"Smoking is such a part of my life, quitting would be a big change for me."

If you chose this box, you probably:

  • Have a lot of friends and/or family members that smoke. 
  • Have been smoking for a long time. 
  • Are afraid of quitting because of how it may change your life.

These are some tips that helped people like you quit:

Temporarily avoid those situations where you are inclined to smoke heavily.

Search for another break --A cigarette is frequently used as a break --a reward after an extended period of work or concentration or as a way to relieve boredom. Get up and walk around; take a drink of water; practice relaxing; exercise.

Tell all your friends you are going to kick the habit. This kind of public commitment will help bolster your determination at crucial moments.

This is what helped me. I avoid making mental promises to myself to have the next cigarette at a particular time. Instead I left the decision open-- for a new decision whether or not to smoke. For example: if I were to say to myself, "I won't have a cigarette now, I'll have it when I reach the school lot," invariably I had the cigarette as soon as I reached the lot. On the other hand, if I had to say to myself, "I won't have a cigarette while I'm walking to school,"--postponing what I would do when I reached the office until I arrived--I found it easier to control the urge to take the next smoke. Using this approach I was often able to stall off that next cigarette for considerable periods of time.

Thought Stopping: Whenever the urge comes, absolutely refuse to think about it. Think about something else immediately.

Another ex-smoker found that just the opposite approach worked for her. She said, face the problem: "With the first feeling of desire I would own up. I would go out and meet the enemy on purpose and build my armor rather than try to forget it."

At some point you've got to make a "clean break"--you have to make a decision to stop. Set a date and stick to it!

Keep postponing the first cigarette of the day for a longer and longer time.

 

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