Why Slowly Reducing Your Consumption is the Only Way to Actually Quit Smoking for Good

Known to cause cancer, lung disease, diabetes, and heart disease, we are all aware of how bad smoking is for our health and wellbeing. Unfortunately, nicotine is a highly addictive and harmful chemical that can increase blood pressure, narrow arteries, and contribute towards the hardening of the arterial walls, putting smokers at a higher risk of a heart attack.

No matter how long you’ve been smoking for, there may have come a time where you’ve decided to pack the habit in for good. However, saying and doing are two different stories. Giving up smoking is mentally and emotionally difficult, so choosing the right method to quit smoking for good is crucial. With that in mind, here are a few reasons why slowly reducing your intake is the only solution for quitting smoking for good, as well as what options you have to kick the habit altogether.

Set Goals

If you have made the decision to quit smoking, there are several things you need to do before your quit date arrives. Gradually cutting down can be achieved by setting goals for the foreseeable future. Make sure that you have a think about how many cigarettes you smoke each day, and try and reduce your intake each day, week, and fortnight. If you reduce your consumption too dramatically, you may experience more cravings, making it difficult for you to stay on target.

Continue to Reduce

As your quit day approaches, make sure that you continue to reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke. Even if you don’t feel ready to stop once your quit day arrives, there have been numerous studies that demonstrate the benefits that reduced smoking can bring. Lowering your risk of disease, improving your quality of life, and increasing life expectancy will all be gained by lowering your intake. If your quit day arrives and you aren’t quite ready to say goodbye to smoking, make sure that you set another date and keep pushing on.

Manage Your Cravings

If you’re serious about reducing how many cigarettes you consume, you may find that your cravings intensify as you start to cut back. Rather than reaching for a cigarette to give you a fix, there are lots of things you can do to take your mind off it. Drinking a glass of water, going for a walk, doing the dishes, or calling up a friend are all good distractions that will keep you going. As each day passes, try and space out the time between each cigarette. Although you may find it difficult at first, your mind and body will start to adjust, making it easier for you to reach your goal of quitting smoking for good.

NRT

While some smokers quit the habit for good by going cold turkey, the emotional mood swings and stress levels that you experience can make it difficult to stay smoke-free. If you’re ready to say goodbye to conventional cigarettes, but still need your nicotine fix, trying nicotine replacement therapy may be best suited for you.

There are substitutes like gum, lozenges, patches, nasal sprays, and inhalers which can relieve some of the withdrawal symptoms that you experience by providing small and steady nicotine doses into your body. Unlike the poisonous gases and tar that is found in a conventional cigarette, nicotine substitutes are a much healthier option. This form of treatment is designed for smokers to break their psychological addiction, making it easier to focus on learning new coping mechanisms and behaviours.

Non-Nicotine Medication

There are several non-nicotine medications that you can take alongside reducing your cigarette consumption. Medicines like Champix are designed to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms that are commonly associated with nicotine use. Be warned, however, that Champix should only be taken short-term.

E-Cigarettes & Vaping

With over 3 million people switching from conventional cigarettes to e-cigarettes and vaping, you may find this route suitable if you’re ready to cut down on smoking. As there is no ash, tar, and combustion associated with vaping, making the switch from smoking will let you experience a range of benefits that being smoke-free brings. This means that you will experience better oral hygiene, lung capacity, improved taste, and smell, as well as skin health.

If you’re looking to purchase your first vape, check out websites like Liberty Flights where you can find vape kits and more. If you’re worried about running out of e-liquid, then choose a system that runs on pods instead, as you can monitor the number you have easily. The Dot Pro uses pods to make refills quick and easy, and you can find Dot Pro Refills here, so you’ve always got enough. Dot Pro Refills come in a variety of flavours and feature nicotine salt, which creates a smoother vape. E-cigarettes and vaping can help you manage your nicotine cravings and help you cut down gradually, and by using pods instead of liquids, you can save yourself the effort of pouring liquid into your vape kit and make it easier to see when you’re low on pods and need to stock up

While there are several routes to take when it comes to stopping smoking, it’s always best to reduce your consumption, rather than going cold turkey. If you’re struggling to stay focused, all the tips and options listed above can help you become smoke-free sooner rather than later.