Plenty of smokers want to quit, but they often feel that those initial withdrawal symptoms and cravings are too much to overcome. This article contains a plethora of tips which will give you exactly the knowledge you need to butt out for good.

Keep a cold glass or bottle of ice water nearby at all times. When you get a craving for a cigarette, take a sip of water–even if this means you hardly put the bottle down at first. This gives you something to do with your hands and mouth, and it can be a useful way to prevent snacking, too.

Talk to your doctor about prescription medicines. If you want to ease nicotine withdrawal symptoms, consider prescription medications. There are certain medications that affect the chemical balance in your brain and can help reduce cravings. There are also drugs that can reduce bothersome withdrawal symptoms, like inability to concentrate or depression.

One strategy to help you quit smoking is to make a brand switch. By using a brand you dislike, smoking will become a bit less appealing. Do not smoke a greater number of them than usual or modify the way in which you inhale them. This is one method that will ease you into quitting smoking.

Remember that false starts are common when people try to quit smoking. Even if you’ve tried and failed to quit before, you should always keep trying. Ultimately, any reduction in your smoking habit is good for you, so as long as you are trying to quit you are improving your life and health.

Once you get to the point that you should be done smoking altogether, throw away any extra tobacco products. This reduces the temptation to have “just one more cigarette.” You should also get rid of any cigarette paraphernalia that could trigger cravings, including everything from a favorite lighter to ashtrays to your old butts.

Remember the following acronym forever: N.O.P.E. It stands for “never one puff, ever.” This will be a lifelong motto for you to follow, and it should be your mantra when you are tempted to have “just that one” cigarette. Even if you are out drinking with friends, remember to say N.O.P.E. to that puff!

Before beginning to quit, talk with your doctor about your intentions. Your doctor can advise you on the best methods to quit, and if need be, can provide you with prescription drugs to aid your quitting. Also, your doctor can be an important sounding board throughout your entire quitting experience.

Make smoking hard to do. Wait until you have finished a pack before buying another one. You should also avoid buying cartons of them at a time. This will make it harder for you to get them. It also will remind you of what an inconvenience smoking is.

Try gradually cutting back on the number of cigarettes that you smoke. However, you should have a day that you will quit set in stone. For example, you could plan out the number of cigarettes you plan on smoking until the day that you quit. Try making the number that you smoke each day smaller and smaller until this day arrives. This method has been proven to work for many people.

Think about how good you felt before you smoked. Focus on how healthy, happy and active you were as a smoke-free child. Think about the foods you loved, the scents you loved and how fit you were, this will give you added incentive to stop smoking.

Establish an extensive list of the reasons behind your decision to quit. If you are tempted to start again, get the list out and read it to motivate yourself to stay strong.

Think like a baby trying to walk. Don’t quit forever; quit for an hour first. When you can, quit for a day. Next, quit for a week and then a month. Just make every quit attempt go longer than the last, building on your success. One time, you will target a high number and just never get around to starting back up.

When quitting smoking, it’s best not to immediately cut yourself off. While stopping cigarettes and having a clean break sounds great it theory, it’s very rarely effective. In fact, some studies have found that only 5% of people who use the cold turkey method of quitting smoking manage to remain cigarette free.

Enlist the help of those closest to you when you decide to stop smoking. This includes family members, friends and coworkers. Tell them. If they do not know that you are attempting this very important step in your life, they will not know how to help you. Tell them to expect grouchiness, trouble sleeping and impatience. Most importantly, they can help you plan activities in smoke-free environments.

Kicking the habit may be among the most difficult things you may ever attempt. However, quitting smoking is not impossible. You will need to call upon your willpower, be patient and give it time. It is also helpful to have knowledge and some great tips on your side to assist you. The above article can help you to give up cigarettes for good.

Good Advice On How To Quit Smoking was originally published on Spring