Key takeaways
- Breaking smoking habit into achievable steps is key.
- Set a quit date and inform loved ones.
- Identify and avoid triggers, seek alternatives.
- Tailor-made cessation program with GP's help.
- Join supportive community, reflect, meditate on goals.
Kicking an old habit like smoking takes time and serious effort, no doubt about it.
But, no matter how strong that habit feels, you can change your path by taking that first step and staying focused on your goal.
Quitting smoking might seem like a mountain to climb, but breaking it down into smaller, manageable steps makes it far more doable.
That’s exactly how smoking cessation programmes work—they break the big goal of quitting into manageable, bite-sized steps.
Chat to a prescriber
Bulk-billed phone consultations
TGA-authorised clinicians
Nicotine vaping scripts available
This makes it easier for smokers to make progress without feeling overwhelmed.
These steps could be a simple to-do list or part of a structured process you follow from start to finish.
Keep reading to explore five common steps you can take to get started and beat those cravings.
1. Set a Date to Finally Stop Smoking
Once you realise how much smoking can take a toll on your health, you’re giving yourself a better chance to turn things around and quit for good.
At the start of your quitting journey, you might doubt whether you can see it through, but it’s all about setting your mind to it and giving it your best shot.
A great way to commit is by setting a ‘last smoke’ date. Pick a date about a week away—enough time to prepare, but not so far off that you lose momentum.
Ideally, don’t let it go beyond two weeks from when you’ve decided to quit.
Make sure to let your loved ones know about your plan to stop smoking so they can support you, and get yourself in the right mindset to stick with it.
2. Identify and Avoid All Your Triggers
The first couple of weeks after quitting smoking are usually the hardest, with withdrawal symptoms hitting you pretty quickly, often within days or even hours.
It can feel like a real uphill battle at first, so it’s crucial to know your triggers—the things that make you want to light up—and steer clear of them as much as you can.
To boost your chances of success, take a leaf out of other former smokers’ books.
Many have found nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products or nicotine vaping products (NVPs) from the pharmacy helpful in managing cravings and stopping them from slipping back into old habits.
Using these tools can make the whole quitting journey that little bit easier.
What Are NRT Products?
NRT products are lozenges, gums, inhalers, patches, and other products designed to give you a small dose of nicotine during withdrawal. By cushioning the impact of withdrawal symptoms and strong cravings when quitting, NRTs are designed to wean you off nicotine and help in your smokefree journey.
NRTs might be effective for some, but they don’t work for everyone. If a GP deems NRTs lacking for your particular case, they may prescribe nicotine vaping products (NVPs) sold in pharmacies.
What Are NVPs?
Pharmacy-sold NVPs use medical-grade ingredients and are manufactured with very strict standards in every aspect. Unlike illicit vapes, pharmacy NVPs have been rigorously tested for inhalation safety and are locally insured.
Pharmacy NVPs also mimic the hand-to-mouth gesture of traditional smoking, making them a suitable replacement whenever you feel the urge to smoke, such as with your morning coffee or after eating.
The latest Cochrane Review has found high-certainty evidence that NVPs are more effective than NRT in helping people stop smoking.
3. Have a Tailor-Made Smoking Cessation Programme
The big picture is always overwhelming, but seeing small steps makes the ultimate goal much easier to reach.
Many ex-smokers have found great success with the help of GPs. These professionals show you the steps towards successfully quitting the habit. You can think of them as hiking guides – it’s easy to get lost and stumble without an experienced guide.
GPs can create a smoking cessation programme with all of your particular needs and essentials considered. They can help you assess if NRT products are enough to make you quit, or if you should consider NVPs from pharmacies to have the best chances of stopping for good.
4. Join a Stop Smoking Community
Having a friend and a supportive community during your quit journey has been proven to help you deal with cravings faster. In fact, the more friends you have on your path to wellness, the better chances you all have of stopping smoking.
Stop smoking communities and organisations team you up with people who can understand what you’re going through. Any friend can listen, but an empathetic community that knows your struggles can give you useful advice for your betterment.
Also, a stop smoking community can assign a quit mate that you can call and talk to when withdrawal symptoms overwhelm you, and you’re edging closer to buying ciggies.
5. Reflect and Meditate On Your Goals
Studies have shown that meditation has a key role in the quit journey. By meditating on your goals, you maintain your focus by understanding your body’s needs as you filter out its wants.
Meditation lets you realign with your goals, especially if you pair it with journaling. Writing about your troubles with withdrawal and how you dealt with it lets you meditate.
It might seem like nothing at first, but both writing and meditation let you internalise your goals and keep your mind strong as you continue to kick the habit.
Summary
Quitting seems like a huge undertaking when the big picture looms over you. But, by breaking it down into simple steps and finding the right people to help you, it becomes much easier to finally end your relationship with ciggies and live a smokefree, healthy life.
We know you’re reading this because you want to know the best strategies to stop smoking for good. We hope you found this information useful. Right now, you’re actually in the right place if you want to quit completely.
Smokefree Clinic gives you access to many medically reviewed and trustworthy resources that can inform and aid you in your path to wellness, so have a look around!
If you’re ready to get started, Smokefree can connect you to Australian healthcare professionals who excel in helping patients quit smoking for good.
Link Reference:
- https://www.cochrane.org/news/latest-cochrane-review-finds-high-certainty-evidence-nicotine-e-cigarettes-are-more-effective