Staying Free
The first week:
- Take one day at a time. Today is enough of a challenge; why take on tomorrow as well? Use your coping tools like your 'Survival Kit,' your support person, your deep breathing, and exercise.
- Take heart! The worst will be over in about a week, but it may take 3 months to be really comfortable as a non-smoker.
From weeks 2-6:
- After the worst of the physical withdrawal is over, you may still need to deal with the mental struggle. So be sure to reward yourself for staying off cigarettes. When the urge to smoke comes, talk yourself out of it. Remind yourself: "I choose not to smoke." Say "NO!" today, tomorrow, and every day after that.
The dangers now are:
- Thinking that one cigarette won't hurt
One cigarette will hurt. Very few people can smoke only occasionally. You're either a smoker or you're not.
- Smoking at a celebration
The company of smokers and the presence of alcohol is a dangerous combination - so be careful. Do not give yourself permission to smoke; give yourself permission to be healthy.
- Smoking during a crisis
Things seem so bad that it does not matter whether or not you smoke. But every crisis will pass. And when it's over, you don't want to have to begin quitting all over again.
From week 7 and beyond:
Well done! You've stopped smoking. But stopping is one thing, staying smoke free is another altogether.
By this stage you will find that people have stopped making a fuss over how well you've done. As far as they're concerned, it's all over. But you know better. Don't let your enthusiasm wane. Being free from cigarettes is a habit too. The longer you stay a non-smoker, the more natural it will seem.
Stopping smoking is one of the best things you have ever done in your life. You have beaten nicotine and changed the habit of many years. Be glad!
"To be a champion, you must believe you are the best. If you're not, pretend you are." - Muhammad Ali