Counselors and therapists suggest that the best way to quit smoking is to have a stop smoking plan. It becomes your roadmap, a guide to give up smoking, when things get rough. However, the success of the plan depends on your will and determination, and they will keep you from smoking down the road. The best-laid plans go wrong because the smoker cannot give up the urge for that one last cigarette after quitting, which always leads to another one.

The first step in the stop smoking plan is to decide an actual date that you are going to take your last cigarette. The stop date can be any date - a week from now, a month from now or even three months from now. However, for your resolution to work it should be as early as possible. The next stage is the most difficult as it deals with withdrawal symptoms like mood changes, depression, irritability, emotional distress, etc.

If you don't think you will have any, you are totally underestimating the power of the nicotine, as you will go through actual pain withdrawals, similar to drug withdrawals. A nicotine replacement therapy is the best option to fight withdrawal symptoms as under this therapy, you can trade your cigarette for a nicotine patch or gum.

This ensures a minimum amount of nicotine in your body even though you are not smoking. The treatment usually spans a period of six months or more for complete withdrawal. The last step is called maintenance or not smoking or using an aid at all - the nicotine will be gone permanently from your system. By avoiding places and people where smoking is common, you will be more apt to succeed on this level. It is important to constantly remind yourself the reasons for quitting.

A common method adopted by most people is to smoke as normal until the day they actually quit, and then cold turkey all at once. This is a hard way, and most people do not have the incentive to do it successfully, as you need a very strong willpower to successfully succeed at stop smoking. A lot has to do with how addicted a person actually is to the nicotine.

A better way and easier on the body is to gradually reduce your nicotine intake, so that your cigarette consumption is down to the minimum by the time you the actual day designated to quit. There will always a danger of going back to cigarettes and to avoid this, a person can attend counseling sessions or become an active member of support programs.

You can also seek the support of friends and family members to avoid a rebound. Another good way to suppress the urge is to take up a new hobby that keeps you busy. If a relapse occurs do not be discouraged. You can try again.