Quitting smoking takes effort, but it need not involve a great deal of suffering. Millions of people have done it. A well-considered plan combined with aids such as nicotine replacement products can reduce or eliminate much of the uneasiness involved in kicking the habit. In order to quit smoking, you must believe that you can do it. In addition, you must anticipate the obstacles you will face in advance and make plans to deal with them.
Step 1
Set a quit date at least a few days, but no more than a month, in advance of when you plan to start the quitting process. Set your quit date far enough in advance to allow you to properly prepare, but not so far in advance that you risk losing your resolve.
Step 2
Buy a nicotine replacement product such as gum, patches or inhalers, advises the American Heart Association. Use whatever product you feel most comfortable with. Nicotine gum, for example, has the advantage of keeping your mouth busy.
Step 3
Announce your quit date to your friends and family, because social support increases your likelihood of successfully quitting, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Step 4
Write down a list of the most important reasons why you want to quit, advises the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. Tape copies of your list in areas in the various places you will be during your first weeks after quitting, such as your bathroom mirror and office cubicle.
Step 5
Prepare activities to occupy your mouth and hands during your first few days of quitting. Suck on hard candy or something similar if you are not using nicotine gum. Keep your hands busy with an activity such as knitting or popping bubble wrap.
Step 6
Throw away your cigarettes, lighters and ashtrays in the trash the evening before your quit day. Remove any other reminders of smoking from your presence.
Step 7
Use your first nicotine replacement product immediately upon waking on your quit day and continue using it as suggested.
Step 8
Review your reasons for quitting whenever you experience a craving, suggests the American Cancer Society. Imagine as vividly as you can the benefits of being smoke free, instead of trying to imagine the negative consequences of a relapse.
Tips and Warnings
- If you use nicotine gum, taper off your use two to three months after your quit day, and use ordinary chewing gum to keep your mouth busy until you feel comfortable without chewing gum at all.
- Don't use nicotine replacement products until you consult with a doctor and have either quit completely or reduced your smoking to a few cigarettes per day.
Things You'll Need
- Nicotine replacement product
- Hard candy
References
- Office of the Surgeon General: Frequently Asked Questions about Quitting Smoking
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Smoking & Tobacco Use
- American Heart Association: Nicotine Substitutes/Nicotine Replacement Therap
- American Cancer Society: Guide to Quitting Smoking
- Women's Health: Smoking and How to Quit
