Quitting smoking isn't easy, but you've already crossed the first hurdle. You've decided you need to stop and are now looking for ways to help you stay on track. You were at the same crossroads not too long ago.
I had decided to think, and I was thinking of ways to keep myself motivated, to prevent myself from going for that next puff. So, being the super social person that I am, I pulled out Play Store On my phone, I started looking for apps that could be my support system. Apps that would help me through this without another relapse.
I came across a variety of apps that all claimed to be the best, which was honestly quite confusing. So instead of looking at reviews and choosing one like a normal person, I installed them all on my phone.
Here are some apps that I found very helpful in my quest to quit smoking for good.
1. FLAMY
Let's kick things off with the Flamy app, the only smoking cessation app I still have on my phone and the one I use to track my progress. With the app, I can easily see how much money I've made. By keeping it Since you quit smoking, the number of days you have been sober and the total time you have been a non-smoker.
The app has a clean user interface, which is one of the main reasons I chose this app over the others. It also provides a wealth of data that keeps me motivated. On the home screen, you see all the details I mentioned earlier, along with your latest achievements and basic information about your health improvements since you left work.
For a more detailed look at the health benefits, you can switch to the next tab. Here, you'll be able to clearly see how quitting smoking has helped your body recover over time. The next tab lists all your achievements, which are automatically unlocked once you quit and stick with the app.
Now if you get a craving after starting to use the app, you get the option to log in in the next tab with details like how strong the craving was, when it happened, how it made you feel and what triggered the craving.
Logging your cravings will help you track your triggers, and if you do this as soon as you get the urge, there's a good chance you'll overcome it once you're done logging in. The last tab offers a few additional features, including motivation cards, some simple games to keep you distracted, and some helpful tips to help you stay on track.
The app offers two smoking cessation programs—a 14-day challenge and a less-every-day program. The 14-day challenge is the only option available in the free version, and I only recommend it if you don't smoke many cigarettes per day. If you smoke more than 10 cigarettes per day, I suggest gradually reducing the number to avoid the physical discomfort of nicotine withdrawal.
2. SMOKE FREE
Smoke Free is another app that offers features that match what you get with Flamy. The app has a similar dashboard where you can see information like the time you've spent smoke-free, the money you haven't spent, and other health improvements at a glance.
Smoke Free, just like Flamy's craving log, has a diary tab where you can add notes about each of your cravings. These diary entries are plotted in a graph in the next tab, where you can easily track your cravings.
The tab also contains some helpful tips you can use to avoid these cravings, triggers that may have resulted in your cravings, and some app recommendations that will distract you when you have a craving.
The "Tasks" tab in Smoke Free gives you tasks you can complete to keep your motivation levels high after quitting smoking. Finally, the "Badges" tab lists achievements you can use to help you stay focused. All of these features are available in the free version of the app, with the paid version offering two additional features, including more tasks to keep you on track.
3. HABITBULL
Next up is the HabitBull app—a habit-building app that not only helps you quit smoking but also allows you to form new habits over time. This makes the app really useful for those looking to replace their smoking habit with something a little more beneficial and healthier.
When you first set up the app, you're given the option to select the habit you want to form or break. Smoking can be found in the Health & Fitness section. During the setup process, you can also choose how you want to track your habit.
You can either track it with a simple “yes/no” answer, track based on numbers (if you’re gradually reducing the number of cigarettes you smoke or want to see how much money you’ve saved), or track using data from Google Fit (which isn’t useful for smoking).
Once you've set it up, the app will remind you to stay focused on your goal every day until you develop the habit. The app claims that it takes an average of 66 days to form a new habit. I haven't been able to test these claims, but if you've been using HabitBull for a while, let us know if it worked out well in the comments section below. You can also try the app's discussions feature to connect with people who are also trying to quit.
4. QUITNOW!
QUITNOW! is another useful app you can use if you want some form of community support to help you stick to your resolution. In terms of basic features, the app offers exactly what you get with Flamy and Smoke Free.
The app has a similar dashboard with the same basic information about your decision to quit, an Achievements section that lists everything you've been able to accomplish since quitting, and a Health section that outlines the real-time health benefits of quitting cigarettes.
But beyond all that, the app has a "Community" section, which is essentially a live chat room filled with other people using the app to curb their addiction. The app doesn't allow you to take screenshots of the Community section for privacy reasons, which is why I haven't included images here, but you should definitely check it out.
You can use the community section to talk to people on the same journey, share what you've been through since leaving work, ask for help or motivation, and even offer advice to others based on your own experience. This feature is especially great for those of you who live alone and want someone to talk to during a vulnerable moment to help you through it.
5. QUITZILLA
Rounding things out is Quitzilla – another useful app that helps you quit smoking and any other addiction. Setting it up is very simple; simply select the addiction you want to quit, specify your motivation for quitting (money, time, or an event), and set a time for when you're ready to quit, and you're good to go.
A new tab will be added to the home page and you can click on it to see some helpful insights, including the time you spent achieving your goal, your savings, and motivational quotes.
The calendar widget on the tab shows you exactly when you quit smoking and how many days you've gone without a cigarette. If you get stuck and smoke a cigarette, you can add it directly to the calendar and the timer will reset.
Compared to the other apps on this list, Quitzilla is very simple and doesn't offer many features. However, if you're willing to pay enough, you can certainly do what the app offers. The only downside is the annoying full-screen ads that pop up repeatedly, but you can get rid of them by purchasing the paid version.
Download Quitzilla for Android
Quit smoking now
Now that we have the apps out of the way, let's take a moment to discuss how effective these apps actually are. While some might argue that they're completely useless, a host of reviews on the Play Store suggest otherwise.
Furthermore, a study of smoking cessation apps also revealed that similar apps offer several benefits, including “interactive and customizable tools to support smokers throughout the multi-step smoking cessation process, including self-monitoring tools, progress tracking, and daily reminders, as well as social support.”
If nothing else, you can take the word of Brian Koerber, who successfully quit smoking using an app like this a few years ago. It hasn't been that long since I quit smoking, but I know that as long as I'm motivated enough, I'll never lay a hand on a cigarette again.
If you ever feel like you're not motivated enough and apps aren't helping much, you can also check out Quit Smoking – a great community that will definitely help you keep your inspiration levels high and your motivation levels down. nicotine Low.
