Tips for Quitting Smoking
- Set a date to quit and stick with it.
- Change your environment.
- Get rid of all cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car, and place of work.
- Don't hang out in the same places where you used to smoke.
- Don't let people smoke in your house or around you.
- Get lots of support.
- Make a pact with a friend to quit at the same time.
- Go to smoke enders support groups.
- Get individual, group, or telephone counseling.
- Tell all your friends and family you are quitting and ask them to help you
by not smoking around your and/or leaving cigarettes around.
- Tell your doctor.
- Have an excuse to tell your friends. For example:
- "The doctor told me to stop"
- "I can't, I have asthma"
- "It was making me feel sick"
- "I can't run as well during sports"
- "I'm getting a job where they don't allow smoking"
- Change your routines.
- Chew gum, take up a videogame or do something that uses your hands when you feel the urge to smoke.
- Drink tea instead of coffee.
- Take a different route to school or work.
- Start exercising more so you don't have to worry about your weight.
- Drink lots of water.
- Pick an activity to do at the times you used to smoke like after meals or during half time of games.
- Set up some rewards for yourself for every week you don't smoke like going to a movie with the money you save.
- Put up a sign to remind yourself of the bad effects of smoking in the places you used to smoke.
- Ask your doctor for medicine that can take away the urge. The FDA has approved 5 medications to
quit smoking.
- Bupropion SR-Available by prescription
- Nicotine gum-Available over-the-counter.
- Nicotine inhaler-Available by prescription.
- Nicotine nasal spray-Available by prescription.
- Nicotine patch-Available by prescription and over-the-counter.
- Medication doubles your chances of quitting and quitting for good.