Do you smoke or use tobacco products in some situations more than others? If you can determine when the urge is greater, then preparing for these times helps in your attempts to stop using.
Questions to ask yourselfTo successfully detach from smoking, you will need to identify and address your smoking habits, the true nature of your dependency, and the techniques that work for you. These types of questions can help:
- Do you feel the need to smoke at every meal?
- Are you more of a social smoker?
- Is it a very bad addiction (more than a pack a day)? Or would a simple nicotine patch do the job?
- Is your cigarette smoking linked to other addictions?
- Are you open to hypnosis therapy and acupuncture?
- Are you someone who is open to talking about your addiction?
- Are you interested in getting into a fitness program?
Take the time to think of what kind of smoker you are, which moments of your life call for a cigarette, and why. This will help you to identify which tips, techniques or therapies may be most beneficial for you.
The following are a few substitute behaviors that you might use when you are most tempted to have a cigarette or tobacco product.
1. Relaxation or stress reduction:
Deep breathing exercises, meditation, massage or exercise
2. Boredom or Loneliness:
Find something you’re passionate about such as art, music, or literature
3. To feel more comfortable in social situations:
Counseling, enroll in a public speaking class, join a support group or splurge on a
makeover
4. A meal doesn’t feel quite complete without a cigarette:
Eat a healthy meal and then top it off with a delicious dessert
In case you don’t already know, Indiana has a wonderful resource to help. For those who call the Indiana Tobacco QuitLine and enroll, they can receive up to 2 free weeks of nicotine replacement therapy (patch or gum) and telephone counseling sessions. Either call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or check out the Indiana Tobacco Quitline website: http://www.indianatobaccoquitline.net
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March 9th, 2009 at 4:21 am
[...] Someone I’ve heard of placed an interesting blog post on I Can Quit! Blog Archive How To Get Your Needs Met Without SmokingHere’s a brief overviewQuestions to ask yourselfTo successfully detach from smoking, you will need to identify and address your smoking habits, the true nature of your dependency, and the techniques that work for you. These types of questions can help: … [...]
May 5th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Interesting. Well written advice and instructions.
June 1st, 2009 at 11:47 am
To the point and an excellent article.
June 21st, 2009 at 5:00 pm
Hope everybody has (or had) a nice holiday.
July 4th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
This is all great to get you started, however, what happens when the two weeks are up and you are totally broke from regular bills? I know it sounds crazy. however, buying cigarettes are a lot easier than finding $40-$60 right up front. Regardless on how your health is being saved by not smoking.
July 9th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Marla,
Cigarettes are costly. You can use the money you would have spent on cigarettes. Good luck.
July 22nd, 2009 at 2:04 pm
I think the healthier you eat, the easier it is to ditch the smoke. Cigs don’t taste good after salmon and salad.
September 7th, 2009 at 3:27 am
Arrange to be with people who can offer you support and try to avoid those who are smokers as this can lead to unnecessary temptation. In the initial stages of your program you won’t want these temptations and socializing with certain people will need to be postponed until you are in a position where you can handle having them around without feeling the need to have a cigarette of your own.
September 17th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Great Post.
Thanks for the post.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:20 am
As a Newbie, I am always searching online for articles that can help me. Thank you