The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced in a recent report that the percentage of adults smoking in the United States dropped from 20.9 percent in 2005 to 16.8 percent in 2014.
Quitting the habit of smoking is a tough endeavor. While most people would complain about how hard it is to undergo the process of of quitting, there are those who willingly committed themselves, painstakingly underwent the process and came out victorious.
No special formula or medicine could help smokers get up one day and suddenly lose the urge to puff a cigarette. Because of this, many smokers turn to unconventional ways to quit and finally end their smoking addiction.
Here are some of the most bizarre ways smokers do to kick their habit:
Press ears
Some smokers tend to turn to acupuncture to help them quit. Rhiannon Griffiths from British Acupuncture Council said the Shenmen or the apex at the triangular fossa of the ear is one of the five major points where a needle can be placed to induce smoking cessation.
Griffiths instructed those who would want to try this technique to place a finger where the ear joins the head and move it down in diagonal direction and toward the first dip on the cartilaginous part of the ear. Pressing this part of the ear may help people calm down every time the urge to smoke comes.
Get a piggy bank
Some people are aware that spending hard-earned money on cigarettes can cause great damage to the household budget. Some invest in a good-quality piggybank or even a trusty glass jar. The money they intend to use on buying a cigarette goes directly into this piggy bank. Every time they look at the container, it gives them a sense of fulfillment. For doing a job well done, people also use the money to reward themselves and buy something nice.
Marvel on your children's pictures
People are very much aware about the crippling effects of smoking. Superdrug pharmacist Yusuf Patel advises smokers to look at images of people close to their heart and think of how much more time they would want to spend time with them.
Bury the proof
Some people literally bury their cigarettes to dissuade them from smoking. In this way, they have to dig the cigar up, extract it and rebury the pack again. The hassle of too much interventions are enough for some people to forget about smoking and move on.
Play video puzzles
Video puzzle games like Tetris is a good distraction for those who crave for a cigarette. A study from Plymouth University was able to discover that playing just three minutes of Tetris is enough to rid a cigarette craving.
Infuse house or office space with a lovely scent
"Clean your house," suggests Patel. This includes washing clothes, curtains and other objects that have already been infused with cigarette smoke. One can also place a potpourri or scented candles for that fresh, clean scent.
Approximately more than 16 million Americans are suffering from a disease related to smoking. Smokers are more prone to develop lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and tuberculosis. On the average, smokers succumb to death earlier than nonsmokers. Would you want to be a part of the statistics? Then go and press your ear or dig the cabinet for that handy tetris device you were so addcited to when you were 12.
Photo: Alosh Bennett | Flickr
