The following is a guest post written by Nathan, master of vape deals over at Vaping Cheap. As usual, all opinions are solely those of the author. If you would like me to blame you for your opinions, I’m always open to guest writers.
Are you using an e-cigarette and still having trouble giving up smoking completely? If so, you’re not alone. Many e-cigarette users only partially switch to vaping and continue to smoke traditional cigarettes. Usually this is because of a psychological need, as the physical addiction to nicotine should be satisfied by the e-cigarette. Studies have shown that nicotine from e-cigarette vapor takes longer for the body to absorb than from traditional cigarettes. Don’t be discouraged if you feel like e-cigarettes don’t fully satisfy your cravings, with motivation and will power you can successfully quit tobacco.
Even though I don’t smoke now, I struggled with quitting for a long time. It’s very rare for a smoker to be able to quit smoking on their first attempt. Just remember that the more attempts you make, the more likely you are to succeed. After many failed attempts of my own, I have learned a lot and was finally able to give up tobacco for good. I hope these seven tips I’ve listed below will help you get on the path of living life smoke free.
1. Don’t keep cigarettes on you. Just get rid of them. This will force you to go to the store and buy a pack when you want to smoke. If doing that’s too extreme to start, you can begin by not carrying cigarettes at certain times. For example, if you always smoke in your car, try leaving them at home when you go to run an errand. When that works, just keep leaving your smokes at home more and more often until you are ready to give up carrying them completely.
2. Change your mindset. This may sound simple, but to truly change your mindset will take a lot of time and effort. Try this: When you smoke, think negative thoughts about smoking, like how horrible it smells and that the second hand smoke can harm people you love. If you still really enjoy smoking, don’t think about how good the cigarette is, think things like, “This doesn’t even taste good”, or “I’m killing myself just to smoke this cigarette”. Your subconscious mind can be a very powerful force, and the only way to change it is with conscious thought. Since you want to give up smoking, you need to think like a non-smoker. They don’t like anything about cigarettes; they hate how they smell and taste. They avoid people that are smoking. These need to be your new thoughts. The first step to becoming a different person is to think like the person you want to become. Go ahead and try it out for yourself.
3. Make a list of all the reasons you want to quit smoking. The list can include things like improved health, feeling stronger, smelling better, or for your kids. Now, take this list and put it in your pack of cigarettes. If you have kids you can even put a picture of them with the list. Here’s the hard part, you need to force yourself to read the list before every cigarette. Hopefully this will make you realize that the cigarette isn’t worth the cost, especially when you can vape a tasty blueberry e-liquid instead.
4. Don’t quit smoking forever. Start with a small and measurable period of time. Sometimes the idea of quitting forever is just too big to get your head around. You may be more successful if you quit for a smaller period of time. If you’re still smoking a pack a day, you can shoot for an hour without smoking. If you only smoking a few cigarettes a day, you might try to quit for an entire day. Once you reach your first goal, slowly increase the time you go without smoking. This will show you that it is possible for you to live smoke free. Take the first step and prove to yourself you can live without cigarettes.
5. Figure out what makes you relapse. When smokers attempt to quit smoking, it’s very common for them to relapse whenever they drink alcohol. Does that sound like you? If so, you may want to stop drinking while you quit smoking, especially in the beginning. If you relapse at other times, try to figure out why. What makes you pick up and light that cigarette? When you know the reasons for relapse, you will be able to address them, making it easier for you to quit. You may want to list all the times you smoke in a week then go over the list and see if there are any patterns to the times you smoke.
6. Reward yourself. It’s important to reward yourself when you achieve one of your goals. Think of a few things that you could use to reward yourself. Exactly what the reward is doesn’t really matter, it just needs to be something you are willing to work to attain. You can start with small goals and small rewards. Save the larger rewards for when you achieve harder goals. In the end you should have one huge reward to give yourself after you haven’t smoked for a couple months.
7. Don’t be too hard on yourself. If you smoke when you set a goal to not smoke, it is not the end of the world. You’re not going to reward yourself for a relapse, but understand that a relapse is part of the process of quitting. The important thing is to learn from it, and that you are willing to try again. A relapse is not a bad thing unless it makes you give up. Stay positive and realize that you are still motivated to quit for good. Also, try to figure out what caused you to give in to the urge to smoke so that next time you will be ready.
Giving up smoking is very hard. Most people will make multiple attempts before they are successful. I hope that my tips can get you started on the path to a smoke-free lifestyle.
Many people, including myself, feel that e-cigarettes are the best tool for the job. If you have an e-cigarette and are still having trouble quitting, you may need to try a different type of e-cigarette or maybe even some different e-liquid. Some older e-cigarettes don’t provide as much vapor or throat hit, this could be part of your problem. My website, VapingCheap.com, lists daily Vape deals and is a great place to find deals on vaping supplies, go check it out.
