What Can You Do to Quit Smoking Effectively?

What can you do to quit smoking effectively? As the saying goes, “Smoking and drinking often go hand in hand; cigarettes are a deadly stick, and alcohol is a soul-devouring soup.” As everyone knows, smoking is harmful to health. Many smokers have thought about quitting, but quitting successfully is not easy, especially for long-time heavy smokers. So, what can smokers do to quit effectively?
 
First, if smokers want to quit, they must clearly understand the dangers of smoking. Zhu Jinqi, Associate Chief Physician at the Respiratory Medicine Expert Studio of Changsha Central Hospital in Hunan Province, said in an interview with Changsha Evening News that research has confirmed that more than 90% of lung cancer patients are current or former smokers. In addition to damaging the lungs, smoking is also a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, cerebral infarction, oral cancer, bladder cancer, and more.

Second, quitting smoking cannot be just a slogan—you also need to adopt practical methods. Hualong.com introduced the following specific approaches, which smokers may want to try:

1. Environmental control: Spend most of your time in public places where smoking is not allowed; reduce the number of parties and banquets you attend; keep your distance from people with a heavy smoking habit.

2. Distraction method: When you cannot resist the urge to smoke, take a hot shower, open the window for fresh air, look at green grass and flowers, or do some exercise.

3. Self-reward method: Calculate how much extra money you will save if you do not smoke; when you achieve a milestone in quitting, buy yourself a gift you have really wanted as a reward.

In addition, according to Health Times, Professor Zhi Xiuyi, Executive Director of the Chinese Association on Tobacco Control, suggests that in the first days of quitting, you may feel empty without holding a cigarette. At that time, you can hold a pen instead. You can also analyze your smoking habits—for example, if you are used to smoking right after getting up in the morning, replace it with a cup of coffee; if you are used to smoking after meals, replace it with tea or fruit. In addition, you can force yourself to look at pictures showing the harm of smoking: yellow teeth, blackened lungs, ulcerated mouths… You can even set these images as your phone or computer wallpaper. When you feel like smoking, looking at these horrifying images and grossing yourself out may also have some effect.