Pick a day of personal significance. Many people pick New Years Day. This day has some significance to everyone because it is the beginning of a new calender year and many people pick this to start the year off on the right foot. Although it is no different from the last, it feels different. You don’t have to, nor should you, wait until the end of the year to quit. Pick something closer like a birthday, anniversary, or some other day special to you. Having this day will make your quit day seem more momentous and increase your chances of success.

After you pick the day, take a piece of paper and write down all the reason you want to quit smoking. Make sure you include all of the health, family, financial, and other reason you have. Write as neat and clear as possible. Then carry that piece of paper around with you everywhere for a reminder when the quitting gets tough.

Find a supportive product you are comfortable with. Much of your quitting is pure will power because there is no product out there that can actually make you stop smoking, but many that can make quitting easier. There are very effective natural products like Quit Tea, pharmaceutical products like bupropion and Chantix, also many types of nicotine replacement products. It is important to have some type of support, something to give you the confidence that you can do this.

Begin an exercise routine and stick to it. Some form of exercise everyday is important to improve your health, increase your energy, and deal with the increased stress that goes with nicotine withdrawal. If you only walk for 30 minutes a day that is great. Running, biking, swimming, lifting weights, or yoga are all wonderful and extremely beneficial as well. If there is a gym near by, take the money you would normally spend on cigarettes and join the gym. If you spend $4 a day on cigarettes you could join a really nice gym for $120 a month.

Tell everyone you are going to quit smoking, and find a support buddy. When you talk about something convincingly enough, you start to convince yourself. As you begin talking about anything, that thing starts to manifest itself. So talk about quitting smoking to everyone you meet. Also, the buddy is important. Make sure you find someone in your life that is supportive of your decision, a non-smoker (obviously), and available to chat with you anytime for the next couple months.

The night before your quit day do a thorough check of your house, car, office, and anywhere else you might be, and throw out anything that has to do with smoking. This is very, very important. Gather up your cigarettes, matches, lighters, ash trays, papers, pipes, cigars, bongs, tobacco pouches… whatever you might have around, and ceremoniously throw them in the trash. Maybe dump something disgusting on them to make sure you don’t dig these items out the next day.

Then finally on quit day, and for the next few weeks, make sure you are good to yourself. Buy yourself a funny box set of a t.v. show you have been wanting to watch, and watch an episode everyday. You are doing something difficult, you need to reward yourself.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Bucklin

As you read through this article you will find out the side effects when you decide to quit smoking. But they are meaningless unless you have something to compare it to. That is always what we do with information. We compare it to other things that we know or learn. And in that comparison we then make decisions on what to do. So I’ve included some important additional information for comparison.

Some of the common nicotine withdrawal symptoms are:

* Irritability
* Anxiety
* Difficulty concentrating
* Insomnia
* Restlessness
* Increased appetite

Irritability – Have you ever watched a little baby fidget and then get cranky and then start to have a fit? What did mom do? As you watched her she gave the baby a pacifier and the baby calmed right down didn’t they?

Cigarettes have become your adult pacifier. And when that pacifier is taken away from you, you’ll probably become cranky too. It’s only a passing phase. Because you are an adult now you can use knowledge to eliminate that response totally. Those who use hypnosis to quit smoking usually don’t experience irritability because they’re feeling so happy to be free of cigarettes.

Anxiety is the result of being in unfamiliar territory. You don’t know what to expect. Things that are familiar are safe. And you can understand that when you’ve spent so long smoking, it’s become familiar and safe to you. The irony is that smoking isn’t safe at all. It’s like driving a car at 100 MPH. It’s just the illusion of safety that you’ve developed.

Difficulty concentrating is the result of nicotine leaving your body. The good news is that nicotine is leaving your body rapidly. And it’s as if there’s a little man inside of you jumping up and down yelling that nicotine supplies are running low and you need to replenish. So this is just a distraction that causes a temporary loss of focus. This symptom doesn’t have to have an effect on you. I’ll tell you how to avoid it further down in this article.

I believe that insomnia results from loss of safety. When you’re not safe the protective part of you doesn’t allow you to sleep so that you can be ready for any dangers that might pop up. Your safety pacifier has been taken away and it might take a little bit of time to adjust. Only if you don’t know how to avoid this withdrawal effect completely, that is.

Restlessness. Now this is funny. Smokers are far more restless than other people. Every time you see a smoker you know you’re seeing a very nervous person. Someone who doesn’t know what to do with themselves when they want to relax, or be by themselves. If they aren’t being active, most likely they need a cigarette. So when they put away the cigarettes for good, all that restlessness comes out to play. It’s now time for them to learn what that feeling is from and how to take care of it. And this too can be totally avoided and I’ll show you how in just a bit.

And finally we come to increased appetite. Nicotine is a stimulant. It speeds up metabolism, it suppresses appetite, it deadens the taste buds and your sense of smell. When you stop smoking you might also have a need to put something into your mouth. You can certainly find something other than food and tobacco to occupy your mouth can’t you?

All of these side effects can be avoided or lessened by using hypnosis to quit smoking. Because not everyone experiences withdrawal side effects when they quit. And if one of us can stop smoking without withdrawals then all of us can. And using hypnosis to quit smoking can help you to be free of smoking without withdrawals and side effects.

Now compare those minor withdrawal symptoms with one of the side effects of smoking. DEATH. Smoking causes:

* 90% of all lung cancer deaths in men
* 80% of all lung cancer deaths in women
* 90% of deaths from chronic obstructive lung disease

So next time you think about quitting and you’re dissuaded by the thought of withdrawal symptoms, start to think about the consequences of not quitting.

Here’s the way you can avoid the withdrawal symptoms I promised you. You probably know that hypnosis to quit smoking can help you avoid nicotine withdrawal altogether. I also mentioned comparison is why we store information in the first place. Using the comparison of smoking to not smoking is how you can avoid withdrawal from smoking. Hypnosis makes it quick and dramatic, but you can program yourself for success just by focusing on what you are gaining now that you’ve decided to quit and not on what you are losing.

And I invite you to learn how to use hypnosis to quit smoking for free. All the information you need to regain control is in my free ebook, stop smoking hypnotherapy. There are techniques that could help you to use self hypnosis to stop smoking on your own. It’s available at HypnoticState.com. It’s the same information that was published in the book I co-wrote, Real World Hypnosis, Insider Tips From Leading Hypnotists, that’s for sale on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other booksellers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_Carlin

Nicotine withdrawal symptoms can include any or some of the following symptoms like anxiety, difficulty concentrating, tightness in the chest, increased appetite and hunger, desire for sweet stuff and others.

The first few days after you quit smoking can be the hardest and challenging with the most problematic being cravings for nicotine. Make a list of situations which will likely trigger you to smoke. You need come up with an alternative action that will take your mind of the normal action of reaching for a cigarette.

Cravings for nicotine only last a few minutes, however your sense of time during this period may seem like hours or forever. However, once your brain realises that your body is not going to get any nicotine during this period of time, your cravings will gradually disappear.

The first few days will be the most difficult, learning how to cope with nicotine withdrawal symptoms but quitting is not an impossible task, each time you resist an urge to smoke, your confidence will build and the next time round will be easier.

To cope with nicotine withdrawal symptoms, the above can help you in your quest for a smoke free life. However if for any reasons you are depressed and your depression doesn’t go away, take it seriously and consult your doctor.

Wilson is an ex-smoker, here to share his views on methods to quit smoking and help those trying or thinking to kick the addiction. It’s tough to quit smoking but it can be done.
It’s never too late to quit smoking, don’t give up and the key to your success is you.

Find out more information, help, tips and guide at http://www.myquitsmokingsecrets.com/how-to-cope-with-nicotine-withdrawal-symptoms/

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* Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
* Constant feelings of nervousness and anxiety
* Lack of concentration
* Feelings of depression
* Irritability
* Powerful urges to light up a cigarette and enjoy a smoke
* Increased appetite

So before you actually take that last puff, have a clear understanding of what sorts of withdrawal symptoms you may face; if you don’t, you may relapse and need to go through the substance withdrawal process all over again. Know that those strong urges from the past may come back to haunt you after you’ve stopped smoking. If you know what can happen to you physically and emotionally, you’ll know how to deal with problems if they arise. A number of products are available to help you with nicotine withdrawal as you begin to cut back on your smoking.

You can buy nicotine patches and gums that are made to satisfy nicotine urges and should keep you from reaching for a cigarette. But keep in mind that if you do use products like these, at some point you’ll have to stop using them, too, in order to thoroughly clean out your system. And you can take prescription drugs to deal with the depression that can come on the heels of kicking an addiction. Some of these medications can help relieve other withdrawal symptoms as well as depression issues. Don’t take any of these drugs without talking to your doctor, so that you can get some professional advice for nicotine withdrawal. You may find that withdrawal symptoms emerge unexpectedly throughout the day. All you can do is wait until the feelings subside.

It takes tremendous willpower not to give in to such strong feelings. But after you’ve successfully fought off the urge to smoke several times, you’ll notice that the cravings become more diminished, and in time it will be much easier to stand up to these tendencies altogether. Your physical and mental toughness will be tested, because flushing nicotine from your body is a time-consuming process that you’ll simply have to endure. During your withdrawal period, it’s imperative that you remain strong and focused. Relapse cannot be an option, because it will mean you have just wasted a lot of your time and effort. If you fall back into the habit, you’ll end up on the starting line of withdrawal all over again. You can get involved with other activities that will divert your attention and take your mind off smoking if you get the urge. Remember why you quit in the first place, and hold close to those feelings. It won’t be easy to do what’s necessary to stop smoking for good, but ultimately it’s worth it.

Learn more about how to quit smoking and about some of the products to help you quit smoking.

http://www.stopsmokingquitsmokingtoday.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jay_Strickland