a constant cloud of smoke inside, and the ceilings, which were rarely whitewashed, were always yellow or brown.

Today the situation has changed dramatically, and a strong person does not need to smoke. Nowadays, strong people do not depend on drugs. And as a result of the social revolution, all smokers are seriously considering quitting, and smokers themselves are basically regarded as weaklings.

No regular smoker knows why he smokes. If he knew the real reason, he would quit smoking. The real reason why smokers continue to smoke is an insidious combination of TWO factors:

1. NICOTINE DEPENDENCE.

Nicotine is a colorless, oily substance found in tobacco that is addictive to smokers. This drug is the most addictive of any substance known to man; it may take only one cigarette to become addicted to it. Each puff of a cigarette delivers a small dose of nicotine through the lungs to the brain, acting much faster than, for example, a dose of heroin that an addict injects into a vein.

If you take twenty puffs while smoking a cigarette, you are getting twenty doses of the drug through just one cigarette.

Nicotine is a fast-acting drug, and blood levels drop by about half within 30 minutes and to about one-quarter within an hour of smoking a cigarette. This explains why, on average, smokers smoke twenty cigarettes a day.

As soon as the cigarette is smoked, the rapid elimination of nicotine from the body begins, and the person begins to experience withdrawal pangs.

2. "BRAINWASHING".

We all tend to consider ourselves smart, self-controlled people who independently determine our own path in life. In fact, our behavior almost 100% corresponds to a certain model, because we are a product of the society that raised us. This is true whether it comes to the clothes we wear, the houses we live in, or the behavior patterns we follow. The subconscious mind has a surprisingly powerful influence on our lives. Millions of people can be misled not only in their beliefs, but even regarding simple facts of existence.

Advertising specialists are well aware of the power of influence on the subconscious, hence the huge billboards that smokers see everywhere while driving, and advertisements in every magazine. Do you think they are a waste of money, do you think they don't encourage you to buy cigarettes? You are wrong!

From early childhood, our subconscious is daily bombarded with a stream of information that cigarettes relax, give confidence and masculinity, and that the most valuable thing on the planet is a cigarette. Do you think I'm exaggerating? When you watch a cartoon, movie or theater production in which people are threatened with death or execution, what is their last request? That's right, a cigarette! The impact of this scene is not recorded by our consciousness, however, the “sleeping partner” has enough time to absorb it. The thought that they are trying to instill in us is this: “The most valuable thing on earth, what I will think about and what I will strive for in the last minute of my life, will be a cigarette.” Remember, in every war film, a wounded man is given a drag on a cigarette.

Do you think things have changed recently? No, our children are still being bombarded by huge billboards and magazine advertisements. It is believed that today cigarette advertising on television is prohibited, but during those hours when most people watch television, the world's best billiards and darts players constantly blow clouds of cigarette smoke on the screen. The programs are usually sponsored by giant tobacco companies, and the connection between sporting events and money bags has become the saddest trend in modern advertising.

Tobacco companies cleverly craft bland health warnings on cigarette packs, and the government spends only pittance on television campaigns about cancer, bad breath and leg amputations. The government then finds moral justification by declaring, “We warned you of the danger. This is your choice". A smoker had no more choice than a heroin addict.

Nicotine is a drug and dulls your taste buds and sense of smell. The worst side of smoking is not even that it damages your health and costs you money, but that it deforms your psyche. You begin to find any plausible excuse for why you don’t quit, but continue to smoke.

“Quitting smoking is easy — I’ve quit a hundred times,” said Mark Twain. Heavy smokers, when asked “why don’t you quit, do you really have no willpower?” They answer the same. Alternatively, there are other excuses from the series: “I don’t want to,” “there’s no incentive,” “I’ll quit when I want.”

WHAT DO I QUIT when I quit smoking?

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! It is fear that prevents us from stopping smoking. Fear that we will lose pleasure or support. Fear that pleasant situations will never be the same again. Fear that we will not be able to cope with stress.

In other words, the effect of indoctrination is to trick us into believing that our smoking is inevitable: either some special weakness inherent in us, or that the cigarette contains something necessary for us, so that when we quit smoking, there will be emptiness.

Be clear about this: CIGARETTES DO NOT FILL A VOID, THEY CREATE IT!

Our body is the most complex object on the planet. Whether you believe in a Creator, the process of natural selection, or a combination of the two, whatever system or being created our bodies is a thousand times more powerful than man! Man cannot create even the smallest living cell, let alone the miracle of vision, reproduction, circulatory system or brain. If the Creator or the process of natural selection intended that we would smoke, they would have provided us with some kind of filter device to prevent the poison from entering our body, and some kind of chimney pipe to boot.

In fact, our bodies are equipped with reliable warning devices in the form of coughing, dizziness, nausea, etc., and we ignore them at our peril.

The good news is that there is essentially nothing to quit. Once you remove this monster from your body, and the results of smoking propaganda from your head, you will never have the desire to smoke or the need for nicotine.

Cigarettes don't improve the taste of food - they destroy it. They spoil your taste and smell. Watch smokers in a restaurant smoking between courses. They don't get pleasure from eating - they can't wait until lunch is over because it interferes with their enjoyment of cigarettes. Many of them smoke in all circumstances, although they know that smoking is offensive to non-smokers. And the point is not that smokers are too inattentive people, but that they simply suffer without cigarettes. They are between a rock and a hard place. They have only two options: either abstain and feel unhappy because they cannot smoke, or smoke and feel unhappy because they offend other people, recognizing their guilt and despising themselves for it.

Today, many doctors link almost every type of disease to smoking, including diabetes, cervical cancer and breast cancer. For many years, the tobacco industry has exploited the inability of doctors to scientifically prove that smoking is the direct cause of lung cancer.

Quitting smoking is ridiculously easy. You need:

1. Decide that you will never smoke again.

2. Don't get depressed about it. Rejoice!

3. It is important that the body receives the maximum amount of missing vitamin C. Since scientists have found that vitamin C is quickly destroyed in the body of a smoker, and nicotine becomes its substitute. With sufficient intake, vitamin C again takes the place of nicotine and the need for nicotine is noticeably reduced.

4. Do not use any substitutes. Substitutes include chewing gum, candy, mints, herbal cigarettes and pills. They only make the process more difficult, not easier. If suffering overtakes you and you use a substitute, it only prolongs the suffering and intensifies it. REMEMBER – you don’t need substitutes! Your suffering is a craving for poison that will soon pass. Let this thought carry you through the next few days. Enjoy cleansing your body of poison, and your mind of slavery and addiction.

5. ANTI-NICOTINE BREW: in the evening, pour crushed oat grains PEOPLE'S DOCTOR™ (1 tbsp.) with warm water (2 cups). In the morning, boil for 10 minutes and drink instead of tea. This decoction suppresses the desire to smoke.

SO, physical withdrawal will take about five days , and another three weeks will be required for the ex-smoker to be completely free . Of course, these are not exact dates, but they reflect the current state of affairs. About five days pass from the moment of quitting smoking, and the smoker ceases to consider smoking as the main topic occupying all his thoughts. Around this time, most ex-smokers experience their “moment of truth.” Usually it happens like this: you are in a tense situation or in a company of people where you could not even imagine that you could do without a cigarette. Suddenly you realize that not only are you enjoying socializing or coping well with a stressful situation, but even the thought of a cigarette has not even crossed your mind. From now on you just go with the flow. It was at that moment that you knew you were free.

The key to the problem is not to wait for the “moment of truth” to arrive, but to realize that the problem has disappeared as soon as you finish your last cigarette. You have already done everything that needs to be done. You have cut off the supply of nicotine. No force on Earth can stop you from being free unless you suffer or wait for a miracle. Go and enjoy life . Only in this way will the “moment of truth” come for you.

Smokers are panic-stricken these days. They feel the changes taking place in society. Today, smoking is considered an antisocial habit, and even smokers themselves think so. They also feel that their time has passed. Today, millions of people quit smoking, and everyone knows it.

Every time another smoker leaves the sinking ship, those left on board feel even more miserable. Deep down, each of them knows that it is ridiculous to pay huge amounts of money for dried leaves wrapped in paper, and then set them on fire and inhale carcinogenic resins into the lungs. If you still don't think it's stupid, try sticking a lit cigarette in your ear and ask yourself what the difference is. There is only one difference: you will not be able to obtain nicotine this way.

Stop putting cigarettes in your mouth and you won't need nicotine anymore!

Materials taken from the book “The Easy Way to Quit Smoking” by Allen Carr: Good Book, 2002.

Medicines and treatments to help you quit smoking.

There are many different methods that have been successful in helping people quit smoking, including:

• Systematic reduction in the number of cigarettes smoked.
• Reduce nicotine consumption gradually over time.
• Use nicotine replacement therapy or non-nicotine medications to reduce withdrawal symptoms.
• Using support groups.
• Hypnosis, acupuncture, or counseling using cognitive behavioral techniques.

You can quit smoking with one method, but most likely you will have to try several different methods or a combination of procedures to find the ones that work best for you.

Medicines to help you quit smoking

Smoking cessation medications can ease withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings and are most effective when used as part of a comprehensive, physician-supervised smoking cessation program. Talk to your doctor about your options and whether anti-smoking treatment is right for you.

Nicotine replacement therapy. Nicotine replacement therapy involves replacing cigarettes with other nicotine substitutes, such as nicotine gum or nicotine patches. It works by delivering small and steady doses of nicotine into the body to relieve some of the withdrawal symptoms of the tar and toxic gases found in cigarettes. This type of treatment helps smokers focus on breaking their addiction and makes it easier to concentrate on learning new behaviors and skills.

Nicotine-free medicine. These medications will help you quit smoking by reducing cravings and relieving symptoms without the use of nicotine. It is better for you to find out the name of such medications from your doctor.

Alternative treatments to help you quit smoking

There are several things you can do to quit smoking without nicotine replacement therapy or medications.

• Hypnosis is a popular option that produces good results. Forget all the hypnotists you've seen on stage, hypnosis works by drawing you into a state of deep relaxation where you are open to suggestions that strengthen your resolve to quit smoking and increase your negative feelings towards cigarettes.
• Acupuncture - One of the oldest known medical techniques, acupuncture is believed to cause the release of endorphins (natural painkillers), which allow the body to relax. As a smoking cessation aid, acupuncture may be helpful in managing the symptoms that accompany quitting smoking.
• Behavioral therapy - Nicotine addiction is associated with habitual behaviors (“rituals”) involved in smoking. Behavioral therapy focuses on teaching new skills and stopping habits.
• Motivational therapy - Books and websites can provide a number of ways to motivate yourself to quit smoking. One well-known example is the calculation of cash savings. Some people have been able to find motivation to quit just by calculating how much money they will save. This may be enough to pay for a summer vacation. (Motivation. Basic theories.)

Smokeless or chewing tobacco is not a healthy alternative to smoking

Smokeless tobacco, otherwise known as chewing tobacco, is not a safe alternative to smoking cigarettes. It contains the same addictive chemicals and nicotine found in cigarettes. In fact, the amount of nicotine absorbed from smokeless tobacco can be 3 to 4 times greater than from a cigarette.

What to do if you start smoking again?

Most people try to quit smoking several times before they finally kick the habit, so don't beat yourself up if you start smoking again. Prevent your next relapse by learning from your mistakes. Review what happened right before you started smoking again, identify the urges or hot spots you encountered, and make another attempt to quit .

It is also important to emphasize the difference between a miss and a repeat. If you make a mistake and smoke a cigarette, it doesn't mean you can't go back to the beginning. You can learn from the failure and force yourself to work even harder at quitting the habit, or you can use it as an excuse to return to your smoking habit. But the choice is yours. A miss should not turn into a full repetition.

I started smoking again, now what?

Having a slight regression does not mean that you are a smoker again. Most people try to quit smoking several times before they quit the habit for good. Identify the drivers

or “hot” spots that you encountered and learn from your mistakes.

• Don't worry if you are wrong. This doesn't mean you can't quit smoking forever.
• Don't let a miss become a failure. It is important to return to the non-smoking path again.
• Look at the notes you made when you didn't smoke and felt good.
• Find the trigger. What made you smoke again? Decide how you will deal with that problem the next time it arises.
• Find out from your experience. Which methods were most helpful? What didn't work?
• Do you use medications to help you quit? Call your doctor if you start smoking again. Some medications cannot be used while smoking.

Psychology articles:

How to quit smoking

I have already discussed internal conflicts in the article “How to overcome laziness...”. Here I will describe this mechanism using the example of the desire-demand to quit smoking. I will repeat here and there.

Not all smokers see their addiction as a problem - they smoke and don’t smoke. And they start to worry when they condemn their behavior, calling it weakness or mental illness.

The situation seems to be familiar to everyone, but you must agree - it’s strange: how, in general, can they not be satisfied with their own actions, deliberately repeated day after day?

This happens as long as one believes in a special mental muscle called “willpower,” which can be strained if desired. For example, when you order yourself to transform and become better. Such orders are encouraging and promise success, but, alas, they do not work.

Imagine how a watchmaker, instead of repairing a broken watch, tries to control the time so that it coincides with the hand stuck at twelve o'clock. Twice a day, at noon and midnight, a coincidence happens - and the watchmaker concludes that time has obeyed him...

This happens when they subjugate themselves by willpower - in coordinates where this arrogance accidentally intersects with the inexorable course of real desires, a person believes that he has finally managed to take his will into a fist and overcome himself.

But we know that the clock hand cannot do anything with time - except to obediently point at it. Likewise, the conscious self can at best recognize its real desires without being deceived by the hope of subduing them.

Just as there are no clocks outside of time, so there is no willpower outside of desires. We always do what we want. Or rather, we choose the most pleasant processes. That’s why they smoke and quit smoking when they really want to.

That very moment when it seems as if, weakening your will, you succumb to weakness and light a cigarette, you are simply realizing your prevailing desire. And when you quit smoking, you do the same thing - you fulfill your real will.

If the so-called “willpower” was needed to change for the better, this means that a struggle against oneself has begun, ensuring an internal split.

Persistently, by force of will, believers may feel to the death that they can overcome themselves and quit smoking with a strong-willed decision. Life will be filled with the struggle between inner “light” and “darkness”.

With this approach, victories are quickly replaced by powerful setbacks, which are doubly embarrassing. For example, a person restrains himself from smoking, revels in pride in his asceticism, and then realizes that for the torment he endured he deserves a small reward: he loosens his grip, and he himself does not notice how he is going “all the way.” Sound familiar?

Willpower is the rationalization of approved desires, and weakness is the rationalization of forbidden desires.

When a smoker cannot quit smoking, nothing can be done about it simply because he himself does not want to do anything about it. The smoker should admit this with complete honesty - to regain responsibility for his own will.

To restore peace with yourself, you must be able to recognize yourself as the initial link in the expression of will. You can literally explain to yourself: “I smoke because I want to, because I like it; and I quit smoking the same way - when I really want it.”

We always express the interests of our own prevailing desires.