Quitting smoking isn’t an easy thing to do. In fact, many people fail on their first few attempts. However, there are ways to help ensure that you will quit. More importantly though, there are things you should avoid when trying to quit smoking. Whether it’s eating candy or turning to other tobacco products, these are things that could make your health worse rather than improving it. Here are just five things to avoid when trying to quit smoking.
- Eating in Place of Smoking
- Using Other Tobacco Products
- Anger and Negativity
- Going It Alone
- Stress
Something that is often suggested to smokers is to eat suckers whenever they feel tempted to smoke. While the action does mimic smoking, it can lead to weight gain. If you want to keep your hands busy, consider taking up a craft, such as cross stitch or crocheting. Remember, many smokers gain weight when they quit smoking, but you can help keep the numbers low by avoiding excess sweets.
Another crazy thing people suggest to help smokers quit is to use another tobacco product, such as chewing tobacco. The idea of this suggestion is that the other product will provide nicotine, which will make it easier to quit smoking. However, you will soon find yourself with a new addiction and increased risks of oral cancer.
A reason many people smoke is to relieve stress. When they can’t do that, they often become very angry and take it out on those around them. This can have a very bad impact on the relationships you have with your loved ones. Another attitude problem quitters take on is negativity. As the withdrawal begins you may find yourself depressed, especially if you know others that are still smoking. Do whatever it takes to beat these emotions. Play upbeat music, find other ways to deal with stress and remember to take time out for yourself.
Another mistake many people make is to refuse help. Quitting smoking is extremely difficult and chances are you’ll need someone in your corner to keep you going. You might get help from a friend that has already quit or you may even need to see a psychologist to determine why you have such a strong addiction.
Last, but not least, you need to avoid stress as much as possible. While it’s impossible to avoid stress completely, you can take actions that will help reduce the stress in your life. It may mean saying no to tasks you don’t have time for or keeping a detailed schedule to make sure everything gets done on time.
You can quit smoking. You can also improve your physical and mental health by avoiding the above. Remember, this isn’t something that will happen overnight so go easy on yourself.
About the Author: Ethel McGarry used an ecigarette to help her quit smoking more than a year ago. She recommends checking out the electronic cig blog for more information about these amazing devices. They might be just what you need to finally quit for good. This article was written by a guest author. Would you like to write for us?