Quit Smoking This Holiday Season

With the holidays fast approaching this may not be the perfect time to quit smoking for most. However, for others, this time of year may actually be the best time to quit smoking. Many people smoke out of boredom, stress, or because they feel the need to always be doing something with their hands. With all the rush and mania during the holiday season, or pre-holiday season, many may find this to be the optimal time to quit.

Some of the basic principles of quitting smoking are creating a plan of attack, knowing what you are in store for while you are quitting, staying busy, finding alternative ways to relax, and holding yourself accountable. During the holiday season your options for all of the above are greatly increased.

Making the plan to quit smoking is your first step to quit smoking. Make a list and check it twice and find out if this year you are going to be naughty or nice when it comes to quitting smoking. Maybe you have tried to quit before but for one reason or another you caved and smoked. Tisk, tisk. We all know of rewarding ourselves for good deeds such as using the money you saved by not smoking and buying something for yourself. Well, maybe you should do the opposite. If you crack under the pressure and smoke while you are trying to quit you should punish yourself. Not corporal punishment or really beating yourself down, that is not going to be helpful in your quest. But, for example, your goal was to only smoke half of what you normally smoke and you end up smoking the same amount as you did before. In this instance you could punish yourself by not stopping at Star Bucks and getting your favorite cup of coffee after work. Instead you have to drink the horribly stale break room coffee at work. Decide which is the best punishment for you, customize the punishment to you.

Set the date to quit. Decide which day you are actually going to quit. Christmas Eve may not be the best time for any person to attempt to quit smoking because the withdrawals are inevitable. You don't want to be snapping at family and guests on such an important day. The time to think about quitting smoking is now and the time to actually start is very soon afterwards. You don't want to quit on a whim, but, you don't want to put it off for very long either. If you do, it is probable that you will never get around to doing it.

Understand that there will be setbacks, pit falls, and grand moments of weakness. Knowing that quitting is going to be hard will help you when those tough times occur. You know why you smoke, so, now is the time to figure out what you can do instead of smoking. Now is also the time to come up with a game plan for what you will do when the urge hits you to smoke. Smoking a cigarette when the urge hits is not an acceptable plan.

Decide before you begin if you will be using Nicotine Replacement Therapy or NRT. NRT comes in different forms, you may be more aware of the nicotine gum, lozenges, or patches. Make sure if you decide to use these that you talk to your doctor first. He is not going to discourage you from smoking, but, he may be able to give you further advice and let you know if any NRT will have an adverse reaction with medications you are already on.

Be careful when you are picking out the NRT you decide to use. Make sure you are choosing the right dosage for yourself because they are not all the same. If you are a pack a day smoker then you will want to get the packaged dosage for that amount of cigarettes. To purchase the package for the 2 pack a day smoker could be detrimental to your health. Also, if you are a 2 pack a day smoker do not get the package for the one pack a day smoker. This will only cause you to suffer as you quit and you will not get the full effects of what Nicotine Replacement Therapy can offer you.

You don't have to use drugs, over the counter or otherwise to quit. It is not always necessary to do so. You have several options and each option works differently for each individual person. Just because chewing gum worked for your co-worker does not mean it will work for you. Your co-worker may have been addicted to smoking because she needed to always have her mouth doing something. She may have been more addicted to the actual act of smoking whereas you have the addiction mainly with the nicotine. So, do not get discourage if an option worked for one person but isn't working for you.

You are probably going to stumble on your journey to becoming smoke free. A lapse is acceptable if you get right back up, dust yourself off, and start again. Quitting smoking may be the smartest thing you can ever do towards your health, your wellbeing, and your finances.

The sooner you can quit smoking the sooner you can reap the benefits of being a non-smoker. After you have been smoke free for several years your risks of smoke related illnesses drop down to the same percentage risk as a non-smoker. So, in other words, after so long of not smoking it is as if you never smoked a single cigarette in your lifetime. Your well being will be increased because you will no longer be chained to the want and need for a cigarette. You won't have to watch the clock waiting for a smoke break search all over the house looking for a lighter to light your cigarette anymore. Your mind will be free from the addiction that has overtaken it. Your finances will change because the money you once spent on cigarettes, which could be close to 2 grand a year, will now stay in your wallet. You won't be literally burning through your hard earned money like you were before.

There are so many reasons to quit smoking and 'tis the season to be healthier. What better give can you give yourself than 10 extra years added on to your life span? By quitting smoking you can expect to increase your lifespan by 10 years. You cannot pass that up. Also, if you have children, you will be setting an awesome example to them and hopefully reducing the risk that they grow up to be smokers.

For some quitting at this time of year is better and has a higher chance of success. Not everyone will find this time of year to be the optimal time to quit doing anything. If this is not the right time for you then you shouldn't try unless your health requires you quit immediately. You have to believe that you can quit, quitting is often times a mind over matter ordeal. So, if you have doubts of your ability or fear the stress of quitting will greatly affect your holiday season then it will. Whether you quit now or at New Years is not the main point, the point is for you to quit as soon as you can. The sooner you quit the sooner you will be healthier and your health is vitally important. The better your health is the better you are in general.

Happy Holidays and Happy Smoking Cessation