It is difficult to quit smoking because tobacco is a highly addictive substance. Since the addiction comes in two forms--physical and psychological--breaking one addiction is not enough to quit. Many tobacco users find that the psychological addiction is stronger than the physical addiction to nicotine. Nevertheless, millions of people have successfully quit. Your willpower may not be enough to break your habit, however, so it may be best to follow a plan that is based on what has worked for others.
Step 1
Create a written list of the negative effects of tobacco use. Don't limit yourself to the negative health consequences such as increased risk of cancer and heart disease. Include personal hygiene consequences such as bad breath and nicotine-stained fingers. Also include social effects such as the need to step outside to smoke, for example, and the direct and indirect financial costs of tobacco use.
Step 2
Write down your personal reasons for quitting tobacco, advises the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. Be honest--focus on those aspects that bother you the most. If bad breath matters to you more than the increased risk of lung cancer, you should put bad breath near the top of your list. Make copies of your list and tape them to your mirror, the refrigerator door, your office wall, and anywhere else you that will ensure that you see it often.
Step 3
Set a quit date in advance. Your quit day should be sometime within the next month, says the American Cancer Society. Pick a day when you are not working, because work stress is likely to tempt you to smoke. If possible, arrange to have three or four days off in a row.
Step 4
Remove everything related to smoking from your home, car and office on the night before your quit day, advises the American Cancer Society. This includes not only cigarettes but also lighters and ashtrays. If you are using smokeless tobacco, remove all paraphernalia and reminders of this habit.
Step 5
Prepare ways to use your mouth and hands of your quit day. Buy gum and hard candy to keep your mouth busy. If you decide to use nicotine replacement therapy, consider using nicotine gum for this purpose. If you have a hobby that requires the use of your hands, prepare to engage in your hobby on your quit day. Be creative--buy a large sheet of bubble wrap if that is what you need to keep your hands busy.
Step 6
Prepare rewards for yourself for every day that you go without smoking. You might want to save all the money you would otherwise have spent on tobacco, for example, and buy yourself a treat every so often.
Step 7
Review your reasons for quitting every time you feel a craving for tobacco. Don't torture yourself for lapses--if you slip up and have a cigarette, for example, simply continue your effort to quit until you succeed.
Tips and Warnings
- If you drink, consider avoiding alcohol for the first month after you quit, because alcohol acts as a smoking trigger in many people.
- Do not use nicotine replacement therapy products, such as nicotine gum and nasal sprays, unless you have quit entirely or cut your tobacco use drastically. Using tobacco and nicotine replacement therapy at the same time can increase your body's need for nicotine.
Things You'll Need
- Hard candy
- Juice
