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You’ve made the decision to quit smoking. Now you just need to arm yourself with tools to be successful and ensure your plan sticks. Think outside the quit-smoking box and learn about surprising ways to stay off cigarettes. From apps to wagers, one of these five methods might just be what you need to finally quit for good.
1. Download a Quit Smoking App
Check out your phone’s app store and search for quit smoking apps. You’re bound to find a few to help in more ways than one. Apps can track how many cigarettes you’re currently smoking or help you taper off until quit day. Apps might calculate your cost savings or offer up inspirational quotes and reminders to keep you focused on your goal. These apps are a friend you take with you.
2. Ask Your Job About Quit Smoking Programs
Today’s employers recognize the health risks associated with smoking cigarettes. Most employers don’t want to lose their employees to health problems, so they offer programs or clinics to get you on the right track. Ask about any incentive programs and tap into the resources available through your job. The American Lung Association reports that up to 57% of program participants quit by the program’s end.
3. Try an Alternative Medicine
Acupuncture and hypnosis have reported success with helping clients in their quit smoking efforts. Acupuncture may work by reducing the taste of tobacco alongside the desire to smoke. Hypnosis may be effective as it works to reframe a subject’s thoughts and ideas around smoking. Since the smoking habit is rooted in the subconscious, simply not smoking is not enough. Alternative medicine may reach a little deeper than nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or other medications, as well as manage symptoms and withdrawal.
4. Give Vaping a Try
Vaping looks and feels similar to smoking and might be an effective NRT. Vape pens and mods require an e-liquid that comes in various nicotine levels to help you gradually taper nicotine down while mimicking the smoking experience.
Choose a pen or tank that is the mouth-to-lung variety in order to get a “throat hit”, the same effect smoking a cigarette delivers. PG dominant e-juice and an MTL device will provide the best experience and results. Consider outfitting your pen or e-cigarette with vape drip tips. These tips allow e-juice to flow into the e-cigarette’s atomizer to provide improved flavor and effect.
5. Make a Financial Bet With Yourself or With Friends
Put your money where your mouth is. This method might help you quit and stay quit with the promise of an upcoming reward. Make a bet with yourself or with friends and set the parameters. Tell them that you would like (insert reward here) when you reach a certain milestone.
Quitting smoking is a daunting enough endeavor as it is. Discovering new or different ways to approach the task can mean the difference between succeeding and failing. While not every method guarantees results, making the effort to give up cigarettes is a step in the right direction.
