Steps to Be Mentally Prepared to Quit Smoking

If you smoke, the prospect of stopping can be a very daunting one. Because a big part of the smoking experience and addiction is mental, it is important to prepare yourself mentally before you begin the process of quitting. Understanding why you find smoking pleasurable and knowing what to expect during the quitting process will greatly increase your chances of successfully ceasing smoking cigarettes altogether.

How Badly Do You Need to Smoke?

• In preparation to quit smoking, you should consider how badly you need to smoke cigarettes on a daily basis. Do you wake up craving a cigarette or do you casually smoke them throughout the day? Do you smoke out of habit or do actually enjoy smoking cigarettes? If you find that you are smoking cigarettes out of habit and do not fully enjoy doing so, or if you have trouble not smoking for long periods of time, you may need to begin by using a product that will replace the nicotine in your system while you work on not having the physical comfort of a cigarette in your hand. Understanding how addicted you are to cigarettes will help you come to terms with the steps you will have to take to stop.

Why Do You Want to Stop?

• Sit down and consider why you want to stop smoking. You need to be ready to stop smoking or you may lose sight of what you set out to do in the first place. It helps to make a list of why you are going to stop smoking. If the items on the list are important enough to you, you will be able to keep them in focus. Consider what kind of effect smoking will have on your life in the long run if you continue going down the same path. This should help you think of reasons to stop smoking that make sense to you.

Replacements for Cigarettes

• When you are considering why you should stop smoking, also think about why you liked smoking in the first place. What kind of activities can you add to your life that will give you similar feelings? A new activity, whether it is physical exercise or a new hobby, will help to produce feelings of happiness. Making sure you have a support system in place is an important part of smoking cessation. When you begin to stop smoking, you may feel grouchy and you may lash out at those around you. But having people around you to remind you of why you want to stop smoking will help you keep your goal in mind and make it through those difficult times when you really want to smoke.