Quit Smoking Cold Turkey: Is It for You?

Millions of smokers have tried to quit smoking over the course of their lifetimes, many more than once. If you are one of them, there are a lot of ways to help you quit smoking, and finding the right method for you has a great deal to do with how successful you will be. You can spend a lot of money for the latest and greatest treatments, like laser therapy or the stop smoking injection. Hypnosis and acupuncture are available too at a price. You can choose to use the nicotine patch, but this involves money and effort over several months. You can get a prescription for Zyban or Wellbutrin from your physician, but again, this can add up over time, and there are associated side effects that you’ll risk.

In many ways, just going “cold turkey” might be the way to go for you. You’ll need lots of desire, will power, and discipline to see you through the process, but there are some advantages to just quitting once and for all.

If you do decide to quit smoking cold turkey, you’ll want to have a well-formulated plan that you can stick to. Cold turkey does not mean haphazardly. If anything, you will have to be more organized and goal-oriented with this method; you will need to monitor yourself closely so you can readjust when temptation strikes.

There are lots of things you can do to make the process go more smoothly when you quit smoking cold turkey. First of all, spend some quiet time thinking about the reasons you want to quit. Write these down in your journal or better yet, on an index card that you can keep with you at all times. Refer to this list whenever you are feeling that strong urge to reach for a cigarette.

A few weeks before the actual day comes when you will quit smoking cold turkey, stop buying cartons of cigarettes. Just buy one pack at a time. You can also try carrying just a couple of cigarettes with you when you are out. You will gradually give yourself the message that cigarettes are not easily accessible.

Have a definite quit date. This is a milestone day for you – record it and celebrate your healthy decision. Make sure your quit date falls on a day when you are not under unusual stress, as this will make it much harder for you.

Prepare beforehand for those times when a craving hits you. Make a list of activities you plan to substitute for smoking. Some possible alternate activities might be taking a walk, working on a hobby project, drinking a cup of tea, do some stretching exercises, or play with your pet.

Begin saving all the money you would normally spend on cigarettes – put it in a special box or jar, so you can visually see how much money you had been spending, and how much money you’ll now have to spend on some special treats for yourself.

Visualize yourself playing a sport like tennis, or running in a marathon. (Or for that matter, actually go play tennis or begin jogging!) Visualizing while you quit smoking cold turkey helps you see yourself the way you want to be, not the way you’ve been (an inactive smoker).

Change your routine – you are dropping a familiar habit, and it will help you if you can change some other familiar routines around as well. You are in the process of reinventing yourself!

In the end, if you find that it is just too difficult for you to quit smoking cold turkey, don’t beat yourself up. Instead, explore other options to give you the added boost you need.