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1. Believe in yourself.
Believe that you can quit. Think about some of
the most difficult things you have done in your
life and realize that you have the guts and determination
to quit smoking. It's up to you.
2. After reading this list, sit
down and write your own list, customized to your
personality and way of doing things. Create you
own plan for quitting.
3. Write down why you want
to quit (the benefits of quitting): live longer,
feel better, for your family, save money, etc.
You know what's bad about smoking and you know
what you'll get by quitting. Put it on paper and
read it daily.
4. Ask your family and friends to support
your decision to quit. Ask them to be completely
supportive and non-judgmental. Let them know ahead
of time that you will probably be irritable and
even irrational while you withdraw from your smoking
habit.
5. Set a quit date. Decide what day you will extinguish
your cigarettes forever. Write it down. Plan for
it. Prepare your mind for the "first
day of the rest of your life". You might even hold a small ceremony
when you smoke you last cigarette, or on the morning
of the quit date.
6. Talk with your doctor about
quitting. Support and guidance from a physician
is a proven way to better your chances to quit.
7.
Begin an exercise program. Exercise is simply incompatible
with smoking. Exercise relieves stress and helps
your body recover from years of damage from cigarettes.
If necessary, start slow, with a short walk once
or twice per day. Build up to 30 to 40 minutes of rigorous activity,
3 or 4 times per week. Consult your physician before beginning any
exercise program.
8. Do some deep breathing each day for 3 to 5 minutes.
Breathe in through your nose very slowly, hold
the breath for a few seconds, and exhale very slowly
through your mouth. Try doing your breathing with
your eyes closed and go to step 9.
9. Visualize
your way to becoming a non-smoker. While doing
your deep breathing in step 8, you can close your
eyes and begin to imagine yourself as a non-smoker.
See yourself enjoying your exercise in step 7.
See yourself turning down a cigarette that someone offers you. See
yourself throwing all your cigarettes away, and winning a gold medal
for doing so. Develop your own creative visualizations. Visualization
works.
10. Cut back on cigarettes gradually (if you cut back
gradually, be sure to set a quit date on which
you WILL quit). Ways to cut back gradually include:
plan how many cigarettes you will smoke each day
until your quit date, making the number you smoke smaller each day;
buy only one pack at a time; change brands so you don't enjoy smoking
as much; give your cigarettes to someone else, so that you have to
ask for them each time you want to smoke.
11. Quit smoking "cold turkey".
Many smokers find that the only way they can truly
quit once and for all is to just quit abruptly
without trying to slowly taper off. Find the method
that works best for you: gradually quitting or cold turkey. If one
way doesn't work do the other.
12. Find another smoker who is trying
to quit, and help each other with positive words
and by lending an ear when quitting becomes difficult.
13.
Have your teeth cleaned. Enjoy the way your teeth
look and feel and plan to keep them that way.
14.
After you quit, plan to celebrate the milestones
in your journey to becoming a non-smoker. After
two weeks of being smoke-free, see a movie. After
a month, go to a fancy restaurant (be sure to sit
in the non-smoking section). After three months,
go for a long weekend to a favorite get-away. After six months, buy
yourself something frivolous. After a year, have a party for yourself.
Invite your family and friends to your "birthday" party and celebrate
your new chance at a long, healthy life.
15. Drink
lots of water. It will help flush the nicotine
and other
chemicals out of your body, plus it can help reduce cravings by fulfilling the "oral
desires" that you may have.
16. Learn what triggers your desire for a
cigarette, such as stress, the end of a meal, arrival at work, entering a
bar, etc. Avoid these triggers
or if that's impossible, plan alternative ways to deal with the triggers.
17.
Find something to hold in your hand and mouth,
to replace cigarettes. Consider drinking straws
or you might try an artificial cigarette.
18. Write
yourself an inspirational song or poem about quitting,
cigarettes, and what it means to you to quit. Read
it daily.
19. Keep a picture of your family or
someone very important to you with you at all times.
On a piece of paper, write the words "I'm quitting for myself
and for you (or "them")". Tape your written message to the picture. Whenever
you have the urge to smoke, look at the picture and read the message.
20.
Whenever you have a craving for a cigarette, instead of lighting up, write
down your feelings or whatever is on your mind. Keep this "journal" with
you at all times. |
