Cigarette smoking is one of the toughest addictions to break. Many smokers took up the habit in their early teenage years, and when they decide they no longer want to smoke, they find that the compulsion for nicotine and a desire to put a cigarette in their mouth is very difficult to overcome. If you want to help a friend or loved one quit smoking, you need to be understanding and perhaps a little bit sneaky.
Step 1
Make yourself available to the person who is going to quit the habit. Realize it's not going to be pretty. An individual may say they want to quit smoking and really mean it, but when it gets down to the actual doing of it, they may fight quitting at every turn. Cigarette smokers who are in the process of quitting can be sneaky, and they will do whatever they can to get their hands on cigarettes. Realize this going in.
Step 2
Create roadblocks for the smoker. If he smokes when he drinks his morning coffee, make the coffee difficult to come by. Introduce another drink such as tea or perhaps sports drink to have instead of the coffee. Check out all of your friend's hiding places for cigarettes on a daily basis and do a sweep to make sure he is not sneaking them. Try to think like a smoker and check out any spot a smoker might hide cigarettes.
Step 3
Create a game plan for quitting. In the beginning, this may include hour-by-hour instructions of how the smoker should use her time. Get the person acting in a healthy manner. Schedule time for exercise, schedule time for healthy foods, schedule time for reading. This may help the person get rid of idle time.
Step 4
Talk heart-to-heart with your friends about the issues that led to the cigarette and nicotine habit in the first place. If you are not suited for these kind of long talks, help your friend find a psychologist or a counselor who can help. Smoking is often related to deep-seated emotional issues that are best talked out and understood.
Step 5
Advise your friend to purchase a nicotine patch, nicotine gum, nicotine nasal spray or a nicotine inhaler. Many smokers can gradually wean themselves off cigarettes with help from these items. They may help your friend make gradual progress before she quits smoking entirely.
Tips and Warnings
- Support your friend's decision every step of the way and understand how difficult smoking may be to give up.
