5 steps to combat anxiety when quitting smoking

Several guidelines you can follow to prevent anxiety from making it difficult for you to quit smoking.

Smoking is the most widespread addiction in the world.. This is largely due to the fact that, unfortunately, tobacco is legal. As a result, there is not as much awareness of risk as with other illegal drugs, such as cocaine or heroin.

Every year, almost 8 million people die worldwide due to diseases directly related to tobacco. That is why the vast majority of smokers are trying or have tried to quit smoking, but overcoming nicotine addiction is not easy..

But overcoming nicotine addiction is not always easy. Some people quit cold turkey without major problems; others face unpleasant withdrawal symptoms and psychological dependence, leading to anxiety. Y the inability to cope with this anxiety is the direct cause of most cases of relapse in tobacco addiction. in tobacco addiction.

How do you overcome the anxiety of quitting smoking? In this article I tell you the 5 main steps so that anxiety is not a problem while quitting smoking.

5 steps to overcome your anxiety while quitting smoking

Follow these tips to prevent anxiety from being an obstacle when quitting smoking.

1. Know your Smoking habits

The main mistake many people make when trying to quit smoking is to skip this step. Willpower alone is not enough to solve a psychological problem.In most cases, it is necessary to know how our mind works and to apply strategies accordingly.

Therefore, it is common to work with addictions, it is common when working with addictions to propose to people to make a self-registrationThe following is an example: write down day after day how many cigarettes are being consumed, as well as at what times and in what situations.

If done well, this habit of observation will give information to the person and the therapist about the nature of the addiction and the consumption habits of that person, the peaks of consumption, the most frequent relapse situations, etc. Without this information, it is very difficult to overcome smoking for good. Remember, you have to know your enemy.

2. Write down your excuses for smoking

When psychologists talk about "knowing yourself", we usually refer to getting used to observing our mental processes in certain situations that we want to change.

Most smokers report how they go into "autopilot" and start they go into "autopilot" and start smoking without realizing it.. It is therefore crucial for the person to become familiar with the most frequent excuses they use to continue smoking. For example:

• "For one nothing happens".
• "I deserve an award."
• "I've been having a stressful day, I need to relax".
• "I don't think I'll be able to quit smoking, it's stronger than me, I need it - I'm afraid of feeling anxious if I quit."

By identifying these excuses and justifications for smoking, the person could work on them, especially with the help of a specialized therapist. In most cases, these same thoughts are the source of the anxiety.

Remember, if toxic and limiting beliefs are not worked on, it is a matter of time before the person falls back into his or her psychological problems, in this case tobacco addiction.

3. Familiarize yourself with the symptoms of withdrawal symptoms.

Nicotine is addictive, and when you stop using it, the brain will begin to miss it.. That is what an addiction consists of, in that the person feels "bad" when he/she does not consume. Whether you want to or not, you will most likely experience physical symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.

The good news is that nicotine withdrawal usually resembles the discomfort of a cold, in most cases, so the person can survive it without major problems. It usually lasts between a few days or a couple of weeks.

It is essential that the smoker identifies the symptoms of his withdrawal syndrome, and learns to live with them until he has overcome the addiction.

4. Create alternative habits to smoking

Many smokers realize in therapy that they have associated smoking with certain moods, such as relaxation or celebration.such as relaxation or celebration. Therefore, when they seek to feel these moods, they turn to tobacco.

As the person stops smoking, it is important that they find new ways to experience these pleasurable sensations without smoking. Some people achieve this through sports, meditation, listening to music, doing certain breathing exercises, etc.

There is nothing that does not work for absolutely everyone. So it is best to work with a professional and generate strategies tailored to the individual.

5. Review your reasons for quitting smoking

Something that gives people a lot of encouragement while they are going through withdrawal anxiety is to remind themselves why they are doing it..

Many people, when reminded of their reasons for quitting, feel much more conviction and joy about their results, as well as pure hatred and anger towards cigarettes and tobacco companies. Generating this type of thoughts when the urge to smoke comes up can be very effective in certain cases.

Psychologist specializing in smoking

Among people who try to quit smoking without help, less than 7% succeed in quitting for good. That's why it's so important to work with a specialist.

I work regularly with people suffering from all kinds of addictions, especially tobacco.especially tobacco. I can help you through psychotherapy, or with my online course to quit smoking. Contact me through my profile.