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When At First You Don?t Succeed? Quit Smoking Again |
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Here are eight tips to get you going on your quest for
better health and a smoke-free future.
1)
Remember that failure to quit right away is perfectly normal. It is rare
to find someone who was able to quit cold turkey one time, and never
light u again. In fact, it usually takes people at least two or three
attempts (and in several cases, many times more) before they are able to
successfully quit smoking.
2) If you are a 'serial quitter,' you
come to the battle better prepared than before. One of the greatest
advantages to quitting smoking a second (or third, or fourth) time is
that you have a better idea of what your strengths and weaknesses are.
You are better prepared to quit if you learn to identify what kind of
triggers impel you to reach for your cigarettes.
3)
Prepare for
your quitting date as if it were a major event (which it is!). Choose a
"quit date"—the first day in which you will begin your life as a
non-smoker. Place a calendar in a prominent location and mark the date.
Prepare your home, office, car, and other areas of your environment for
the big date. Clear these areas of smoking paraphernalia, or anything
that may remind you of smoking.
4) Set up your own personal
support network. Call friends and family to tell them that you are
quitting. As friends or family members who smoke to please refrain from
smoking around you. Write down the number to your local smoking
cessation hotline and have it handy.
5) Consciously strive to
change your behaviors. A popular and successful technique used to quit
smoking is to change your daily habits and behaviors. Change your
everyday routine. For instance, if you're accustomed having dinner at
6:00 pm each day, try to eat at 5:30 pm instead.
6) Reward
yourself with a special treat each day. Congratulate yourself for each
day you go without smoking. That is quite an achievement! Many people
reward themselves with food. While this is OK, it should be done
sparingly to avoid gaining weight. If you want to avoid overspending,
think of easy things you can do at home.
7) Take it easy for the
first two weeks. The first two weeks after your quit date will probably
be the hardest. Your body is experiencing withdrawal from the nicotine,
and you are likely to feel both sluggish and jittery. Give yourself
permission to take it easy. Remind yourself that quitting smoking is a
major lifestyle change.
8) Be prepared for a relapse. Avoid
all-or-nothing thinking. Remind yourself that if you succumb to your
cravings, you can always start again tomorrow. Of course, this is no
excuse to light up, but you should strive to stay relaxed yet focused on
your goal.
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