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Smoking cessation: Creating a quit-smoking plan
Preparing for quit day
There's no easy way to quit smoking. But planning for it can help you overcome the hurdles you're likely to face. Here are steps you can take as you prepare for your quit day:
- Mark the day. Make a big notation of your quit day on your calendar. It's an important day in your life, so treat it like one.
- Talk to your health care provider. If you haven't talked to your doctor or health care provider yet about quitting smoking, do so now. Ask about stop-smoking counseling and medications. Using either counseling or medication improves your odds of success. And combining them is even more effective. If you'll be using the prescription medication bupropion (Zyban) or varenicline (Chantix), you must start the medication a week before your quit day to give it time to begin working.
- Tell people. Let family, friends and co-workers know about your quit day. Make them your allies. They can provide a lot of moral support. Tell them how they can be most supportive of your effort to quit smoking.
- Clean house. Rid your home, car, office and other places of your smoking and tobacco products. Don't keep any cigarettes on hand "just in case" — you might not be able to resist the temptation. Also, consider getting your teeth professionally cleaned as motivation to stay quit.
- Stock up. Have on hand items that can substitute for the cigarette you're used to having in your mouth, such as sugarless gum, hard candy, cinnamon sticks and crunchy vegetables.
- Join up. The more support you have, the more likely you are to stop smoking successfully. Find local quit-smoking support groups. Many hospitals and clinics offer classes or groups. You can join online quit-smoking groups or programs. You can even text message smoking cessation counselors through Smokefree.gov.
- Reflect. If you've tried to quit smoking before but took it up again, think about what challenges you faced and why you started again. What worked and what didn't? Think about what you can do differently this time. For example, make a list of your triggers and how you will deal with them.
Action guide to dealing with triggers (PDF file requiring Adobe Reader)
Handling quit day
Getting through your quit day can be emotionally and physically challenging, especially if strong tobacco cravings strike. Try these tips to help manage your quit day:
- Don't smoke, not even "just one."
- Begin using nicotine replacement therapy if you've chosen that method.
- Remind yourself of your reasons to stop smoking.
- Drink plenty of water or juice.
- Keep physically active.
- Avoid situations and people that trigger your urge to smoke.
- Attend a support group, counseling session or stop-smoking class.
- Practice stress-management and relaxation techniques.
- Keep your hands busy by typing, writing, squeezing a ball or knitting.
Staying quit
With a quit-smoking plan to guide you, line up your resources now so that you can lean on them when you quit smoking. The more resources you have in place — support groups, nicotine replacement, medications, counseling — the more likely you are to quit and stay quit.
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- Guide to quitting smoking. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_13X_Guide_for_Quitting_Smoking.asp. Accessed Jan. 7, 2009.
- Clearing the air. National Cancer Institute. http://www.smokefree.gov/pubs/Clearing-The-Air_acc.pdf. Accessed Jan. 7, 2009.
- Treating tobacco use and dependence: 2008 update. Rockville, Md.: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/tobacco/treating_tobacco_use08.pdf. Accessed Jan. 15, 2009.
- Okuyemi KS, et al. Interventions to facilitate smoking cessation. American Family Physician. 2006;74:262.
- Tips to help you quit smoking. American Academy of Family Physicians. http://www.aafp.org/afp/20060715/276ph.html. Accessed Jan. 16, 2009.
- Hurt RD (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Jan. 23, 2009.
