New year, new me, right? Yeah, we’ve all heard that one before 🙄
So it’s no surprise that almost one third of smokers who make new year’s resolutions say they aim to quit smoking this year… but by the time February arrives, almost 80% have already failed.
Like many addictions, smoking is one part physical and one part mental. If you’re committed to quitting this year, you need to have a plan and that plan needs to address both parts.
Here are ByeGwaai’s 9 tips to help you quit smoking this year and turn your 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣3️⃣ into 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣🆓!
- Set a quit date and stick to it. Choose a date that is not too far in the future, but also not too soon. This gives you time to mentally prepare for quitting and to eliminate smoking triggers from your environment.
- Tell your friends and family about your decision to quit. Support from those closest to you can be a huge motivator and will help you stay on track.
- Identify your smoking triggers and develop a plan to avoid them. Triggers can be things like stress, alcohol, or certain social situations. By identifying your triggers, you can develop strategies to avoid or cope with them. Quit smoking apps like ByeGwaai help you track your cigarettes or cravings and the feelings and contexts that trigger you.
- Consider using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or prescription medications to help manage cravings. NRT products like gum, patches, and lozenges can help reduce withdrawal symptoms and make it easier to quit smoking. Prescription medications like bupropion (Wellbutrin, Zyban) and varenicline (Champix) can also be effective in helping people quit smoking. ByeGwaai Premium offers telehealth consultations and personalised treatment plans tailored to meet your needs.
- Find healthy ways to cope with stress and negative emotions. Smoking is often used as a coping mechanism, so it's important to find alternative ways to deal with stress and negative emotions. This could include exercising, practicing deep breathing and relaxation techniques, or talking to a therapist.
- Get support from a support group, quitline or organisations like ByeGwaai. Quitting smoking is a challenging process, and it can be helpful to have support from others who are also trying to quit. Support networks can provide valuable resources and encouragement as you work towards your goal.
- Reward yourself for reaching milestones. Quitting smoking is a major accomplishment, so be sure to celebrate your successes along the way. Set small goals for yourself, like making it through a week or a month smoke-free, and reward yourself for reaching them.
- Don't get discouraged if you slip up. Quitting smoking is a process, and it's common to have setbacks. If you do slip up and have a cigarette, don't let it discourage you. Just try again and keep working towards your goal.
- Make use of smoking cessation apps, like ByeGwaai, which offer evidence-based methods and structured quitting plan to keep you on track as you work towards your quit date.
No matter how much we wish it was, quitting smoking is no walk in the park. And what works for some may not work for you. To maximise your likelihood of successfully quitting you need a personalised plan that’s right for you.
ByeGwaai offers a comprehensive, evidence-based quitting program to supercharge your quit attempt. The best part? You can start your journey to a smoke-free life today, for free!
