What Are The Stages Of Quitting Smoking?

Posted by Gurseet Singh on

Introduction

If we ask you to fill in the blank in the sentence above, what would your response be? Easy, difficult, possible, unimaginable, necessary, unnecessary, or something else? Your response determines whether you are a smoker or non-smoker and if you are a smoker then where you lie in each of the below quadrants of the quit-smoking stage 

There Are 4 stages to quit smoking

  • Pre-contemplation

  • Contemplation

  • Preparation

  • Maintenance

Pre-contemplation

In this stage, a smoker is not considering quitting smoking. You belong to this stage if you demonstrate any of the following behaviours:

  • Become addicted to smoking
  • Smirk at messages about quitting smoking
  • Defend or justify your smoking habit
  • Argue that smoking is beneficial, and these benefits outweigh the risks
  • Tried to quit smoking but lacked conviction

Contemplation

In this stage, a smoker is thinking about quitting smoking but is not yet ready to quit. If you are in this stage, you will likely do the following: 

  • Be receptive to anti-smoking messages 
  • Be convinced about the risks of smoking and look for ways to quit smoking
  • Identify the barriers that prevent you from quitting smoking
  • Consider quitting in the near future (3-6 months)

Preparation

In this stage, a smoker is prepping to quit. If you belong to this stage, then you would have:

  • Identified the smoking cues and triggers (morning tea, afternoon meal, stressful meeting) 
  • Set a date to quit smoking
  • Started smoking fewer cigarettes
  • Consulted your physician for medical advice
  • Sought help of friends and family to cope with smoking withdrawals
  • Begun taking anti-smoking tablets
  • Begun to reward yourself for staying motivated
  • Firmed up your resolution in case of a slip

Maintenance

In this stage, the person has turned into a non-smoker and is continuing to avoid smoking cigarettes. If you belong to this stage, then you are:

  • Adopting effective coping strategies to avoid a relapse
  • Advising smokers to quit
  • Continuing to reward yourself for not smoking

How To Transition From Pre-Contemplation To Contemplation?

Of course, it is pointless to compel or force you to quit smoking. Quitting smoking is a self-affirming thought. But we suggest you follow the below positive behaviours at least once and spot the difference for yourself. 

A] Understand the cigarette smoking habit loop

Cigarette smoking is a habit loop, consisting of 4 elements.

This loop runs the risk of making you dependent on the nicotine buzz and addicted to smoking. We are not urging you suddenly to give up smoking. Smoke mindfully

B] Smoke mindfully

This practice entails you following these behaviours.

When You Feel Like Smoking,
Do This
While Smoking,
Do This
After Smoking,
Do This
Ask yourself these questions: ● Use your senses completely to analyse the cigarette. Ask yourself these questions:
● What emotion is compelling me to smoke — Are you anxious, stressed, or excited? ● Feel the cigarette.

● Experience its taste.
● How am I feeling now?

● Has my mood really changed?
● What will happen if I refuse to feed this urge? Feel the smoke travel down your throat as you inhale and feel it travel back up your throat as you exhale.

At this juncture, there are 2 possibilities. You will either:

a] Learn to like the idea of not smoking: 

You will begin to experience the ‘burning feeling’ as you inhale the smoke. The cigarette will not taste good and the smell of smoke will seem unpleasant. Gradually, cigarette smoking will stop seeming pleasurable and smoking frequency will tend to reduce. You will contemplate quitting smoking.

b] Continue smoking: 

You will continue to justify cigarette smoking by saying for instance that it is impossible to focus at work unless you smoke a cigarette. In such a scenario, we urge you to investigate this thought. Probe deeper. 

Ask yourself if there was even a single moment that you worked well without smoking a cigarette. You would realise at least one such incident. Visualise that memory.

Encourage yourself to remember more such instances. The more you think of such memories, the more willing you will be to shift from faulty/negative self-talk to healthy self-affirmations.

How To Transition From Contemplation To Preparation?

Have you watched the acclaimed film ‘Batman Begins’? In this one, Rachel Dawes (played by Katie Holmes) tells this popular line to Bruce Wayne (played by Christian Bale) — It's not who you are underneath, it's what you do that defines you.

Got the message? Simply thinking about quitting smoking is not beneficial. Act on your thought. Don’t worry, quitting smoking is not about testing your willpower. On the contrary, it is about following a scientific approach that allows you enough time to quit smoking. Sign up for the Smotect Quit Smoking Program.

How To Transition From Preparation To Maintenance?

Now that you are convinced about quitting smoking, you must get the right anti-smoking tablets and must follow an effective process to become a non-smoker for life. 

A] Combat the biological cravings with Smotect Natural Tablets

Smotect Natural Tablets are a unique formulation of 12 therapeutic herbs formulated to help you quit smoking. They help you lower your nicotine dependence. Additionally, they protect and restore the lungs, heart, brain and skin from the impact of prolonged smoking. They have a success rate of over 95%. These tablets are dosage-based on the basis of how dependent you are on smoking. They are:

  • 100% safe and natural
  • Nicotine-free
  • With zero side effects
  • Clinically proven for safety and efficacy 
  • FDA-approved
  • GMP-certified
  • Patented formulation

Smotect Natural Tablets lead the body to produce its own dopamine to make up for the loss due to nicotine dependence. Consequently, nicotine dependence reduces. This naturally released dopamine also helps to sustain the elevated mood, increased energy levels and stamina.

B] Combat the psychological cravings with Smotect Guided Sessions

Smotect Guided sessions are a step-by-step video series made by quit-smoking experts. They are based on the Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) approach. With these sessions, you can:

  • Strengthen your mental muscle and manage cravings and withdrawals through tangible tools, techniques and breathing exercises, such as body scan technique and R.A.I.N.
  • Equip you to deal with slips and relapses effectively.
  • Reinforce awareness of your psychological triggers and smoking patterns.
  • Enable you to move away from your identity as a non-smoker

To Sum Up

Quitting smoking is perhaps one of your best life decisions. Make it possible with a proper plan. The Smotect Quit Smoking Program is a time-tested and proven approach to combat smoking.

As you practise this approach with every cigarette craving, you will be able to rewire your brain and break your cigarette-smoking addiction for good. Signing off with this popular quote from Benjamin Franklin — By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.

Start your Quit Smoking Journey today with World's most effective & proven Smotect Quit Smoking Natural Tablets

Click Here To Buy Smotect Tablets Today!

WhatsApp us at +91 89285 97731 for consultation with Quit Smoking Expert

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