As with everything, there is a grieving process and a sense of loss when you make the decision to quit smoking. This certainly goes for the rationalization of quitting smoking, especially when one has smoked cigarettes for a long period of time. Trying to break the habit takes time and much effort. When you finally realize smoking has affected you negatively health-wise, it may be time to quit. There are the stages, according to the American Cancer Society, among others, you can expect to go through during the quitting process.
Pre-Contemplation
The smoker thinks she really should quit smoking but doesn't think about it as a serious action. Most smokers consider this often; some think of it daily. Yet they do not move to do it.
Contemplation
The smoker intends to quit but finds excuses to not do it yet. These may include stress at work or home, or they may include associating smoking with particular activities of the time of year. For example, if the smoker attends a weekly poker game during the winter, he may associate smoking with the activity and say he will quit when the "season" is finished.
Preparation
The smoker seriously plans to quit and may already have tried. She is planning a time to quit and may have come up with activities to relieve herself of the urge to smoke. These activities may include exercise such as running, jogging, walking or going to a gym. This may be the stage where the smoker realizes smoking is an addiction. The habit of smoking also may be hard because you are so accustomed to smoking.
Action
During this stage, the smoker is quitting. He will feel the pains of withdrawal as well as the continued urge to smoke. This may be the hardest part, since the lack of nicotine does cause withdrawal symptoms. These can include depression, anxiety, headaches and restlessness, among other things.
Maintenance
After the first 6 months of being nicotine-free and up to 5 years after quitting smoking, the ex-smoker is in the maintenance stage. She can fall back to the habit and may be aware of this. She will try to take steps to not smoke, including new activities when the urge to smoke occurs.
