Dear sir, I am a student I every day somke one cigarette. I am trying to stop it but I am unable to do it. Please tell me how to over come.

Question

I think that you are indeed very fortunate to want to give up the habit. You are young and you smoke just one cigarette, so that the quitting will be relatively easier. You would have noticed that you feel like smoking this one cigarette especially at a particular time, place, with a particular friend, or after drinking a cup of tea or after soft drink, after a meal, etc. These are called the conditioning to your habit. Whichever it is, avoid the conditioning, you kill the urge. You need to do this for at least 21 days continuously and you will find it easier after that. Then you need to identify why you smoke: there is an oral need, the nicotine effect, the psychological effect of covering up some other issue, for style, to impress, etc. You should start exercises, gradually increasing it over a period of time. Do deep breathing exercises every time you feel like smoking (try yoga), and replace the oral urge with some healthy food substitute to satiate the need, for a little while. You may take hard candy or chewing gum. If the urge is too strong, then use nicotine chewing gum or nicotine patches, for a little while until the smoking drive reduces, substantially. Keep yourself occupied or engaged with interesting activities during the times when it is most tempting. Keep the company of non-smokers for some time i. E. At least for the first 21 days. Above all, announce it to everyone that you have quit smoking. Here? s a piece of very good advice: even if you accidentally/willfully take a cigarette, it is not the end of the world? you can start the cessation all over again. You must persevere with the best support until you defeat this addiction.

Saul Pereira · Accepted Answer

I think that you are indeed very fortunate to want to give up the habit. You are young and you smoke just one cigarette, so that the quitting will be relatively easier. You would have noticed that you feel like smoking this one cigarette especially at a particular time, place, with a particular friend, or after drinking a cup of tea or after soft drink, after a meal, etc. These are called the conditioning to your habit. Whichever it is, avoid the conditioning, you kill the urge. You need to do this for at least 21 days continuously and you will find it easier after that. Then you need to identify why you smoke: there is an oral need, the nicotine effect, the psychological effect of covering up some other issue, for style, to impress, etc. You should start exercises, gradually increasing it over a period of time. Do deep breathing exercises every time you feel like smoking (try yoga), and replace the oral urge with some healthy food substitute to satiate the need, for a little while. You may take hard candy or chewing gum. If the urge is too strong, then use nicotine chewing gum or nicotine patches, for a little while until the smoking drive reduces, substantially. Keep yourself occupied or engaged with interesting activities during the times when it is most tempting. Keep the company of non-smokers for some time i. E. At least for the first 21 days. Above all, announce it to everyone that you have quit smoking. Here? s a piece of very good advice: even if you accidentally/willfully take a cigarette, it is not the end of the world? you can start the cessation all over again. You must persevere with the best support until you defeat this addiction.

K V Anand · Answer

Dear , smoking one cigarette is not addictive. You can stop it anytime you want and show your will power to others. Stop it today itself. You will not have withdrawal symptoms. Take care.