Smokers often fight daily with their cravings for more and more nicotine. It is a substance that once in the body has an extremely difficult time letting go. People who have only smoked for a couple of months can still find quitting smoking to be extremely difficult. For those that have smoked for years and year, the idea of quitting smoking is two fold.
Heavy smokers have to fight against the nicotine addiction and try to become smoke-free over time. It is difficult for the body to rely on nicotine and then have to start functioning on less and less of it. But most heavy smokers find that a gradual cessation from the nicotine or tobacco works best for them. Becoming totally smokeless can often take several months.
The second part of quitting for, people who have smoked for several years, is the lifestyle changes that it will bring. For years the person has spent hundreds of dollars on cigarettes every month. They are now faced with a surplus of cash that can be hard to handle productively. Smokers also have developed habits or rituals that surround their smoking habit. These may include meeting friends at work during smoke breaks or going to a favorite bar to smoke and have a drink.
When the smoker is finally able to quit smoking their trigger spots will still be there. If there was a certain restaurant that they always smoked at it may be hard to eat there and not have a cigarette. These responses are normal and it does not matter if you quit smoking cold turkey or did it over a long period of time. The craving for nicotine can last years after a person has quit smoking.
It is important for a person who is trying to quit smoking to incorporate other lifestyle changes into their lives. If they normally meet for a smoking break twice a day it may be helpful to use that time to go for a walk. Smokers need to recognize their triggers and learn to avoid situations that are tempting to them.
Through monitoring of their environment and adjusting their quitting techniques it is possible for people at all smoking levels to quit. Quitting smoking may take a different amount of time for each individual and there is not RIGHT or specific program that can guarantee success.
A smoker that is aware of their triggers and is able to avoid them when necessary will have a better probability of quitting smoking and sticking to it. Millions of people every year try to quit smoking; it is a difficult thing to do. But extremely worth it for the people who do it.