The desire to get rid of nicotine addiction is a challenge for you. Many heavy smokers are trying to kick the bad habit, but only a few succeed.
Is it really that complicated and is there no easy way to quit on your own? We offer several options to help you deal with harmful attachments at home.
Reasons for addiction
Every smoker has their own reasons for reaching for a cigarette. Sociologists say that most tobacco addiction begins in adolescence. Young people believe that a smoked cigarette will allow them to better integrate into the company, bring them closer to their colleagues, open them up and free themselves. Instead, nicotine addiction appears.
In old age, a person begins to look for cigarettes to find peace and quiet in them, to drown out pain or resentment. There can be many reasons. Some do not know what to do with themselves and use smoking as a remedy for boredom. For example, when they are waiting for a bus at a bus stop or when they want to take a break from a boring, monotonous or uninteresting job. Others use cigarettes to drown their fear of loneliness. They fear that if they refuse to support the company in the smoking circle, they will be rejected and not understood. For others, smoking is a way to relax and release tension. In other words, smoking is an attempt to stifle an internal conflict or the desire to get rid of a problem. So how do you quit on your own?
Where to start
The first step in ending your addiction is realizing that cigarettes are not doing you any good. On the contrary, they deprive health, beauty and youth, destroy from within and take away strength. Keep in mind that by getting rid of nicotine addiction, you will not lose anything. So make a firm decision to act now. Not tomorrow, not Monday, not the New Year, but this very second. Eliminate all the attributes of smoking, ventilate the apartment well. Throw out ashtrays and lighters, wash curtains and clothing, change routes to avoid your favorite cigar store, stop visiting smoking companies.
The most difficult period to quit smoking is considered to be the first 3-5 days. To reduce stress, experts recommend having several distractions on hand.
Let your friends and family know that you have decided to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Ask for their help and support. Take a sheet of paper and write down what you get by getting rid of smoking: lowering and normalizing blood pressure, enriching cells with oxygen, increasing the functionality of the body, the ability to feel new tastes and smells, a beautiful and even skin color, reduce the risk of heart attack or lung cancer, etc. . . . Memorize the contents of the brochure or simply take it with you everywhere. Let this list motivate and inspire you.
The most difficult period to quit smoking is considered to be the first 3-5 days. To reduce stress, experts recommend having several distractions on hand: exercising, going to the movies or the amusement park, having good company, etc. So, even before you quit, think about where and how you can get busy and distract yourself from cigarettes. The more distractions the better.
Folk remedies
The easiest way to quit on your own is to get rid of cigarettes and never handle them again. But for many people, such an act is still a matter of dreams. Therefore, they seek help to overcome the consequences of quitting smoking. Folk methods are becoming invaluable helpers on this path.
One of the additional means to help ease the withdrawal period is to rinse your mouth with a special solution. To do this, you will need a large coil, baking soda, and hot water. Add 1 tablespoon. l. Dried herbs and soda in a glass of boiling water and steep for about 1-1, 5 hours. Rinse your mouth with the prepared product whenever you want to smoke. The solution tastes so unpleasant that it can cause nausea or vomiting. 2-3 rinses are enough for a handful of disgusting tasting cigarettes to work subconsciously and any desire to touch them disappear.
Some smoking cessation mouthwashes have prepared a different solution. Mix 1 tbsp. boiling water and 1 tbsp. l. sea salt. The action of this remedy also aims to discourage the urge to smoke.
An anti-nicotine tea is a gentler remedy to quit smoking. In 2 tbsp. Pour in 1 teaspoon of boiling water. long black tea and 0, 5 tsp. mint, chicory, nettle, valerian and rue. Insist on the solution for 15 to 20 minutes and consume half a glass every day. You can enhance the effect of the drug by adding honey, beets, and lemon juice.
Another effective infusion that suppresses the urge to smoke is a decoction of cereals. Mix 100 g of oats, rye and millet and pour 1 liter of water over them. Put on the fire, boil for 10 minutes, cool and strain. Take half a glass of infusion 3 times a day. Thanks to the large amount of nutrients the broth contains, the body will cleanse itself of toxins in record time and rid itself of harmful addiction.
You can also make infusions with other herbs. For example, from valerian, catnip, and dandelion, or from banana, St. John's wort, echinacea, and calamus. Take 1 tablespoon. l. of the listed herbs, pour boiling water over them, cover with a lid and allow to steep for about 30-40 minutes. Then strain and drink several times a day instead of regular tea. All of these herbs have a sedative and calming effect.
In some cases, when the urge to smoke a cigarette becomes unbearable, you can use a mullein and rosemary leaf roll. A few puffs of this remedy will satisfy the desire of the smoker and, at the same time, will not do the same damage as the tar in tobacco.
Breathing exercises
Long-term smoking is a very common cause of shortness of breath. Therefore, during the weaning of tobacco, it is necessary to take care of its restoration. This will speed up the clearing of the lungs and significantly improve overall well-being.
Try to do the following exercises periodically:
- Sit up straight. Relax. Take a deep breath and hold your breath for a few seconds. Breathe out slowly. Repeat 8-10 times. You may feel a little dizzy during exercise. Do not be alarmed. This is normal and is caused by the active supply of oxygen to the brain.
- Accepts the previous starting position. Inhale slowly through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth. Take about 30 breaths. Then rest for 1 minute and start over at a slightly faster pace. In total, you need to complete 5-6 cycles.
- The final exercise can be practiced sitting or standing. Inhale deeply and fill your entire chest and then your belly with air. Hold your breath for 1-2 seconds. Exhale air first from the abdomen and then from the lungs. Watch your spine while running. It must remain absolutely straight. Repeat 6-7 times.
Anti-nicotine diet
Quitting smoking is a lot of stress on the body. To cope, many begin to eat fatty, sweet, and floury foods in unlimited quantities. This ultimately leads to dramatic weight gain. A review of the refrigerator and the correct diet will help to avoid such consequences. Don't bury the problem with cakes and sweets.
Try to include as many vegetables, fruits, and dairy products as possible in your diet. Eat often, but little by little, then the feeling of hunger will not be a constant companion. Drink beverages through a straw, chew food well and for a long time. In the first few days of quitting, eat cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, cauliflower, and eggplant. These vegetables contain small amounts of nicotine and will help reduce nicotine cravings. It will be easier to quit on your own.
Chew
Some experts recommend keeping something in your mouth when quitting smoking, replacing cigarettes with something useful. The leaders among these surrogates are the bird cherry branch and the swamp calamus. As soon as your hand reaches for the cigarette, take the substitute and chew it.
Cheese cigarettes are an excellent aid to cope with psychological addiction to nicotine. Cut the cheese into thin slices, roll them into rolls and pat dry. Fold in a pack instead of cigarettes. As soon as you feel a strong urge to smoke, take out the stick of cheese and chew it. In addition to the products listed, substitutes include carrots, apples, or candied pineapple chunks.
Recommendations
Here are some more tips for smokers with a strong psychological addiction to nicotine. They will facilitate the process of quitting smoking.
- Cut down on the number of cigarettes you smoke every day.
- Before continuing, do something to extend the time between smoking breaks.
- Replace natural cigarettes with electronic cigarettes and gradually reduce the amount of nicotine.
- Use a special plaster. Apply it on your body every day and after 1 to 2 months you can finally get rid of the bad habit.
- Women smokers can more easily tolerate quitting with the help of psychotherapeutic techniques or under the influence of someone's opinion: placing a bet, challenging a rival, promising a husband, or thinking about the health of a child.
- Men can seek motivation through running, the gym or playing sports, as well as interacting with other pitchers on forums or social media.
- Moisten regular cigarettes with milk or cream and then dry them well. Try smoking a "milk cigarette" for a while. In just 2-3 days, even ordinary tobacco smoke will make you very upset.
We hope we were able to clarify all the points about ways to quit smoking at home. Remember, the main thing is your sincere desire to get rid of the bad habit. Learn to relax and distract yourself with other more rewarding and fun methods. This will be the easiest way to quit the addiction.