Rabu, 20 Oktober 2010

How to help someone to quit smoking?

There has been a consistent increase in the number of people addicted to smoking year by year and it is not just restricted to men but also women and teenagers. Many start as fun and become enslaved to the nicotine. And, then, it can be hell to make a person quit it. Probably, the person might start hating you for battering him regularly on his habit instead of quitting. So, there are some habits which can help a person quit smoking. Encourage your loved ones in the right way and help them leave this habit. The first rule is always to make them want to quit the habit by themselves.

Habits which can help you leave smoking
  • Chewing peppermint or a menthol toffee as it makes your brain crave less for something hot.
  • Chewing a mint-flavored or other bubblegum keeps the mouth busy and keeps your cravings away.
  • Drink water or fruit juices very slowly at the time of cravings will make the craving go away by the time you finish the drink. A moment of weakness is enough to hook on to bad vices and a moment of strength is enough to develop new habits.
  • Eating grapes is a good idea at time of cravings.
  • Make sure that you do not smoke for 21 days and it will become a habit. It is said that it takes only 21 days for a habit to foster into routine so stick to your determination through thick and thin for just 3 weeks. Starting days are hardest but your will power should carry you through.
  • A very useful thing which I read in one of the comments is that think about the money you poured for the smoking habit just to help the companies let you die and what you could have done with that kind of money.
Give support to your loved ones to discourage their habit
  • If it is a relative who has this habit and you want him to leave it, this especially helps in intimate relations. Be honest with a person and make them understand you reasons for hating their habit. That will strike a chord somewhere inside. 
  • Do not get angry with their habits and comment on them. This makes people more determined to stick to the forbidden habits.
  • Explain them your worries about their health. Be reasonable and not pushy. That will yield better results.
  • A psychological condition with the smokers is that they feel they would fail if they do not smoke. Understand this fear and work around it. Show them the strengths if they leave the habit. Tell them how their family would fare better without the smoke. Talk especially about small children. 
  • Do not make them feel bad about their habit. Instead motivate them to work on their good ones.
  • Do not force. This might sound repetitive but this is the most common of the pitfalls one can fall into because of losing temper or patience. And, the results the opposite of what was intended.
  • Motivate them to seek professional advice. It easier to leave such habits while in a group of people who are undergoing same things instead of going through it alone.
  • Reward the person for their efforts. A special trip or something they wanted to have since a long time, any thing special would shift the focus towards the benefits of leaving the habit.
  • Do not give up or expect them to stop in just one day. It is not possible. It is a consistent effort depending on the emotional state of the person involved with smoking. Some smoke just for fun but smoke because it takes them away from their problems, many are trying to hide something behind the facade of smoking so understanding the psyche of a person is important when you want them to give up smoking. 
  • Do not ever chide them for their weakness. 
Instead of ignoring the bad habits of someone you love, work with them to lose such habits. The working would take time but a step how so ever small is a step instead of not starting at all. And, this fact would apply in any kind of a situation and any kind of problem you are trying to deal with in your life. Understanding the person, their fears, their strengths and weakness would help you help them.

This article was adapted from this and this articles with my own inputs.

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