People are smoking less and less as the years go on, but there are still many out there who use cigarettes. The Office of National Statistics recently released figures that show 13.3% of Brits smoked in 2021 – that’s about 6.6 million people. This is down from 14% of the population who smoked in 2020. And, if you want to join those who have quit, we have collected information on how to stop smoking for dads.
Many dads find that, once they have a family, they would like to quit smoking. This could be over concerns about passive smoking, not wanting to model unhealthy behaviour or any number of other reasons. If that is you, this is the guide to the help available and the ways that many people manage to curtail their habit.
How to stop smoking
Willpower
Many dads stop smoking through willpower alone. They make a decision to quit and they manage successfully not to return to the cigarettes. It should be pointed out that this can be extremely difficult for some and, just because others find it possible, it is not the perfect route for all people looking to break the habit.
Those who try quitting through willpower often use a technique called ‘self talk’ to help. This involves keeping yourself motivated by affirming your progress and intentions to yourself.
Others ‘practice’ willpower to get used to self control. Before quitting, they might try out their willpower to go for a brisk walk every day or stop eating their daily packet of crisps. The idea is that these activities set you up for the bigger challenge of stopping smoking.
Vaping
There is a lot of different information about vaping that means some dads might not try it as a tactic to quit cigarettes. It is certainly true that vaping is not harmless. This is why we have concerns about our children taking it up. However, it is a lot less harmful than smoking cigarettes.
Basically, vapes work by allowing you to inhale nicotine in vapour rather than smoke. This helps you move away from cigarettes, but maintain that action of smoking that has become second nature. You get the nicotine you are used to, but in a much less dangerous manner. The e-liquids for vapes also come in different strengths of nicotine, allowing you to gradually reduce the amount you take in.
The NHS claims you are twice as likely to quit smoking using vapes than any other nicotine replacement product.
Nicotine replacement therapy
Other nicotine replacement therapy methods include gum, tablets, inhalators, skin patches and sprays. You can either buy them or get them on prescription from your doctor.
When some people look at how to stop smoking, they try a combination of these therapies. The patches release nicotine slowly into the body throughout the day, whilst the gums and inhalators are faster acting.
You might find some side effects, but they are usually mild. They include some dizziness, headaches, upset stomach and difficulty sleeping.
Unusual advice for how to stop smoking
As you would expect, there are many alternative ways to stop smoking listed online. They might work for some, but are likely to not be effective for everyone. One former smoker said he learnt what the triggers were that made him crave cigarettes. After that, he avoided them, but if one hit and he had an urge to smoke, he would take a shower where it wasn’t possible to have one.
Another cut down gradually, reducing the amount they smoked by one cigarette a day. There was also an example of one smoker using a clothes peg as a cigarette substitute. The peg was a similar size and weight to a cigarette and the person found that playing with it helped distract them from their cravings.
