Stopping
The night before quit day:
- Throw away all your cigarettes, every last one. Make sure that you have no cigarettes left, not even butts.
- Get rid of lighters and ashtrays too. "Out of sight, out of mind."
- Replace cigarettes with sugar-free gum, straws, toothpicks, or worry beads to keep your hands and mouth busy.
- Be positive. Stopping smoking is a challenge. You can do it!
- If you are using aids like nicotine gum, patches, spray or inhaler, be sure you know how to use them. Read the package insert carefully.
- Smoke your last cigarette and say goodbye to an old enemy.
The Big Day:
- Today is a special day - it's QUIT DAY. It's a day for being good to yourself.
- Take it easy and don't push yourself too hard. Maybe stay in bed extra late - or get up especially early.
- Have fruit juice for breakfast. The acidity will help get rid of the nicotine.
- Plan a treat for the end of the day as a reward for not smoking.
The Days that Follow:
Take One Day at a Time
- Stopping smoking forever seems like a big step. Don't think of never smoking again. Instead, think of quitting in terms of one day at a time. Say to yourself: "I won't smoke today," and then don't.
- Feel proud and congratulate yourself at the end of each day for your success.
- Your goal is to get through each day without a cigarette. Deal with one urge at a time and beat it.
Avoid Temptation
- Develop a clean, fresh, non-smoking environment around yourself.
- Avoid smokers. Spend more time with non-smokers.
- Avoid places where you used to smoke and don't sit in smoking sections.
- For the first week or two, try to avoid alcohol, coffee, and other beverages that you associate with smoking.
Cope with the Urge to Smoke
- Remind yourself of your reasons for stopping smoking (see "Why Quit?"). Reassure yourself: "This may be tough, but I can do it!"
- Tell yourself: "I choose not to smoke." Give yourself commands like "Don't do it!" and "Stop!"
- Use your imagination to help you cope with the urge to smoke. When you start to think about how "nice" it would be to have a cigarette, imagine instead a pair of black, tar stained lungs. You can also imagine how disappointed people will be if you start smoking again.
- Use the nicotine gum, patches, spray, or inhaler if you decided to use one of these.
- Practice the "5 D's to do" listed below.
The "5 D's to Do:"
1. Drink Water
- Drink between 8 - 10 glasses of water or fruit juice a day to help wash the nicotine out of your body. (Note: if you are using nicotine patches, gum, spray, or inhaler, too much water will flush the desired dose of nicotine out of your body).
2. Deep breathing
- Keep calm and cool by deep breathing: take a deep breath in through your nose, hold your breath for a count of 4, and breathe out slowly through your mouth. Repeat these steps until you feel more relaxed.
3. Do something else
- Keep busy to help keep your mind off cigarettes. For example, don't linger at the table after meals. Instead, do some activities like washing up, cleaning your teeth, or going for a walk.
- Make a list of quick and simple tasks to do when you get the urge to smoke. You could try a crossword puzzle, read a magazine, listen to music, nibble on a carrot, or take a relaxing bath.
4. Discuss with friends
- Discussing your feelings with friends, especially if they are ex-smokers, can help you feel better and stay smoke-free.
- It may also help to seek professional guidance. Call the 'Tobacco or Health Information Line' at (011) 720-3145 to talk to an expert about staying smoke-free.
5. Delay
- The urge to smoke disappears after about one minute. When the urge to smoke is not very strong, you can wait it out. Count to 100, or recite a short poem. The craving can be beaten!
Don't feel sorry for yourself! You were a victim. Now you are a victor. Tobacco can be beaten!
Getting Over Smoking:
- You'll probably find the first week after stopping the hardest. After that, the problems become more manageable.
- While some people do not experience any side effects after quitting, most people notice some withdrawal symptoms. These withdrawal symptoms normally disappear after two weeks, but some, like cigarette cravings and hunger, may last longer.
- It usually takes about three months before you become completely comfortable with your new life as a non-smoker
- No two people are alike - you are unique. Many of the tips on coping with stopping smoking will work for you, while others won't. It's up to you to select the ones that will work for you.
"I'd rather be a non smoker with an occasional urge to smoke than a smoker with a constant urge to quit." – Unknown