Expert warns people partaking in Stoptober why they shouldn't quit smoking cold turkey
Although you might be putting your heart and soul into sticking with 'Stoptober', this expert has warned that going cold turkey might not be the best course of action.
This month, thousands of people are partaking in the annual challenge to ditch smoking - and according to the NHS, you will see 'almost immediate' improvements to your health if you join in.
The aim of the game is to make it 28 days without sparking up, and if you make it to this milestone, you're said to be five times more likely to quit for good.
We might be a fair bit into the month of October already, but it's still not too late to jump on the bandwagon, as you can simply set you're own parameters for your personal quitting journey.
Advert
Committing to quitting is the first step, while the NHS also have plenty of tools, advice and support available - such as the NHS Quit Smoking app - to help make your Stoptober as successful as possible.
Health experts advise having a 'plan and the right support' in place to give yourself the best chance, as although many people 'try to quit with willpower alone, going cold turkey can be tough'.
And that's exactly what Markus Lindblad, a nicotine expert from Northerner, thinks too. He's the Head of External Affairs at the firm which flogs alternative nicotine products that are free from tobacco.
Markus is very supportive of the Stoptober challenge - however, he wants to warn people off making 'the common mistake of going completely cold turkey'.
You might think you're doing yourself a favour by cutting cigs out of your life completely from the get go, but this expert reckons you're probably shooting yourself in the foot in the long run.
Explaining the difficulties which often come with abruptly stopping smoking, he told LADbible: "Not only can the sudden decision to quit smoking lead to intense withdrawal symptoms, but it can also increase the chances of you not quitting.
"Instead, to give yourself the best chance of quitting cigarettes for good, look at swapping to a Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) such as patches or gum.
"Many people find that using alternatives like these can help make the transition away from smoking feel more manageable."
He explained that most smokers experience nicotine withdrawal symptoms for up to four weeks, but NRT's can 'help reduce the symptoms significantly'.
"There are also other smoke-free options such as nicotine pouches which are gaining popularity in the UK, and have been widely consumed in Sweden as an alternative to cigarettes for many years," Markus said.
However, even when you're using aids like these, you're still likely to experience some withdrawal symptoms.
"Though milder than going cold turkey, [they] will still occur," Markus said. "These can include headaches, difficulty concentrating, changes in sleep patterns, nausea, irritability, anxiety, and cravings."
To help cope with the cigarette cravings that will inevitably creep in, he suggests introducing more dairy products into your diet, as they are 'said to make cigarettes taste worse'.
"Next time you have a craving, get yourself some cheese, pour yourself a glass of milk, or eat a yoghurt to keep cravings at bay, naturally," Markus explained.
We might be closer to the end of Stoptober than the start at this point, but if you're looking to kick your habit to the kerb from here on out, Markus advises opting for a Tuesday - as it apparently has the 'highest success rate'.
He explained: "This is because people often have a lot of social plans over the weekend, and while a Monday might seem like a good place to start quitting, it’s not recommended, as your body is still feeling tired from the events of the weekend, making it much harder to resist cigarette cravings.
"Quitting on a Tuesday gives you time to recover from the previous weekend, but also allows enough time to avoid craving it again by the time Friday comes around."
You can find out further information and advice to stop smoking on the NHS website for free.
Olivia Burke