Smokers develop a physical addiction to nicotine that makes quitting hard because of the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. The American Academy of Family Physicians, or AAFP, says that smoking also becomes a firmly ingrained habit. People pair having a cigarette with other daily activities. They have trouble breaking that association when they try to stop smoking.
Step 1
Select a date on which you will stop smoking, according to the Mayo Clinic. Choose a time about two to four weeks in the future so you have time to prepare. This will give you a period in which you can develop strategies to deal with the physical cravings and the habitual part of your addiction.
Step 2
Write a diary listing the times when you smoke out of habit, the AAFP recommends. Do this before you quit smoking so you will be prepared for the difficult times. Note whether you light up a cigarette when you chat with a friend, have a cup of coffee, drive or talk on the phone.
Step 3
Write a list of all of the reasons you are going to stop smoking. The AAFP says that you can use it to mentally counteract the habit when you get the urge to light up a cigarette. Include everything you can think of, from health-related reasons to reducing the smell in your home to saving money.
Step 4
Choose an alternative to use at the times you habitually smoke. Have a pack of gum or a tin of mints ready so you have something to put in your mouth. Buy a stress ball to keep your hands busy. This will cover two of the major areas associated with cigarettes, since you use your hands and mouth to smoke.
Step 5
Get rid of your cigarettes, matches, lighters and ashtrays, the Help Guide psychology site says. Remove them from your home, car and workplace. This makes it harder to indulge in your habit because you don't have access to smoking materials. Keep your mints, gum and stress ball nearby as handy alternatives.
Step 6
Select a mental symbol to use as a cue to pause when you want to indulge in the habit. You must turn smoking from a natural action into a choice. Use something like a giant bright red stop sign or stop light, and bring it to mind whenever you want to pick up a cigarette. Tell yourself, "I choose not to smoke right now." Remind yourself of your reasons for quitting. Immediately redirect yourself to your gum or mints and the stress ball if needed.
Tips and Warnings
- Don't use slip-ups as an excuse to give up. The Mayo Clinic says that many people fail at their first quitting attempt. Simply set a new date, alter your quitting plan if needed and stop again at the designated time.
