There isn’t a smoker anywhere who does not know that they should stop smoking. Does anyone boast about all the great benefits smoking has brought them? It can be difficult for a non-smoker to understand how difficult it is to quit, and that is where the ex-smoker becomes the expert. The following article will provide you with some of their proven tips.

If you are looking for a chemical aid to quit smoking, then be very careful about this approach. Drugs such as Chantix have a relatively weak success rate and can have the potential to cause severe damage to your body. It works by altering your brain chemistry, and can lead to severe depression and suicidal tendencies.

Before you begin the process of quitting your nicotine habit for good, take the time to make a specific plan of action. Merely thinking that you can muster up the willpower when needed is a poor way to approach this very addictive habit. Write down a list of things that you will do instead of reaching for that cigarette. This can include going for a walk, calling a friend, making a fresh fruit smoothie, or any number of diversions.

Try to drink a lot of fruit juice as you begin quitting. The fruit juice will help cleanse your body of all the nicotine that is stored in your system. This will help you better resist cravings that you are bound to get if you do not do this sort of cleanse.

Give your home a fresh start, too, by cleaning away the smoky smell. Steam-clean or shampoo your carpet and furniture, scrub the walls and wash your curtains and drapes. This will make your house smell clean and fresh, and a smoky smell will not greet you whenever you enter your home.

Do not give up. Relapsing is very common. Many smokers have to try several times before they are successful in putting down the cigarettes. Look at what circumstances and emotions lead to the relapse. Once you decide you are ready to try again, set a date to quit in the very near future.

Each time you hit a landmark in your regimen to quit smoking, reward yourself. Write down the rewards you will grant yourself upon reaching one day, one week, one month, and one year as a non-smoker. Keep it in a place you visit often, like the refrigerator or bathroom mirror, so you can view it repeatedly. It might provide inspiration and motivation during difficult times.

To help you quit smoking, some people say that eating low calorie snack foods is very effective. Try purchasing mini carrots, cut up broccoli, cauliflower, dried fruit, low calorie cereal, or sugar-free candy. Consuming any of these items when you have the desire to smoke can help control cravings and keep your mouth busy.

Make a list of healthy things you can do to relieve stress, anxiety or frustration. For many people, smoking is a way to relieve stress. Your list can help you find a better, healthier way of coping with negative feelings so that you won’t be as tempted to smoke when you’re having a bad day.

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!

Quit smoking with a buddy. Having someone else with whom to commiserate and celebrate will make your success even sweeter. Choose a friend, relative, or co-worker who also wants to quit, or pair up with someone on an online support forum. Having someone by your side will make the process much easier to tolerate and will help you stay accountable.

Now is the time to stop smoking. Don’t set a quitting date for sometime in the future, just make today your day to quit. When you quit, you are reducing the risk of having adverse health affects. Protecting your family from secondhand smoke can be an important reason to quit.

Make getting a workout a priority. You will find that your lung capacity is quickly improving after you quit smoking, enabling you to exercise more easily. Increased exercise will also ensure that you don’t gain any weight after quitting. Although you might still feel nicotine cravings, you won’t have as difficult a time with withdrawal symptoms if you exercise. Exercising causes endorphins to surge through your system, giving you a sense of happiness and well-being.

Nonsmokers simply cannot understand how you can be so addicted to something that has been proven to cause so much harm to you. These people also can’t understand how truly difficult it is to break an addiction. Some individuals have managed to quit, however, and their strategies were shared here. Use their experience and techniques to rid yourself from your addiction to smoking.

Stop Smoking Advice You Need To Read was originally published on Spring