What to do if you’re struggling to quit smoking
If you could go back in time, would you have said “thanks but no thanks” when you were offered your first cigarette? No matter how you started smoking, given the chance again it’s likely you would have chosen differently.
We now know just how dangerous smoking is to our health, but just because we know it’s bad for us, doesn’t necessarily make it any easier to quit.
When we become addicted to smoking, we’re not only addicted to the nicotine, we’re addicted to the habit, the routine. We’re both physically and psychologically addicted.
This makes it difficult to quit, but certainly not impossible. For some people, willpower is all they need to ditch the cigarettes. For others, the task is more difficult.
You may have quit countless times in the past, but as soon as you have that sip of wine or that cup of coffee, your cravings kick in and the process starts again.
If you’re tired of the quit, relapse, quit again cycle - it’s time to take stock and recruit some support. There is absolutely no shame in admitting that you need support to quit smoking - you are taking control of your health and making a positive change and that’s something to be admired.
Here are some ways other people can support you in your goal:
Join a support group or forum with others trying to quit.
Having a sense of camaraderie and accountability is sometimes all we need to stick to our goals. You might even make some new friends in the process!
Encourage friends/family to quit with you
If you have friends or family who smoke, why not tackle it together? You can keep each other on track and share tips.
Try hypnotherapy
A hypnotherapist can speak to your subconscious and change the thought process that leads to you wanting to smoke. One way of doing this involves finding the part of the mind that gets satisfaction from the cigarette and transferring that feeling to a healthier habit.
Find out more about how a hypnotherapist can help you quit smoking for good.