Smoking is reported to cause 480,000 deaths a year, and it is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States. Ninety percent of lung cancer deaths are caused by smoking.
Quitting smoking is not all about going cold turkey. Only 4 to 7 percent of people successfully quit by going cold turkey without outside help. If you really want to quit smoking, you have to find a method that works for you. Here are 3 effective methods that you can use to quit smoking:
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Make a “Quitting Roadmap”
While this sounds vague, creating a quitting plan or a “quitting roadmap” is one of the more effective methods to quit smoking. When creating a roadmap, you can choose how and when you want to quit. Choose a specific date you want to quit smoking by before starting your roadmap. Once you’ve chosen a date, make goals to either reduce current smoking habits or stop smoking entirely. Some possible goals could be:
- Reduce the number of cigarettes per day.
- Don’t smoke at all on a certain day of the week.
- Go as long as you can without smoking.
When choosing this method, make sure you have support, and feel free to adjust your goals as necessary. Write down why you want to quit, and find a friend to help you stick to your goals.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) focuses on transforming negative thoughts or actions into positive ones. By talking to a therapist, you’ll be able to work through the roadblocks that come with quitting smoking. CBT can help you find the triggers that cause smoking cravings, deal with the stress that comes with quitting, and discover healthy alternatives to smoking. Find a therapist near you here.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) comes in many forms: gum, patches, lozenges, and inhalers. This type of therapy works because you are still allowing your body to have what it’s addicted to: nicotine. By using nicotine-infused products, you are still getting the nicotine your body craves, but you are not inhaling the thousands of chemicals in cigarettes.
Get Support
It doesn’t matter what method you choose as long as you quit smoking. The most important thing is to make sure that you have the support you need to quit smoking. It’s a long and hard road to quit, but the payoff is worth it. Within just 2 weeks of not smoking, your heart disease risk drops dramatically.
Your health is important. Here at Good Guys Injury Law, we wish you luck and success in your journey to quit smoking.