International Medical Clinic (IMC) specialises in family, paediatric and travel medicine, with the medical needs of the international community of Singapore and South East Asia very much in mind.
There are many different tactics for quitting smoking, but the one common ground is the desire and motivation to quit. Without this you will likely fail. To determine the best tactic for you, you need to be aware of your options for quitting and be prepared for the challenges of trying to quit. You will need to address the addiction, as well as the habits and routines that go with smoking. It is important to set a quit date and tell family and friends the date you plan to quit. The date should be within two to four weeks of making the decision. This allows time to prepare a plan but not so long that you lose motivation and change your mind.
For most people smoking is ingrained as a daily ritual. One of the best things you can do while preparing a plan, is to identify the things that make you want to smoke, such as specific situations, activities, feelings and people. Avoiding these triggers is not always possible, however you can prepare a plan to help you cope with cravings when faced with these triggers. The psychological cravings are often harder to deal with and last much longer then the physical cravings.
Once you stop smoking you will experience a number of withdrawal symptoms. These usually begin quickly and peak about 2-3 days later. They can last from a few days to several weeks and differ from person to person. As unpleasant as these withdrawal symptoms may be it important to remember they are only temporary. Nicotine replacement therapy or non-nicotine medications can help you deal with these cravings. Talk to your doctor about these medications and whether they are right for you.
Remember most people try to quit smoking several times before they are successful, so don’t give up if it doesn’t work the first time. Learn from your failed attempts where you slipped up and factor this into the plan for the next attempt. It takes a strong commitment over a long time to be successful, you may wish there was a magic pill to make it easy and painless, but there is no such thing.
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