First, get information! The more information you have about the quitting process, quit tips, quit medications and ways to stay quit, the more likely you are to quit for good. Knowledge gives you power. Many people try to quit ‘cold turkey’ or just give up cigarettes on a whim. The problem with this is, when cravings get tough, they haven’t got a strategy for what to do. They relapse. Information gives you a plan on how to manage the process and prevent relapse.
How do you get the right information? Start by reading the Breathe Easy Guide. These will tell you about your smoking motives, or the reasons you smoke, and important quit tips based on your smoking behaviors. The quizzes can help you determine your commitment to quitting and how to strengthen your commitment. The quizzes can tell you about your addiction level and give you quit tips based on your level of addiction. We also encourage you to read the Breathe Easy Guide to Quitting Tobacco to walk you through each of the steps of quitting successfully.
Second, think of quitting as a gift to yourself. It is a big deal. You deserve to get help and support. You have the quit coaches, friends and family who can help you through this process. Reach out for support. Tell people about your plans to quit and ask how they can help cheer you on in the process. Research shows that support from friends and family predicts who will be successful in quitting. In fact, increasing social support in a smoker’s environment can increase long-term successful quitting by 50 percent!
Third, develop a quit plan. The more creative and advanced your plan, the more likely you are to succeed.
Fourth, figure out the right quitting medication for you. You can call us to get suggestions and if you are eligible, get the nicotine patch or nicotine gum for free.
Fifth, learn what to do if you slip. Knowing what to do immediately when you have a slip can stop a complete relapse. Also, knowing your red flags, or the things that can trigger a relapse, can prevent you from going back to smoking. You can learn how to stop a relapse before it happens!
Sixth, reward your successes! Knowing how to reward yourself for each step in the process makes it more likely you will stick with it. Reward yourself often. You deserve to pat yourself on the back for each step along the way. Your friends and family can help you to reward yourself if you have a hard time doing that. Ask them to cheer you on and give you encouragement when you are struggling.
Remember, millions of people have quit. And we have helped hundreds of thousands of these people quit successfully. YOU can do it too! YOU CAN be a proud quitter!
Fiore MC, Jaén CR, Baker TB, et al. Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update. Clinical Practice Guideline. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Public Health Service. May 2008.