Stop Smoking

Giving up cigarettes can be tough, but it is possible! Although quitting isn’t easy, many former smokers have succeeded in putting tobacco behind them for good. Here are some tips that can help you become one of them.

Before You Quit

Set a quit date.
List your reasons to quit. By writing out your reasons, you’re affirming your desire to stop smoking and reminding yourself of why you need to do it now. Refer back to the list when you feel like you might relapse.
Throw away your cigarettes, lighters, and ashtrays. By getting rid of them, you’re sending the message that you’re committed to quitting. Keeping them around in your house, car, or workplace will make it easier to relapse, and harder to think of yourself as a nonsmoker.
Get support from your friends and family. Ask the people around you for encouragement. Most of your friends and family will probably be happy to see you taking steps to better health, and by letting them know that you’re stopping, you can prepare them for any irritableness you might show in the first few days.
Consider nicotine replacement products. Some people have more success quitting smoking when they incorporate a nicotine replacement product, such as gum or the patch, into their plan. If you’re interested in using one of these products, talk to a health care provider about which one is right for you. If you’ve recently had heart problems, be sure to mention this to your health care provider.

After You Quit

Avoid temptation. Think about your triggers for smoking. Do you smoke when you’re in certain places or with certain people? Stay out of these situations, and you’ll be more able to succeed. If you have friends who smoke, ask them not to smoke around you.
Look for new activities to reduce your stress and keep your mind off cigarettes. Enrolling in a fitness class and finding new hobbies are great ways to replace your old habits with healthy ones. Focus on activities that help you reduce stress, such as yoga or Pilates, or hobbies that keep your hands busy, such as pottery or painting.
Reward yourself for reaching milestones. If you’ve gone a few days, a week, or a month without smoking, congratulations! Stopping isn’t easy, and you should make an effort to recognize what you’ve accomplished. One way to reward yourself is to set aside the money you’d be spending on cigarettes, and use it to buy yourself a weekly treat.
Remind yourself of the benefits. Think about all the ways you’re helping yourself by giving up smoking. If you’ve gone a few days without a cigarette, you should already be seeing some results. Focus on what you’ve achieved already and how proud you’ll be when you hit your next milestone.
Exercise more often. Once you’ve stopped smoking, you’ll be able to exercise without as much shortness of breath. Take advantage of this to incorporate more physical activity into your life. Exercise can improve your mood, help you control your appetite, lower your blood pressure, and keep your mind off cigarettes. Take a look at Sister to Sister’s exercise suggestions and choose an activity that works for you!
Listen to success stories from others who’ve quit successfully. Many women have quit smoking, and they’ve gone through the same challenges you’re facing now. If you know someone who has stopped smoking, talk to her about the experience.

When You’re Craving a Cigarette

Substitute sugarless gum, raw vegetables, or other alternatives to keep your mouth busy. Some people chew on coffee stirrers, straws, or cinnamon sticks to resist the urge for a cigarette.
Use deep breathing techniques. Smokers breathe deeply as they inhale the smoke from cigarettes. If the desire for a cigarette strikes you, breathe deeply and picture the clean, fresh air that’s filling your lungs. As you breathe, remind yourself of the reasons you quit and the benefits you’ll enjoy as a non-smoker.
Wait. Delaying for even five or ten minutes can help overcome strong urges to smoke. Use the time to think about why you quit and how you’ll feel if you start smoking again.

Remember, you’re not alone! Your friends, family, and Sister to Sister will all support you as you make heart healthy changes.

Helping A Loved One Quit Smoking

If someone you know is trying to quit smoking, there's a lot you can do to help. Simply being supportive and available to lend an ear is a big part of the process. Propose activities to keep the person active-and away from the temptation to light up.

It's important to remember that quitting is tough; if your loved one slips up along the way, don't criticize his or her efforts. When friends seem to be struggling, continue to encourage them and let them know how much you admire them for their efforts. Recognize and congratulate small milestones, and realize that your loved one may be more cranky than usual. Sometimes the best thing you can be is a sounding board, or even an emotional punching bag, for whenever a bad craving strikes. Use the tips below to help make these transitions easier.

Helping someone decide to quit

You can gently encourage someone who smokes to quit. Think of your comments about smoking as only one event that moves that person toward quitting.

Start any discussion of quitting in a gentle way.
Let the person know why you want him or her to quit. Give the person reasons that are as important to him or her as they are to you. (Try "I want you to be with us for a long time" rather than "I'm tired of cleaning your dirty ashtrays.")
One good way to begin is to mention a new treatment option you have heard or read about.
Make it short (less than 5 minutes).
Ask whether there is a way that you can help him or her quit.
Repeat your attempt every 6 to 12 months.

Helping someone who is quitting

Family and friends are a valuable source of support and motivation for a person who is trying to quit smoking. People who have already quit are an even greater source of comfort and can offer tips for success.

If a person who smokes asks for your support while trying to quit, you can:

Help distract him or her. Join in the activities he or she does to decrease the craving to smoke, such as lunchtime walks or hobbies.
Ignore grouchy moods. Try your best to tolerate any bad moods. They won't last forever.
Provide a reward when he or she meets a goal or milestone without using tobacco.
Ask the person what he or she needs from you.
If you smoke, don't smoke around the person who is trying to quit. Don't offer a cigarette, even as a joke. Don't leave your cigarettes where they will tempt the person to take one.
If you have quit smoking, talk often to the person about positive changes in your health and sense of well-being. Talk about the times when you found it most difficult not to smoke and what you did to get through those situations.

Helping someone who relapses

Most people try to quit smoking many times before they are successful. Don't give up your efforts. If the person you care about fails to quit, you can:

Praise him or her for trying to quit, and for whatever length of time (days, weeks, or months) of not smoking.
Encourage him or her to try again. Don't say "If you try again." Say "When you try again." Studies show that most people who don't succeed in quitting will try again in the near future.
Encourage him or her to learn from the attempt. Things a person learns from a failed attempt to quit may help him or her be successful in a future attempt.
Suggest that he or she consider more intensive treatment when ready to try again.

How To Beat 10 Common Smoking Triggers

Many common activities or events can trigger the urge to smoke. Knowing how to deal with them can help you deal with these triggers:

Finishing a meal. Get up from the table immediately and start a pleasurable activity. Try a walk or a new hobby.
Drinking coffee. Change the way you have coffee: the place, the coffee mug, everything that you did when you were smoking. Wait until you are at work to have your morning coffee.
Talking on the telephone. Use a phone in a different room when you are at home. At the office, there may be little you can do to change location. Have small objects nearby to handle while you are on the phone.
Between tasks. Instead of smoking a cigarette before moving on to your next project, try taking a short walk or reading a section of the newspaper or a chapter of a novel you're enjoying.
After an argument, disappointment, or negative event. If you are still feeling angry or upset, let off the steam by walking briskly around the building.
In the car. Since smoking has been banned in so many workplaces, cars are becoming a popular place to smoke. Remove the ashtray from your car, or fill it with potpourri or tiny strips of paper on which you've written the reasons you don't want to smoke anymore. Instead of smoking while you drive, play your favorite music on the stereo and sing along.

Activities at work and social events may trigger the urge to smoke. Here are some suggestions for avoiding these triggers:

Other people who smoke: Avoid the smoking areas at your workplace. If there is an entryway where people who smoke gather during breaks or before work, find another entryway, or time your arrival to avoid the smokers.
Work breaks: Avoid places where people who smoke go during the break. Seek out the company of people who don't smoke, and spend your break with them.
Parties: Quitting smoking may impact your social life. You don't have to skip parties altogether, but if you do go, don't accompany your friends when they go outside for a cigarette. If people are smoking indoors, or if it's an outdoor party, try to sit or stand as far away as possible from people who are smoking. Step out for a breath of fresh air if you need to-but don't smoke!
Alcohol: After you have had a drink, your resolve not to smoke may weaken. You may choose to give up or cut down on drinking alcohol when you first quit smoking. Varying the kind of alcohol and the place where you drink may help break the trigger, but it will not help with the weakened willpower.