What is an effective plan to quit smoking?

The most effective plan to quit smoking is one that is personally tailored to your specific unique needs. An easy 6 step approach can help you to START your stop smoking plan:

S = Set a quit date. Let everyone you know what that date is and stick to it!

T = Tell family, friends, and co-workers that you plan to quit. It is much easier to quit with a large support group.

 

A = Anticipate and plan for the challenges you'll face while quitting. Take time to understand why and when you smoke, what your triggers are for smoking and how much you smoke. Many people smoke with meals, alcohol or socially with friends. Try to anticipate these settings and have an alternative plan that does not involve cigarettes.

 

R = Remove cigarettes and other tobacco products from your home, car, and work. Try replacing these products with a list of all the reasons why you are quitting whether it be for your own health, the health of others, or just to have whiter teeth!

 

T = Talk to your health care provider about getting help to quit. There are a large number of resources and treatment approaches to aid you in your stop smoking plan.

 

And the good news is that it’s never too late to START your plan to quit smoking. If you stop smoking, you’ll improve your health and reduce your long-term risks – and you’ll see immediate benefits, some within just a few hours! And the benefits don’t stop there - Within several years your stroke and heart disease risk can equal that of a non-smoker’s and your risk of cancer will be dramatically reduced as well.

An effective plan to quit smoking starts with the decision to quit. Set a date for when you are going to put down cigarettes for good and stick to that date. Get rid of your packs of cigarettes, ashtrays and lighters, and let other people know about your decision so they can support and encourage your efforts.

Change your routine by avoiding the places where you used to smoke, avoid triggers that created the urge to smoke and find new ways to occupy your time. You can fight nicotine withdrawal symptoms with prescription medications, and with nicotine replacement products. No matter what method you use to help you quit smoking, counseling or support groups can boost your chance of success. Celebrate every day you don't light up.

The most effective plan to quit smoking starts with the desire to quit. Then, the important thing is to engage your health care provider in helping you. There are many options available to increase the chance of success.  

First set a quit date.  Make sure all your cigarettes are removed from their hiding places and that you let everyone in your family on board with your decision. 

To deal with your nicotine craving you can start nicotine replacement therapy.  There are many options available such as nicotine gum, lozenges, inhalers, nasal inhalers and patches. 

If you need something else in addition to nicotine replacement, there are two types of medication that can help with smoking cessation.  Wellbutrin and Chantix both help reduce a person's desire to smoke.

It is important to have a regular exercise program in place and to make sure you eat a healthy diet. This will help prevent weight gain, which can often happen when people quit smoking.

It is essential to change up your routine if it revolved around smoking.  For example, if you typically smoked during your break at work, make sure you do something else like walk around the block instead of going to your usual break spot.

Some people may want to use acupuncture and/or hypnosis to help with smoking cessation. They can be an important compliment to any smoking cessation plan.

Some people may need a therapist to help stop smoking.

Finally, it is important to remember that if for some reason you are not successful the first time you try to quit, the chances of being successful increase the more often that you try.  Never give up!

As it relates to handling addiction, I defer to the fantastic group of medical experts that Sharecare brings to your doorstep. I do know that one of the major side effects to quitting is weight gain.
Sharecare has created a network of like minded fitness professionals that can help you manage the quitting process and build a plan for you that will give you long term success and create healthy habits.

The traditional view has been that establishing a "quit day" to stop smoking helps increase the chance that people will actually be able to kick the habit. But a review by the international Cochrane Collaboration concluded that a more gradual approach is just as effective and may be more appealing to smokers who want to quit.

The authors reviewed 10 randomized controlled studies, involving 3,760 participants, comparing the outcomes of quitting abruptly or gradually. They found that abstinence rates were about the same regardless of whether people quit smoking abruptly or gradually, whether they used nicotine replacement therapy, and whether they tried to quit on their own or participated in a support group.

Unfortunately, the analysis further confirmed the sad reality that most people were unable to kick the habit after one try. Over all, 202 of 1,979 smokers (10.2%) who stopped smoking gradually remained abstinent at least six months later, compared with 192 of 1,781 smokers (10.7%) who quit smoking abruptly.

Still, smokers who want to quit have other options. Research on smoking cessation suggests that combining methods—such as using both a support group and nicotine replacement therapy—boosts the odds of quitting. In addition, the Cochrane review did not examine the impact of medications such as bupropion (Zyban), which can be used in combination with nicotine replacement therapy. Another option is varenicline (Chantix), which both imitates and blocks the effects of nicotine, reducing craving in some smokers. Whatever you do, keep trying. Many smokers make multiple attempts before succeeding.

Start with a natural product to reduce your addiction to nicotine, then with a natural product to clear the tar out of your lungs. Once you enjoy breathing pure clear air, you will not want to go back to smoking again.

Smoking Withdrawal by Natra-bio is a combination of homeopathic medicines designed to reduce your cravings for nicotine. These medicines are safe, effective, non-habit-forming, and approved by the FDA as over-the-counter drugs. They do not contain any nicotine. This blend will set you back all of $5 and is definitely worth a try.

Then use Smokers’ Cleanse by Renew Life to clear the tar out of your lungs so you can breathe again. And of course follow the excellent lifestyle strategies in the previous answers.

If these methods don’t work, try hypnosis. It has worked for a lot of people I know.

Set a target date for when you want to quit. Learn about the triggers that cause you to smoke and educate yourself about the health hazards of smoking. Seek support and counseling or read self help books. Talk to your doctor about potential medications that can help you quit the habit.

In the 31 days before your quit date, use these tactics to start disrupting your smoking habit. With a little more breathing room, you'll be in a better position to give up for good -- when the time comes.

• Be selective. Cut out smoking in two or three situations that usually prompt you to light up.
• Scale back. Reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke a day to one pack or less.
• Go cheap. Switch to a cheaper brand of cigarettes -- one you don't like as much as your regular brand. 
• Get rid of your lighters and matches.
• Misplace your smokes. Carry your cigarettes in a different place than you usually do.
• Role play. Spend a little time each day imagining yourself not smoking in stressful situations.

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Smoking is very addictive not only because of the chemical addiction to nicotine but also because of the social and behavioral factors that play a role. For example, if you hang out with people who are smoking and you are trying to quit, chances are slim that you will be successful. Also, picking up a cigarette is a behavior that relieves anxiety. These are things you need to take into consideration if you are trying to quit. There are many options out there to help with quitting, but the most successful way is to pick a quit date and prepare to quit at that time. Support is always needed and helps to be successful. Staying away from situations in which you would smoke is important too. There are medications out there such as Chantix or even just nicotine patches, gum, and lozenges that you can discuss with your doctor. The important thing to remember is not to be discouraged if you make a mistake but to just start again.