Can Technology Help You Quit Smoking?
Technology has done a lot to change the way ordinary people live their lives. Nowhere has this become more apparent than in the field of healthcare. People are finding it easier to tackle their self-destructive smoking habits than ever before. A variety of technological aids are allowing them to get the support they need.
No longer is quitting smoking purely about willpower. These are the technological advancements that can help you quit smoking.
Tracking via Mobile Apps
A range of mobile apps have made it easy for people to chart their smoking journey. You can get simple apps that will just show you how long you haven't smoked for, but there are ones that dig deeper into your psyche. For example, you can track your stress, anxiety, and depression levels.
Apps like the T2 Mood Tracker can only show you your progress. They can't help you quit, but even just a simple reminder every day of your progress can be enough to defeat your cravings.
Another popular app is called Smoke Free. This helps people to stay motivated using a different tactic. Rather than focusing on your mood, it looks at the practical aspects of quitting smoking. Input your data and every day you stay away from cigarettes you'll find out how much your health has improved and how much money you've saved.
Online Smoking Help Groups
One of the problems smokers have, especially if they're surrounded by smokers, is people not understanding what their problems are or where they're coming from. It can feel like you're alone in your journey, but technology has made it easy to stay connected with likeminded individuals.
Online support groups and meetup groups, such as Meetup.com, are making it easier than ever before to find people to distract yourself with. Staying busy and going out on non-smoking nights out can stop your cravings from being at the forefront of your mind.
The best thing is you can find new friends with a swipe of your smartphone.
Electronic Cigarettes
Cravings for smokers are at their strongest when you take the familiar taste of a cigarette away from you. Not having something in your hand all the time can cause a huge number of problems. It can drive you closer and closer to a cigarette.
Thankfully, electronic cigarettes have been invented. You just press the button and you smoke it just like a cigarette. The difference is you're not taking in any nicotine. Providers of premium e-liquid will allow you to smoke without damaging your lungs. You'll gradually wean yourself off of electronic cigarettes, thus putting yourself in a position where you can quit for good.
Do keep in mind that there are an increasing number of places banning the use of e-cigs. This is because the authorities still consider the vapor to be in the same league as actual cigarette smoke. Make sure you check the regulations in your local area first.
The Doctor-Approved Treatment Methods
These are just some of the options you can use from home without the help of a doctor. But what people forget is that medical technology has taken stop smoking aids a long way. The various gums and patches in use today are far more effective than they used to be.
Long criticized as not helping people to deal with their bad habits, medical technology has allowed doctor-approved treatment methods to improve over time.
A lot of former smokers regularly use them in conjunction with devices like electronic cigarettes to quit the habit. They find that they target all aspects of their cravings, which is what helps them to get over the worst of them.
Last Word – What is the Best Way to Stop Smoking?
Technology has done so much to help people to stop smoking. But no matter how good technology gets it's not going to do the job for you. It still requires strength and willpower to beat your cravings. Without that, no smoking aid will enable you to quit the habit. Before you start using them you have to be sure that you actually want to quit and you're not doing it for someone else.
Which of these smoking aids have you used to stop smoking?
