How To Quit Smoking Cigarettes And Chewing Tobacco? 6 Expert-Backed Tips
Bad habits are hard to quit and it’s worse if it’s an addiction. As smokers, we all want to quit and live a clean life but getting freedom from this bad habit is not an easy one. Just the attempt and effort to live a nicotine addiction-free life is much more difficult than stubbing the cigarette. We all have moments when we take a puff and we wonder how long our lungs will last with all this smoke but that’s clearly not enough to get us all to stop smoking tobacco. But TBH, we all must start somewhere. And what better day to begin your attempt to quit smoking than World No-Tobacco Day. We’ve listed some strategies to help y’all stop smoking from an expert. Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Rahul Khemani shares tips on how to begin the process of de-addiction.
1. Seek Help
Dr Rahul Khemani guides that the best way to begin the process of de-addiction is to find a psychiatrist or psychologist and start therapy. “Your mental health expert will immediately begin nicotine replacement therapy which is the easiest way to begin as it takes care of all the withdrawal symptoms that one may experience upon quitting tobacco intake. You Psychiatrist may also prescribe you a medicine to reduce anxiety related to quitting tobacco,” adds the doctor.
2. Understand And Manage Your Triggers
Dr Khemani shares that every person has triggers that make them smoke or chew tobacco and it is essential to identify these triggers and learn how to deal with them. “Most of us know that meeting a friend may be a trigger or passing by a cigarette shop may be a trigger. So, try to avoid these triggers as much as possible. Of course, avoiding them may not always be possible but you can find a way to avoid feeling triggered by keeping yourself occupied by talking on the phone and skipping the trigger.
3. Play The Delay Game
Smoking or chewing tobacco is an impulse and it’s possible for one to control the impulse, says Dr Rahul Khemani. He adds that if one controls their impulse for a few seconds the intensity of the craving reduces which helps one skip the urge to smoke. “You can also distract yourself during the rest of the time by talking to a friend or listening to music or going for a drive to keep your mind occupied,” says the psychiatrist.
4. Keep it Cool
“If you have an intense craving to smoke a cigarette or chew tobacco, drink something cold. Addiction has a lot to do with your lips and cooling down your lips and mouth can help you relax and instantly reduces the craving,” says Dr Rahul Khemani.
Also Read: Man Files For Divorce Because Of Wife’s Habit Of Chewing Tobacco. High Court Says It’s Not A Valid Reason!
5. Indulge In Self-Care
According to Dr Khemani, self-care techniques like working out, following a proper diet, yoga, meditation and other such things can help in the de-addiction process. He adds that it helps one feel more positive as well. “There are some relaxation exercises like progressive muscle relaxation techniques that instantly reduce anxiety and since smokers usually have anxiety related to tobacco and cravings, these exercises can make them feel much better,” says the doctor.
6. Have A Fallback Plan
For the worst-case scenario, Dr Rahul Khemani recommends that one should have a friend who you can reach out to whenever you feel that your tobacco craving is getting out of hand. He suggests that you pick someone who can speak to you, guide you and talk you out of smoking cigarettes or chewing tobacco in that moment.
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Well, here’s to hoping we can all quit smoking and chewing tobacco and live a clean and healthy life ahead.
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