It’s Day 4 of Stoptober – the 28-Day National Stop Smoking Challenge.
Which means that non-smokers everywhere are currently tiptoeing around moody friends and relatives who would rip their heads off for the mere whiff of a cigarette.
If you are one of those lucky people, then here’s what you can do to help…
Encourage them to drink lots of water.
That’s because nicotine withdrawal typically peaks after 48 hours and is usually over within a week. And the more water they drink, the faster that phase passes.
That’s the good news.
The bad news is that once the irritability, headaches, anxiety and stress goes, they start to feel better.
And that’s when complacency starts to creep in.
You see, the urge to smoke actually has very little to do with nicotine addiction and everything to do with the psychological rewards we get from it, such as:
* Fitting in with a social group.
* Rebelling against authority.
* Feeling more grown up.
* Being a ‘daredevil’.
* Having an excuse for a break.
* Being like mum and dad.
The list goes on…
And it’s when these psychological needs are triggered that smokers tend to fall off the wagon and stray back to the wicked weed.
Shame really, because these are pretty easy to overcome (when you know how).
Quitting smoking takes just 2 hours. Lookee see.
Heidi Woodgate