Quitting smoking at home: proven methods

Two of my colleagues decided to quit smoking at the same time.One of them successfully achieved his goal and has not smoked a cigarette for three years.And another, like Mark Twain, left more than once - it lasted until the first event with alcohol.

In general, both have a happy attitude towards alcohol, they can drink together on the occasion of holidays or vacations, but one is resistant to tobacco products and the other cannot stand it.

At the same time, both lead a busy life, periodically go to the gym, cinema and concerts, go rafting, fishing and mushroom picking.They often do this together.

So what is the power of an addiction and why do some people manage to resist it and others do not?

"Let's smoke, buddy, one by one..."

Everyone is already more or less aware that a smoker's addiction develops at the level of the body and at the level of the psyche.Physiological dependence develops over time;nicotine becomes a necessary link in metabolism.When its content decreases, the body feels the lack of something familiar and signals: "I want more!"

Advertising of anti-smoking products relies on this addiction, calling for switching to an electronic cigarette instead of a regular cigarette or chewing special gum - that is, attempts to deceive the body.

But experts (psychologists, narcologists) know that the main reason for addiction is psychological.This is why you started smoking, it was before the first cigarette.Freud called smoking a consequence of oral fixation, a desire to return to a state of comfort and safety near the mother's breast.For the same reason, people overeat or chew something incessantly.Because of this, by the way, a myth has been born that those who quit smoking risk gaining weight.This only happens if they fill the void with food without addressing the root cause of the addiction.

There are other reasons for smoking: for some it is a way to concentrate, for others it is an aesthetic ritual or an invented image.Please note: in old movies everyone smokes.Aristocrats and actresses aesthetically blow smoke rings;a cigarette among soldiers serves as a symbol of brotherhood;cowboys puff on cigars or cigarettes;Holmes and Poirot are excellent while smoking;there is nothing to say about the Indian peace pipe.Perhaps these are the machinations of tobacco companies trying to join the ranks of their victims."I would stop it even now if you found a virtue equally profitable," said Napoleon III.

A romantic flair creates a belief: if you light a cigarette, you are a macho man or a fatal beauty;clever and mysterious;over others, chosen;a creative person;a good guy, a true friend.Everyone chooses what they want, and only one drug is offered - nicotine.

The environment plays a big role: if the parents smoke, the child takes this as a model from childhood;if there are many smokers in a company, there is a desire to join the majority, especially if this is a new job (class or group of an educational institution) and the person wants to join the team.Teens may have peer pressure to show their maturity.And, of course, simple human curiosity.

What happens when you quit smoking?A person finds himself out of place in a society, shy and unable to meet a girl without a cigarette, experiencing constant worries, stressed for any reason, nervous, nervous, etc.Many run the risk of breaking down and grabbing the "pacifier" again.

Talking about the health risks of smoking: lung cancer, gangrene of the extremities, problems with blood vessels, heart, stroke, stroke, bad skin, difficulties with pregnancy, problems with potency, the prospect of dying early - do not enlighten, but only irritate smokers.

Even if your voice is hoarse, plaque has appeared on the teeth and tongue, cough in the chest, shortness of breath, phlegm, pain, insomnia, throbbing in the temples - the first symptoms of imminent trouble - this does not help you overcome your addiction.Education (memorandums for schoolchildren and parents, lectures by doctors, instructions from sports coaches, etc.) plays a major role in the prevention phase, so that people do not smoke the first cigarette.

Not everyone is worried about money: they say, I can afford it.A car, a trip and other pleasures, which can theoretically be bought with the money saved, are for a smoker a symbol of deprivation and limitation in other needs.

That is why, if you decide to quit smoking, it is important to get to the root of the problem - to understand what smoking brings you (from what it takes you away) and how to satisfy this need in another way.Otherwise the smoker will be hindered by the fear that he is losing something by giving up nicotine and will be left without support and support.

Understand that this is an addiction and you are not losing anything, but you will get rid of it.

Ways to get rid of addiction

• "Various proprietary techniques. Here are two of them: "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking" by Allen Carr. I interviewed a dozen friends who were smokers and three of them responded that this book had helped them.It was written in 1985 and is still the world's most popular quit smoking guide.Postulates:It's easy to start living without nicotine at any age;the will is not only unnecessary, but rather a hindrance.Those who quit smoking with the help of willpower, according to the author, experience suffering - because of the feeling that they are overcoming something, enduring difficulties.There is no point in fighting smoking - the fight is exhausting.You just have to make a conscious decision and "not to hope, but know that you have already quit smoking by making such a decision".And everything will be painless.The author uses his experience as a former smoker with 33 years of experience and convincingly conveys to the readers that they will benefit only by giving up the addiction. "Four stinking sighs" by Vladimir Zhdanov- a known technique.Designed to instill an aversion to smoking.To do this, the sensations from smoking are brought to the maximum: the tobacco smoke must be held in the mouth, chewed with the mouth closed and the head thrown back.After 30 seconds, you can push the smoke into your lungs.You will want to cough, you will choke, you will start to feel sick - but you have to take 2 more puffs while chewing the smoke.The fourth time you need to take in the lungs full of smoke.Then, straining the abdominal muscles, cough for a long time.Mark the date and time you took 4 bad breaths on the package.You can't smoke anymore.If it becomes unbearable, chew the smoke again.
• With the help of a doctor.If you believe more in traditional medicine or suffer from chronic diseases, you can contact a medical center.Discuss with a specialist whether you should quit smoking immediately or gradually, whether it is worth replacing cigarettes with something else first.The doctor will advise a diet, choose sedatives, antidepressants, monitor blood pressure and monitor changes in different stages.
• Coding, hypnosis.It affects the subconscious, the goal is to develop a conditioned reflex against smoking.The specialist may place the patient in a hypnotic sleep state, but this is not necessary.

So, my good friend once downloaded for his mother, a smoker with almost 30 years of experience, a psychotherapeutic session aimed at quickly getting rid of addiction.Mom saw the video and a few days later the family suddenly realized that she didn't smoke.It doesn't last, I even threw away the open package.Strange, but true: more than 10 years have passed since then.

• Neurolinguistic programming.One of the presuppositions (axioms) of NLP is: "Change can be immediate."Various NLP techniques aim to quickly replace negative consciousness with positive, reprogramming.You can contact a psychologist who uses this method.
• Acupuncture.It changes the conditioned reflex, which is smoking.The reflexologist acts on certain points and interrupts the chain of impulses.

You yourself can, whenever you want to smoke, use your finger to massage the point in the front of the throat, in the middle of the pit at the base of the neck, in the depression.

Press hard until it hurts, count to threeand let it go.Repeat 15 times.It is better to do the procedure when you are sitting or lying down - weakness and dizziness may appear due to the decrease in pressure.

• Immediate withdrawal of cigarettes in a new environment, with one movement.Settle in a remote location without access to cigarette products or travel with non-smoking friends.Within a month you can change: clean yourself up and learn not to smoke.Radical and effective.
• Throwing myself into work, sports and creativity.Participation in congresses, festivals, competitions, etc.You need a calendar without days off, a busy schedule to quit smoking.The point is to make it interesting, then you'll be less likely to remember your habit - sorry, addiction.
• Restructuring of consciousness: passion for spiritual teachings, a healthy lifestyle, departure to an eco-village, pilgrimage to holy places and the like.One of my friends quit smoking, being deceived by Torsunov's lectures, Ayurveda and Krishnaism.Many years have passed since then, she has ceased to be a Hare Krishna, is neutral on religions, but still does not smoke.

Here it is important to monitor your roof, that is, your psyche;there is a risk of becoming a fan, a sectarian, a hostage of black learning.But overall, it's an effective way;It is not for nothing that in rehabilitation centers they often exchange addiction to alcohol or drugs to adhere to a religion.

• Substitutes: Electronic cigarettes.The method is controversial.Now they say that its use is harmful, the substances inside are toxic, and the effect of the cigarette itself as a means of quitting smoking is small.However, there are people whom it has really helped.Nicotine gum, tablets, patches, hookahs, herbal cigars, vape and the like.Allan Carr categorically calls to quit smoking immediately, once and for all, and forget about such cigarette substitutes.But, as practice shows, many people use them successfully.For example, the colleague mentioned at the beginning of the material quit smoking, gradually reducing the number of cigarettes, while taking popular anti-smoking pills.He had a powerful motivation.So you can choose any method, just stick to the decision to quit smoking forever.
• Give up - that's all.An old friend of mine, a former heavy smoker of 20 years' experience, did just that - no books, techniques, gum or e-cigarettes.And he does not believe that it is difficult to cope on your own.After all, the main thing is to decide!

Advice for the brave

At what time to start a new life?There is an opinion that if a cigarette helps you relax after hard work, you should quit it on vacation, when you are not already stressed.If, on the contrary, you are used to smoking during vacations, then during the withdrawal period you should load yourself with activities to the maximum extent.

Another approach- on the contrary, choose a situation that makes your head spin to understand: if you survived such stress without cigarettes, you can continue to live without it.The same Carr, having gone through these options, came to the conclusion that there is no need to choose the time, so as not to procrastinate and not be deceived.The best time is NOW.

1. If possible, remove anything related to smoking from sight, hearing and smell.Get rid of backgammon, lighters, cigarettes.
2. If you decide to phase out, buy a pack only after you've finished the previous one.Don't get blocks.Reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke per day.Smoke the cigarette only halfway and do not inhale deeply.Wash your hands, change your clothes so you don't smell the smoke.
3. Try to consciously be in a balanced state, avoid stressful situations.
4. Try to be interested in something.If you already have a hobby, devote more time to it.
5. Provide yourself with pleasant physical activity: slow jogging in the morning, fitness, gym, yoga, wushu...
6. Breathing exercises have proven to be excellent in the fight against smoking.Try yoga breathing or other similar practices.They help saturate the body with oxygen, calm the mind and soul.It is better to train with a trainer first - he will make sure that you do the exercises correctly.
7. Massage and meditation will also help you relax and have fun without using nicotine.
8. Avoid places and companies where people smoke, try not to inhale smoke.But don't go to extremes, so you don't fall out of society and feel lonely.If your friends smoke, this is not a reason to avoid them or envy them, change your attitude towards the situation: you have already freed yourself, but they have not yet.It is not smoking that brings them pleasure, but they cannot enjoy life without cigarettes.
9. Those who have walked this path say that the first week is the hardest (but it is quite possible to endure it!), and after three weeks without nicotine, the body is cleansed, rebuilt and improvement occurs.

Treat your condition as a mild illness, try not to succumb to brain tricks like "just one cigarette", "it's hard not to smoke now, I'll choose a more convenient moment to quit smoking".Keep a diary: "I quit smoking - the consequences every day."Notice how you feel and record the result: one week, one month, three without being poisoned.

If it is difficult for you to quit smoking immediately, then try this scheme:

The first 10 days – 15 cigarettes a day.
Another 20 days - 10 cigarettes.
The next month - no more than five pieces a day.
Then, each week, reduce the number of "nicotine sticks" smoked by exactly one stick.As a result, in three months you will reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke to zero.

Review your diet

In general, sweets help overcome drug addiction, but give priority to slow carbohydrates, such as fruit (instead of candy).

• Drink more clean water - it cleanses the body and reduces the desire for nicotine.
• Be sure to eat honey - mix a teaspoon in a glass of water in the morning and drink it on an empty stomach.
• Replenish vitamin C reserves - nicotine removes it from the body.Citrus juices and currants will supplement your supply of this vitamin and help you in your anti-smoking campaign.
• Avoid alcohol and coffee.Eat less spicy, smoked and salty foods - all this provokes smoking.Recommendedliver, boiled potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, eggplant, tomatoes, cucumbers, peanuts, peas, beans, bread, sea fish, carrots and other products with a small content of nicotinic acid.

Thus, it became known as defeating the urge to smoke.cold salad (!) fromboiled potatoes, fried eggplant and fresh tomatoes.

• Carry with you and chew when you want to smoke: "lace" cheese (if you want, in a pack of cigarettes, just watch the calories so you don't gain weight);pineapple - fresh or sweetened without sugar;nuts, seeds (preferably pumpkin seeds);dried fruits.
• Drink milk - now it's up to you "for its damage", cleans the lungs, throat and bronchi.
• Moving lemon and honey through a meat grinder (1:1) will also help remove the effects of smoking.For a month, eat a tablespoon before meals.

How to reduce the desire to smoke - popular advice

1. Chew horseradish and plantain leaves (fresh leaves in equal quantities).The liquid should be swallowed and the greens should be spit out.Do not drink or binge.Repeat several times a day.

For the same purpose, use ginger, calamus root, a sprig of fresh cherry or turnip.

2. Before smoking, wet the cigarette in some fermented milk product (kefir, yogurt, etc.).Smoking will be unpleasant, the habit will weaken.
3. The old way is to mix dry oats in the smoke.
4. Pour boiling water (1 liter) over oats, rye, millet and barley (all 100 g) and keep on the stove for 8-10 minutes.Strain the liquid and put it in a thermos.It will be ready in a day.Drink half a glass 3-5 times a day before meals.

Oats in general are very good for withdrawal (withdrawal) symptoms.It perfectly restores vitality, calms, improves sleep and introduces an aversion to nicotine.

There are many recipes.Before going to bed, you can grind the grains (1 tablespoon) and add cold water (2 glasses).In the morning, boil and drink instead of tea.

5. Decoction: St. John's wort (1 tablespoon), wild rosemary (0.5 tablespoon), boiling water (600 ml).Keep it on low heat for 20 minutes.Then dilute half with water.Sugar, honey or jam - to taste.They drink this tea 5-7 times a day, but you should not drink it late in the evening.The admission course is one month.Warning: it is dangerous to use for pregnant and breastfeeding women, tuberculosis patients and people whose skin reacts to the sun.

Warning: it is dangerous to use for pregnant and breastfeeding women, tuberculosis patients and people whose skin reacts to the sun.

6. Add chicory, nettle, mint and sage to black tea (ratio 2:1:1:1:1).Use as a tea.
7. Take equal amounts of blackcurrant, oregano and mint leaves.Make an infusion in a thermos (5 spoons per liter of boiling water).Drink 100 ml 30 minutes before meals.The course is one month.
8. Eucalyptus (1 tablespoon of leaves) plus boiling water (400 ml).After an hour, add glycerin and honey (1 tablespoon each) to the resulting infusion.Drink a quarter of a glass 4-5 times a day for a month.
9. Burdock juice mixed with water.Drink before bed for a month.

Burdock, by the way, is actively used in the treatment of cancer patients, so it is useful from all sides.

10. And finally, the most exotic way.You have to take lobster, dry it in the shade, then grind it into powder.A small amount of this powder is mixed with tobacco and smoked.After that, even the most avid smoker should forget about his addiction.

Good luck and may the Force be with you!