Try these tips for progress on the path to being a nonsmoker
Are you ready to quit smoking? If giving up tobacco is one of your goals, the first step to success is reflecting on how smoking affects you personally.
Choosing how you quit is also a personal decision. Finding out what works for you is important. Don’t get discouraged if something doesn’t work — keep trying.
If quitting seems overwhelming, you can work toward quitting by making changes to your habit slowly until you’re ready to quit for good. This can include cutting out one cigarette a week or taking one less smoke break at work.
It’s normal for those trying to quit smoking to experience setbacks. Have a back-up way to relieve stress and find methods of motivating yourself if this happens.
Sometimes it helps to start an exercise program, something as simple as walking because exercise helps with stress and weight management. Others are motivated by tracking their progress.
Motivation can also come from rewarding yourself after you meet certain goals. Focus on the benefits you’re feeling right away, whether that is breathing better, lower blood pressure or saving money.
For some people, family and friends can be a source of support and motivation. Everyone is different. Some people want daily support and recognition and others don’t want anyone to say anything. Tell your family and friends about how they can support you.
Here are a few things you can do to keep moving ahead on the path to quitting smoking:
• Visualize yourself as a nonsmoker. If you’ve been smoking for many years, you
may not remember a time when you did not smoke. Try picturing yourself as a non-smoker, going through your daily routines without a cigarette or using tobacco. Visualizing yourself as a nonsmoker can prepare you for when you actually quit. When you first quit smoking, you may feel uncomfortable and awkward. You may feel like you don’t know what to do with your hands, during a work break, on the phone or when driving. Think about how you can handle these situations differently. Perhaps using a cinnamon stick or a straw if you need something to hold; replace your breaks with walks; doodling while you’re on the phone; and sipping on a water bottle in the car. These little tricks can help you get through those challenging times.
• Celebrate small successes. If you quit for two days or two weeks – those are wins! That means you can go without smoking and you can actually quit. Those small wins are huge. Reward yourself, you’re doing something really great!
• Identify your why. Examine the personal reasons you have for quitting smoking. Those reasons will drive you and keep you motivated to get you through the difficult times. Write your reasons down and carry them with you so you can pull them out when you need an extra boost of confidence and motivation. Constantly remind yourself why it is important to you to quit.
• Recognize that smoking has been a part of your life for a long time. Smoking has served some purpose in your life and that is one of the reasons you continue to smoke or use tobacco. Try to identify that purpose or need and fill that void with something else you enjoy and that will contribute to your overall health. Try to focus not on what you are giving up but what you are gaining by giving up tobacco.
• Celebrate quitting but don’t become too overconfident. Once you have quit smoking, try not to become too overconfident and think that you can enjoy the “occasional” cigarette. Once you have been dependent on nicotine, you will always be dependent on it. Remember — you’re a puff away from a pack a day! Think about how hard you worked to become tobacco-free.
It might take a few attempts to quit smoking, but there are many resources available to help you along the way. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Pace yourself, be kind to yourself and above all, don’t give up.
Joanne Ebner is a Cancer Prevention Program manager at Anne Arundel Medical Center. You can reach her office at 443481-5366/67.