How to Quit Smoking (Step 2: Limiting Your Cigarettes)

Slow but sure, that’s how the process of quit smoking should be. Since we cannot stop the nicotine intake from the cigarette we usually consume in a time, if we really want to commit to quit, we have to keep trying. As stated in the previous part (kasih link), quit smoking isn’t easy. Maybe you’ve been consistently tried various quit smoking tips out there for 5 days, but on the sixth day you failed to endure it. That’s okay. By finding yourself here, reading this opening part of this article, it counts as the effort of your willing to stop smoking. So stick with that commitment and consistency.

Now we’d like share to you the second part of the quit smoking tips. Here they are:

Change your cigarette brand.

Changing your cigarette brand may help you to decrease you nicotine intake. To make you quit smoking commitment easier; you can choose the cigarettes brands that have low nicotine level. For instance, if you smoke Marlboro Red 100’s, try to change it into the cigarette with the lower nicotine level like Sherman’s. To know the cigarette nicotine content, you can check it from the package. If you see “Ultra Light”, it means the cigarette is are filtered cigarettes with low-nicotine level. If you find “Light” or “Mild” in the packaging, it means the cigarettes are filtered cigarettes with medium nicotine level. Meanwhile, if you don’t see any of those words in the packaging of the cigarettes, it means the cigarettes are filtered or unfiltered cigarettes with high nicotine level.

Don’t smoke the whole cigarette in one time.

Another alternative to limit your cigarette consumption is by not smoking a whole cigarette in a time. You can smoke a single cigarette in two, three, or fourth times. By doing this, you still can smoke as often as the normal, but with the small amount of cigarette since you have reduced at least half of them.

Adjust a gap for your every smoking time.

Setting a timer can help you to give you a gap from a smoking time to another in case you tend to chain smoke in some scenes (in a party, for instance). So after lighting a cigarette, set a timer for a time gap as you want (the longer the better). You can smoke another cigarette after the timer goes off.

Shift the oral fixation from smoking a cigarette

Gums, mouthwash spray, candy, sunflower seeds, and other small snacks are often used as the alternative to limit your smoking activity. Those things will help you to shift your oral satisfaction from nicotine. Avoid some snacks or sweets that contain high level sugar. We don’t recommend you to use treats as the oral satisfaction for long term consumption since it may lead to another problem.

Makes some smoking rules

Some of your groups and environments can lead you to the higher rates of smoking. Meanwhile leaving them will kinda difficult to do especially if they are your inner circle. You can still limit your smoking activity by making some rules regarding smoking. For instance, if you are hanging out with them, smoking in the car is not allowed. Moreover, you also can find new groups where you can learn some activities to enjoy besides smoking without really leave your old smoking groups. So your time will be balanced filled with healthy activity too.

There are the step 2 of how to quit smoking series. The key is still the same: your willing and commitment. Good luck!

Reference:

WikiHow. (2019). Limit Smoking Cigarettes.