Right up there with “get in shape” and “save money”, “quit smoking” is a goal that millions of people have. However, quitting smoking can be a difficult task, since it requires a lot more than just putting down the cigarettes. Smoke long enough and not only does it become a nearly impossible to break habit, but you also acquire an addiction to nicotine, so quitting is actually a physiological challenge as much as it is a psychological challenge. However, with the right support system, you can overcome your smoking addiction and become smoke-free. Since most people are attached to their cell phones these days, using one of the many available “quit smoking” apps might be helpful. Below are 10 great apps that can help you, 5 for iPhone users and 5 for Android users.
iOS/iTunes App Store
1. My Last Cigarette – For those who are more analytical, this is a great app to help you quit smoking. The display shows you how long you’ve been a non-smoker, how much money you’ve saved, your lung and heart health, your nicotine level, facts about what smoking does to the body, and the days you’ve added to your life by quitting. Talk about motivation!
2. Quitter – In this sense, being a quitter is wonderful! Quitter shows you how long it’s been sense you last had a cigarette and also tells you how much money you have saved. While less involved than the first listed app, it is still useful.
3. GottaKickIt Now – This is an interesting app for those who want to gradually stop smoking. It tells you when you can have your next cigarette, so if you keep in line with the notifications, you’ll almost unconsciously quit smoking, as the number of cigarettes allowed will slowly decrease.
4. iQuit – Stop Smoking Counter – This is very similar to number 3, in that it also tells you when you are allowed to have a cigarette to help slowly remove smoking from your life. However, the great thing about iQuit is that it also links to Facebook so your friends will be notified of your progress and can offer support and encouragement.
5. NoSmokingLife – This is another great app that serves multiple functions. It tracks your current smoking habits, and then lets you know the money you will save and the days you will add to your life by quitting.
Android/Google Play Store
1. Cessation Nation – This app monitors your progress, tells you the money you have saved and time you have saved by not smoking, how long it has been since your last cigarette, and connects to Facebook so you have a support group behind you.
2. Time To Quit Smoke – This is the minimalist app for those who want to quit smoking. It shows basic info on a basic screen, including money saved, and also has a widget you can add right to your main phone screen so you can see the time it’s been since you last smoked.
3. QuitNow – This app is very user friendly, colorful, and interactive. It has a community and tracks just about everything you would ever want to know about your progress and health benefits achieved by not smoking. If you’ve ever used LoseIt! for weight loss, you will like the format of this app as it is very similar.
4. Get Rich or Die Smoking – A humorous title, but a great app that takes the “money you’ve saved” display to the next level by showing you what you could have bought instead of smoking. For those who are financially motivated, this is the perfect app.
5. aha!Smokefree – This app is unique not in its having widgets or in what it tracks, but in that it also supports the use of e-cigarettes. If you are trying to quit smoking by conventional methods, or by using e-cigarettes, this app is perfectly tailored for you.
No Butts About It
No matter how long you’ve been a smoker, how much you smoke, or how many times you’ve tried to quit, it’s never too late to give it a shot. Whether this is your first or fifteenth time quitting smoking, the above apps should help you immensely in your pursuit of a healthier life. Whether you enjoy having the social support of your Facebook friends, you want to know the statistics of every facet of your journey, or you just want the basics, both the App Store and the Google Play Store have apps that are tailored just for you. Good luck!