If you or a person you know have been smoking for a long time, you probably know just how hard it is to stop the habit.
Even smokers who are determined to stop smoking still give in to their unhealthy cravings.
Nicotine is the substance in cigarettes that causes the smoking addiction as it makes a smoker feel good, relaxed, or even euphoric.
Every cigarette has around 10 milligrams of nicotine, and a smoker gets about 10 to 20 percent of this substance.
Aside from nicotine, other substances found in cigarettes such as carbon monoxide and tar has harmful effects on a smoker's health such as heart and lung diseases.
Breaking this hazardous addiction entails sacrifice and discipline on the part of the smoker.
Fortunately, there are a lot of easy ways to stop smoking that can help the smoker combat his or her urge to puff another stick.
You must keep in mind that some of the ways to quit smoking may work for you, while others may not.
Thus, you need to choose which ones fit you best.
The first step in quitting smoking is doing it gradually.
Avoiding cigarettes abruptly is not recommended since it only boosts your addiction when the craving sets in again.
Quitting smoking is a gradual yet painful process.
If you smoke at least four sticks a day, try to lessen your consumption everyday-smoke only two sticks on the next three days and so on.
This makes your mind think that your body needs less amount of nicotine as days pass by.
It is best that this process is done within two weeks to make the effort successful.
To make quitting a lot easier for you, enlist the help of your family and friends.
Tell them that you are serious in breaking your smoking addiction and ask them to support you with it.
Your peers can help a lot in diverting your attention to other things, and this prevents you from entertaining thoughts about how much you miss your old puffing days.
At home, your mother or younger brother can give you some scolding every time you try to pick a stick.
Over time, you will thank them for giving you constant warnings (no matter how nasty your mom can get) even if your mouth is itching to puff just one stick.
Besides your family and friends, it is good to ask help from a doctor.
Of course, nothing beats an advice from an expert.
The doctor can prescribe some drugs that will aid you in quitting smoking.
In fact, addiction to nicotine can be easily eliminated with proper medication.
In addition, you can engage in different activities to keep yourself busy and to put your mind off from smoking.
Learn a new sport or a new hobby.
You can also use your time and energy in more productive activities such as putting up a business, doing volunteer work, among others.
Or you can simply do some chores at home such as repairing the sink, doing the laundry and dishes, or baby-sitting your niece or nephew.
Sure, doing these household chores can be boring, but it can make your parents or spouse extremely glad.
The better thing is, you end up with less or no cigarette butts lying on the ash trays.
These easy ways to stop smoking are only suggestions to help reduce your addiction to smoking.
Of course, you can device some ways to prevent yourself from smoking again.