Stopping Smoking - A 10-point guide on how to break the habit
1. Make a date to stop smoking
Pick a day and stick to it. Most people who successfully quit
smoking do so by stopping altogether, and not by gradually cutting down.
Get rid of temptation
Throw away all your ashtrays, unopened cigarette packets, matches
and lighters.
Drink lots of water
Keep sipping from a glass of water try a slice of orange or lemon
with it.
Get more active
This will help you relax. Take the stairs, not the lift. Go for a
swim or a run at lunchtime. The more you do it, the more you’ll feel
like doing it and the easier it will be for you to relax.
Think positive
You may find you experience withdrawal symptoms once you stop. These
are very positive signs that your body is recovering from the effects of
tobacco. Headaches, sore throats and irritability are some of the common
symptoms—these are all perfectly normal and will disappear within a
week or two.
Change your routine
For the first few days avoid the shop where you have usually bought
cigarettes. Some routine situations will make you want to smoke: the
pub, a night out or a crisis in your life. Identify the times of
greatest temptation and prepare yourself.
No excuses
Don’t use a crisis or a special celebration as an excuse for
‘just one cigarette’. There’s no such thing. One cigarette leads
to another and another...
Treat yourself
Use the money you’ve saved by not buying cigarettes to treat
yourself to something special—a meal out, the latest CD or some new
clothes.
Watch what you eat
Be extra careful with your diet. Snack on fruit or raw vegetables,
or chew sugar-free gum.
Take one day at a time
Don’t think of tomorrow. Don’t think of a lifetime without
cigarettes. Just think of today. Each day without a cigarette is good
news for your health, your family…and your pocket.
