Quitting smoking will give you more control over your life, bring you better health, allow you to set a good example for children and young people and protect those around you from breathing in smoke. While it can be difficult, it is possible to quit smoking successfully.
Instructions
Step 1
Make plans to stop smoking. Write down the reasons you are quitting, whether it is improving your health or living a more productive life.
Step 2
Tell your family and friends on your quit day that it is the day you are quitting. Ask them to support you during the next few days and weeks.
Step 3
Follow the directions for any medication you use to quit. Follow your doctor's advice.
Step 4
Keep very busy during for the first day or few days after quitting. Go to a movie, exercise, take long walks or go bike riding.
Step 5
Spend as much time as you can in places where smoking is not allowed. This includes most public buildings, but it can also be in private places where friends or relatives do not allow smoking in the home. Spend your social time with nonsmokers.
Step 6
Put a toothpick or water bottle in your mouth when you feel any kind of urge. Chew on gum or suck on hard candy when you have cravings. Carrot sticks and celery also work.
Step 7
Drink lots of water and fruit juice. These fluids are not only healthy, they keep your mouth busy and your taste buds stimulated.
Step 8
Avoid alcoholic beverages and caffeine, which may trigger your desire to smoke.
Step 9
Change some of your habits. If you are used to having a smoke after a meal, get up and do something different such as taking a walk or drinking a healthy beverage.
Step 10
Don't despair if you can't make it to the quitting finish line for some reason. A survey from the American Lung Association found that six out of ten former smokers were not able to quit on their first try. They required multiple attempts but were able to quit in the end. The association has launched a campaign to show that multiple attempts are normal on the road to kicking the habit successfully.
Tips and Warnings
- If you need some help along the way, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests the many written materials and advice you can get from organizations such as the American Cancer Society or American Heart Association. There are also quit-smoking support groups, where nonsmokers get together to stay smoke-free.
