-
Anticipate triggers and prepare to avoid them - By
now you know which situations, people, and feelings are
likely to tempt you to smoke. Be prepared to meet these
triggers head on and counteract them. Keep using the
skills that helped you cope in cutting down and
quitting:
- Keep your hands busy - doodle, knit, type a letter.
.Avoid people who smoke; spend more time with nonsmoking
friends.
- Find activities that make smoking difficult (gardening,
washing the car, taking a shower). Exercise to help
knock out that urge; it will help you to feel and look
good as well.
- Put something other than a cigarette in your mouth.
Chew sugarless gum or nibble on a carrot or celery
stick.
- Avoid places where smoking is permitted. Sit in the
nonsmoking section in restaurants, trains, and planes.
- Reduce your consumption of alcohol, which often
stimulates the desire to smoke. Try to have no more than
one or two drinks at a party. Better yet, have a glass
of juice, soda, or mineral water with a celery stick to
nibble on.
-
Reward yourself for not smoking - Congratulations are
in order each time you get through the day without
smoking. After a week, give yourself a pat on the back
and a reward of some kind. Buy a new record or treat
yourself to a movie or concert. No matter how you do it,
make sure you reward yourself in some way. It helps to
remind yourself that what you're doing is important.
-
Use positive thoughts - If self-defeating thoughts
start to creep in, remind yourself again that you're a
nonsmoker, that you don't want to smoke, and that you
have good reasons for it. Putting yourself down and
trying to hold out through willpower alone are not
effective coping techniques. Mobilize the power of
positive thinking!
-
Use relaxation techniques - Breathing exercises help
to reduce tension. Instead of having a cigarette, take a
long deep breath, count to 10, and release it. Repeat
this five times. See how much more relaxed you feel?
-
Get social support - The commitment to remain a
nonsmoker can be made easier by talking about it with
friends and relatives. They can congratulate you as you
check off another day, week, and month as a nonsmoker.
Tell the people close to you that you might be tense for
a while, so they know what to expect. They'll be
sympathetic when you have an urge to smoke and can be
counted on to help you resist it. Remember to call on
your friends when you're lonely or you feel an urge to
smoke. A buddy system is a great technique.
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