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The Ultimate Quit Smoking Timeline: 5 Stages in Smoking Cessation
Why is it so hard to quit smoking?
The truth is, we try. So many have tried to set their quit smoking timeline and follow it. They have tried to let go of this vicious habit. But they are unable to. There is an invisible thread that pulls them back.
“Nicotine” – This is the invisible thread that influences your brain to want to smoke more and more. It is more dangerous than most drugs. Nicotine affects your dopamine system, a neurotransmitting hormone that controls your emotions and decisions. It completely takes over your ability to derive pleasure from other activities, thus, giving satisfaction only after a smoke.
So if you want to build your quit smoking timeline or want to understand how a person reaches the final stage to stop smoking forever to avail the benefits of quitting smoking, you have come to the right place.
Here is a quick guide on the stages that a smoker undergoes as they try to stop smoking. The time a smoker spends in each stage affects their speed of quitting.
Precontemplation – Known also as the ‘stage of denial’, this one is usually the most difficult to get through. A smoker refuses to acknowledge that they have a smoking addiction or that smoking is harming them. They often attribute the problems to other situations and assume that they are still in the early stages of smoking, and are thus, invincible. This stage sees a lot of procrastinators who decide that they can quit later. They are not ready to face the anxiety that comes with accepting the fact that they NEED TO QUIT.
Contemplation – In this stage, a smoker tries to reason and rationalize the need to choose a smoke-free life. Overcoming the denial and starting to rationalize is the key part of the quit smoking timeline. They have come to a realization that smoking is having a negative impact on them and start considering the need to quit. It is a start. The seed has been sown and the action will begin soon.
Preparation – This is where proactive decisions are taken. A smoker decides that enough is enough. It is time to act and that time is now. They start listing down the pros and cons of quitting cigarettes. Will it be difficult? Which technique should I use? What are the benefits of quitting smoking? What if I fail? They start seeking answers to these questions. Research begins. They talk to people about it, go on the internet to find answers and start preparing themselves mentally to stop smoking forever.
Once they set the date to start their quit journey, they keep convincing themselves that the decision that they have taken will yield fruitful results.
Action – Date and Time – Check! Technique to quit smoking – Check! It is time to start the process. The smoker officially begins their transformation into a non-smoker. Here, too, they might face slight hesitation. ‘Should I go ahead and quit?’ or ‘Am I doing the right thing?’ But once they have taken the first step, they should not look back.
They would follow the methods suggested by the technique or program they are using. A point to remember here is that a smoker’s journey, success rate and quitting smoking timeline may vary depending on the technique that they have chosen.
Their commitment to quit and determination helps them reach the stage when they have to stop smoking. They are free and no longer in need of cigarettes.
Maintenance – The final stage in their quit smoking journey, it is time for them to maintain their status as a non-smoker. Quitting is hard, and what is harder is dealing with the cravings that come after. Anyone can quit smoking. The real question is “for how long?”. They might be tempted to smoke that “just one” cigarette because they miss it or someone they used to smoke with is trying to get them to smoke again. Thinking about the benefits of quitting smoking might help here.
There is an app, QuitSure, which uses positive psychology and CBT to do the same thing that psychologists do. You can use this from the comfort of your home and it is cost-effective as well. More than 20,000 people have quit smoking using this app in the last year. It requires only 6 days to quit smoking. The app also provides 24/7 chat support from expert psychologists and coaches.
The app doesn’t require the user to quit smoking immediately. It mentally prepares the user to quit. So you can simply ask your loved ones to download the app and take the first step towards a smoke-free life!
So when are you starting your journey to stop smoking permanently?
Find out more: www.quitsure.app
