Quit smoking at home: proven methods

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

In general, both are happy with alcohol, they can drink together on vacation or on vacation, but one remains resistant to tobacco products and the other cannot stand it.

At the same time, they both lead a busy life, regularly go to the gym, to the movies and to concerts, go rafting, fish and pick mushrooms.They often do this together.

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

"Let's smoke, comrade, one at a time..."

Everyone is already more or less aware that the 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 the metabolism.When its content is reduced, the body feels the lack of something familiar and signals: "I want more!"

Advertising for anti-smoking products is based on this addiction, asking to switch to an electronic cigarette instead of a regular cigarette or to chew special gum, that is, trying to trick the body.

But experts (psychologists, narcologists) know that the main reason for addiction is psychological.This is the reason you started smoking, it was before the first cigarette.Freud called smoking a consequence of oral fixation, the desire to return to a state of comfort and security at the mother's breast.For the same reason, people overeat or chew something incessantly.That is why, by the way, the myth has arisen that those who quit smoking run the risk of 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.Attention: in old movies everyone smokes.Aristocrats and actresses blow smoke rings aesthetically;a cigarette between soldiers serves as a symbol of brotherhood;the cowboys smoke a cigar or a cigarette;Holmes and Poirot are brilliant at 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 prohibit it even now if I found an equally profitable virtue," said Napoleon III.

A romantic instinct creates a belief: if you light a cigarette, you are a macho man or a fatal beauty;intelligent and mysterious;above the rest, chosen;a creative person;a good guy, a true friend.Everyone chooses what they want and only one remedy is offered: nicotine.

The environment plays a very important role: if parents smoke, the child takes it as a model from childhood;If there are many smokers in a company, there is a desire to join the majority, especially if it is a new job (class or group of an educational institution) and the person wants to join the team.Teenagers may feel pressure from their peers to demonstrate their maturity.And, of course, simple human curiosity.

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

Talking about the health dangers of smoking: lung cancer, gangrene of the extremities, problems with blood vessels, heart, strokes, heart attacks, skin problems, difficulties with pregnancy, potency problems, the prospect of dying prematurely do not enlighten, they only irritate smokers.

Even if your voice is hoarse, plaque has appeared on your teeth and tongue, cough in the chest, shortness of breath, phlegm, pain, insomnia, pulsations in the temples - the first symptoms of impending problems - this will not help you overcome your addiction.Education (notes for schoolchildren and parents, lectures from doctors, instructions from sports coaches, etc.) plays an important role in the prevention phase to prevent people from smoking the first cigarette.

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

Therefore, if you decide to quit smoking, it is important to get to the root of the problem: understand what smoking gives you (what it takes away) and how to satisfy this need in another way.Otherwise, the smoker will be hampered by the fear of losing something by quitting nicotine and will be left without support and support.

Realize that this is an addiction and you are not losing anything, but getting rid of it.

Ways to get rid of addiction

• "Several patented techniques. Here are two of them: "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking" by Allen Carr. I interviewed a dozen friends who were ex-smokers and three of them responded that this book had helped them.It was written in 1985 and remains the world's most popular guide to quitting smoking.Postulates:It's easy to start living without nicotine at any age;willpower is not only unnecessary, but rather an obstacle.Those who quit smoking with the help of willpower, according to the author, experience torment, due to the feeling that they are overcoming something, enduring difficulties.There is no point in fighting against smoking: war is exhausting.It is only necessary to make a conscious decision and "not to hope, but to know that, by making that decision, you have already stopped smoking."And everything will be painless.The author draws on his experience as an ex-smoker with 33 years of experience and convincingly conveys to readers that they will only benefit if they give up the addiction. “Four Stinking Sighs” by Vladimir Zhdanov- a well-known technique.Designed to awaken the aversion to tobacco.To do this, the sensations of smoking are maximized: the tobacco smoke must be held in the mouth, chewed with the mouth closed and the head tilted back.After 30 seconds, you will be able to push the smoke into your lungs.You will want to cough, choke and start to feel sick, but you will have to take 2 more puffs while chewing the smoke.The fourth time it is necessary to inhale the smoke-filled lungs.Then, straining his abdominal muscles, he coughs for a long time.Record on the package the date and time you breathed in the foul odor 4 times.You can't smoke anymore.If it becomes unbearable, chew the smoke again.
• With the help of a doctor.If you rely more on 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 at first it is worth replacing the cigarette with something else.The doctor will recommend a diet, select sedatives, antidepressants, monitor blood pressure and monitor changes at different stages.
• Encoding, hypnosis.It affects the subconscious, the objective is to develop a conditioned reflex against smoking.The specialist can put the patient into a state of hypnotic sleep, 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 the 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 the package open.Surprisingly, but true: more than 10 years have passed since then.

• Neurolinguistic programming.One of the presuppositions (axioms) of NLP is: "Change can be instantaneous."Various NLP techniques aim to quickly replace negative consciousness with positive ones and reprogram consciousness.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 at 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 three.and let it go.Repeat 15 times.It is best to perform the procedure sitting or lying down;Weakness and dizziness may occur due to decreased pressure.

• Abrupt abolition of cigarettes in a new environment, with a movement.Settle in a remote location without access to cigarette products or travel with non-smoking friends.In a month you can change: cleanse yourself and get used to not smoking.Radical and effective.
• Dedicate yourself to work, sports and creativity.Participation in conferences, festivals, competitions, etc.You need a calendar without days off, a busy schedule to quit smoking.The point is to make it interesting, so you'll be less likely to remember your habit: sorry, addiction.
• Restructuring of consciousness: passion for spiritual teachings, healthy lifestyle, departure to an ecovillage, pilgrimage to sacred places, etc.One of my friends quit smoking and got carried away with Torsunov's lectures, Ayurveda and Krishnaism.Many years have passed since then, he has stopped being Hare Krishna, he is neutral towards religions, but he still does not smoke.

Here it is important to monitor your own ceiling, that is, your psyche;there is the risk of becoming a fanatic, a sectarian, a hostage to black teaching.But in general it is an effective way;It is not in vain that in rehabilitation centers they usually exchange addiction to alcohol or drugs for adherence to a religion.

• Substitutes: Electronic cigarette.The method is controversial.Now they say that using it is harmful, the substances contained in it are toxic, and the effect of the cigarette itself as a means of quitting smoking is small.However, there are people who this really helped.Nicotine gum, tablets, patches, hookahs, herbal cigars, vaporizers and the like.Allan Carr categorically asks that smoking be stopped immediately, once and for all, and that cigarette substitutes be forgotten.But, as practice shows, many people use them successfully.For example, the colleague mentioned at the beginning of the material stopped smoking, gradually reduced the number of cigarettes and at the same time took popular anti-smoking pills.He had a powerful motivation.So you can choose any method, but stay true to the decision to get rid of cigarettes forever.
• Quit smoking, that's all.An old friend of mine, once a chain smoker with 20 years of experience, did just that: without books, techniques, gum or e-cigarettes.And he doesn't think it will be difficult to manage alone.After all, the main thing is to decide!

Advice for the brave

What time to start a new life?There is an opinion that if a cigarette helps you relax after hard work, you should give it up during the holidays, when you are not yet stressed.If, on the other hand, you are used to smoking on vacation, during the abstinence period you should load yourself with activities as much as possible.

Another approach- on the contrary, choose a situation that makes you turn your head to understand: if you survived that stress without a cigarette, you can continue living without it.Carr himself, having gone through these options, came to the conclusion that it is not necessary to choose the moment, so as not to postpone things and not deceive himself.The best time is RIGHT NOW.

1. If possible, eliminate anything related to smoking from sight, sound, and smell.Get rid of ashtrays, lighters, cigarettes.
2. If you decide to quit smoking gradually, buy a pack only after finishing the previous one.Don't accept blocks.Reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke per day.Smoke the cigarette only halfway and do not take deep drags.Wash your hands, change your clothes so you don't smell the tobacco.
3. Try to consciously be in a state of balance, avoid stressful situations.
4. Try to get interested in something.If you already have a hobby, dedicate more time to it.
5. Do a pleasant physical activity: slow morning jogging, gym, fitness, 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 best to exercise with a trainer first;He will make sure 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 breathe the smoke.But don't go to extremes so as not to leave society and feel alone.If your friends smoke, this is no 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 gives them pleasure, but they cannot enjoy life without a cigarette.
9. Those who have walked this path say that the first week is the hardest (but it is very possible to endure it!), and after three weeks without nicotine, the body cleanses itself, rebuilds itself, and improvement occurs.

Treat your condition as a mild ailment, try not to succumb to brain tricks like "just a cigarette", "it's hard not to smoke now, I'll choose a more appropriate time to quit."Keep a diary: "I quit smoking: the consequences during the day."Observe how you feel and record the result: a week, a month, three without poisoning.

If you find it difficult to quit smoking instantly, try this scheme:

The first 10 days: 15 cigarettes a day.
Other 20 days: 10 cigarettes.
Next month, no more than five pieces a day.
Then, each week, reduce the amount of “nicotine sticks” smoked by exactly one piece.As a result, in three months you will reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke to zero.

Check your diet

In general, sweets help to overcome drug addiction, but give preference to slow carbohydrates, such as fruits (rather than sweets).

• Drink more clean water: it cleanses the body and reduces nicotine cravings.
• 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 stores - nicotine removes it from the body.Citrus and currant juices will replenish 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 causes smoking.Recommendedliver, boiled potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, eggplants, tomatoes, cucumbers, peanuts, peas, beans, bread, sea fish, carrots and other products with a low content of nicotinic acid.

Therefore, it became known as calming the desire to smoke.cold salad (!)boiled potatoes, fried eggplants and fresh tomatoes.

• Carry with you and chew when you want to smoke: “strings” of cheese (if you want, in a pack of cigarettes, just watch the calories so as not to gain weight);pineapple - fresh or candied without sugar;nuts, seeds (preferably pumpkin seeds);dried fruits.
• Drink milk - now you owe it "for its harmfulness", it cleanses the lungs, throat and bronchi.
• Passing lemon and honey through a meat grinder (1:1) will also help eliminate the effects of smoking.For a month, eat a tablespoon before meals.

How to reduce the urge to smoke: popular tips

1. Chew horseradish and plantain (fresh leaves in equal quantities).You should swallow the juice and spit out the vegetables.Don't 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, dip the cigarette in a fermented dairy product (kefir, yogurt, etc.).Smoking will be unpleasant and the habit will weaken.
3. The old way is to mix dried oats with tobacco.
4. Pour boiling water (1 liter) over oats, rye, millet and barley (all 100 g) and keep on heat for 8-10 minutes.Strain the broth and place in a thermos.It will be ready in a day.Drink half a glass 3-5 times a day before meals.

Oatmeal is generally very good for withdrawal (withdrawal) symptoms.It perfectly restores vitality, calms, improves sleep and instills an aversion to nicotine.

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

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

Attention: its use is dangerous in pregnant and breastfeeding women, patients with tuberculosis and people whose skin reacts to the sun.

6. Add chicory, nettle, mint and valerian to black tea (ratio 2:1:1:1:1).Use it as tea.
7. Take equal proportions of blackcurrant leaves, oregano and mint.Make an infusion in a thermos (5 tablespoons 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 glass 4-5 times a day for a month.
9. Burdock juice mixed with water.Drink before bedtime for a month.

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

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

Good luck and may the Force be with you!