Smoking will shorten your life by at least 10 years, plus the habit costs thousands of dollars a year to maintain, according to Teens Health. Additionally, cigarette smoke damages the respiratory and cardiovascular system and causes diseases such as cancer, heart disease and emphysema. As dangerous as smoking is, many people continue to smoke because cigarettes are also highly addictive. A smoker may stop several times before finally quitting for good.
Step 1
Set a quit date and stick with it. Setting a date helps you prepare, mentally and physically, for being smoke-free. It also gives you a definite start point from which to count your smoke-free days.
Step 2
Remove all smoking-related materials from your house. Also rid your other personal spaces of reminders of your old habit. Throw or give away your cigarettes, lighters and ash trays so they aren't around to trigger a craving.
Step 3
Clean out your car if you smoke while driving. Empty the ashtrays, remove all empty cigarette packs and get the interior cleaned and deodorized.
Step 4
Start exercising. Exercise not only helps improve the lung function damaged by smoking, but also helps you deal with the stress and withdrawal symptoms. The heavy breathing and wheezing during the first few days or months after you quit will also serve as a strong reminder of why you quit in the first place.
Step 5
Keep candy, gum and low-calorie snacks on hand. They will help with the cravings and the urge to put things in your mouth.
Step 6
Use smoking cessation tools. Consider nicotine patches or gum. Consult your physician before using these products.
Step 7
Stay away from activities that trigger the urge to smoke. For example, if alcohol triggers cravings, avoid drinking for at least the first three months after you smoke. Alternatively, use a cessation tool to keep you from smoking.
Step 8
Forgive yourself if you slip. Quitting is not easy, and it is highly likely that you will fall of the wagon during your journey to become smoke-free. When this happens, it might be easy to give up and start smoking again. Take a deep breath, remind yourself that mistakes are part of the process and get back on the wagon.
Step 9
Join a support group. Consider an online group or have in-person meetings with fellow non-smokers. A support group will help you find coping mechanisms and compare notes and will keep you on track.
Things You'll Need
- Sugar-free candy
- Sugar-free gum
- Low-calorie snacks
- Nicotine patch or gum
