How to Quit Smoking

 How to Quit Smoking

by Ibrahim (a RW 7 student)

 

        There is a negative habit that has spread in the modern era. This habit is considered the top cause of death in many countries. This habit is smoking. Smoking is harmful for the body, and causes many diseases, such as cancer, lung disease, and diseases related to the heart and blood vessels. In addition, this habit is very costly, and it has a bad smell. Even though I am not a smoker, its harms affect me by the negative smoking, especially because I came from a third world country where people smoke in public buildings, buses, and cafes. Sometimes my parents suspect that I smoke because of my clothes' smell. Many smokers want to quit, but they often feel it is hard to stop smoking. However, these are some methods that may help you stop smoking.

        The first step is to make a decision to stop smoking. Read about harms of smoking and how it makes your life shorter. In addition, notice that its effects are not only limited to the smokers, but also the people around them, especially their families. Even if you made unsuccessful attempts to quit smoking in the past, try not to look at them as failures, but rather as learning experiences

        The second step is to have a strategy for quitting: see how many cigarettes you smoke in a day, start cutting down on the number of cigarettes that you smoke, and choose a date that you are going to stop smoking by. Then gradually limit your smoking until the deadline. Furthermore, switching the brand of cigarette that you used to smoke with another that you find distasteful may help you smoke less. Also there are some medicines such as Nicorette gum that can help you quit smoking.

         

       The third step is to replace this habit with other useful habits. Have more outdoor activities such as riding a bike, playing a sport, going on trips to fill up your free hour in useful activities. Chewing gum can replace the missed cigarette. Change you smoking friends with others who don’t smoke, which will encourage you to quit smoking.

        Smoking is a bad habit that causes a slow suicide. It’s not easy to quit smoking. However, it is not impossible. It needs a decision to quit, a strategy to follow, and replacing that bad habit. This will be hard in the beginning, but its benefits are worth.