Tips to Quit Smoking for Good

If you're a smoker, you probably know just how damaging smoking can be to your health. You’ve likely heard your friends and family encourage you to quit, and perhaps you've tried to give it up yourself, only to find it more challenging than you expected. If this is your reality, know that you’re not alone.

Quitting smoking is not easy, and it’s primarily due to the addictive substance in tobacco called nicotine. Nicotine triggers the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that makes you feel relaxed and happy. Over time, your brain starts to depend on nicotine for these positive feelings. As a result, when you decide to quit, you may face withdrawal symptoms such as cravings, irritability, restlessness, and even anxiety or depression.

These withdrawal symptoms, along with the habits you have associated with smoking, can make quitting feel overwhelming. Despite these challenges, quitting is possible.

To help you on your journey, Trinity has put together some practical tips below to guide you toward being smoke-free.

Be Willing to Quit

Before diving into the other strategies for quitting, you must first be fully committed to the decision. Quitting is difficult, and without enough willpower, it’s easy to slip back into old habits when challenges arise.

To increase your willingness and motivation:

Understand how smoking harms your health and affects your loved ones.
Learn about the many benefits of quitting smoking
Talk to an ex-smoker for practical tips and inspiration from their personal journey.
Remind yourself that any withdrawal symptoms are temporary and manageable.

Set a Quit Date and Stick to It

Once you’ve made the decision to quit for good, set a quick date – the day you will completely stop smoking. Setting a target date provides you with a clear goal and helps you mentally prepare for the quitting process.

Ideally, your quit day should be within the next 2 weeks from the time you made the decision to quit. But you may also choose a date that is meaningful to you such as your birthday.

Once you’ve determined your quit date, consider gradually reducing the number of cigarettes you smoke leading up to it to help ease your transition to being smoke-free.

Prepare Yourself and Your Surroundings

Before your quit date, set yourself up for success by getting rid of the things in your home, car, or workplace that will make you want to smoke and by preparing in advance the tools that can help you quit successfully.

Consider doing the following:

Get rid of all cigarettes, lighters, matches, ashtrays, clothes that smell of smoke, or anything that could remind you of smoking.
Wash your clothes and clean your furniture so you won't have that smoky smell hanging around your house.
Stock up on oral substitutes – sugarless gum, hard candy, straws, and/or toothpicks. When you’re craving a cigarette, reach out for these items instead to satisfy the need to have something in your mouth.

Seek Support from Others

Quitting smoking is easier with the right support, and those around you can make a big difference in your success. Here’s how you can reach out for help:

Let your friends and family know about your decision to quit and ask for their support and understanding. Be specific about your needs. For instance, ask them not to offer you cigarettes or help distract you when cravings hit.
If you know a smoker, encourage them to quit with you. Having a “quit buddy” who understands your struggles can make the quitting process more manageable for you.
Join online communities or groups focused on quitting.
Call the DOH Quitline at 1558 – This DOH Quitline is a toll-free service where trained medical professionals can guide you through your quitting journey. They offer free information, personalized advice, support, and referrals to help you succeed.

Do the 4D Strategy to Fight Cravings

Cravings are a normal part of quitting smoking, but the good news is that they usually last about 10-20 minutes. During this time, you must do your best to resist the urge to smoke or even to have one puff.

Try the 4D Strategy to manage cravings:

Delay: When craving hits, wait a few minutes until the craving has passed.
Deep Breathing: Take 10 slow deep breaths to relax.
Drink Water: Sip water as a healthy alternative to smoking.
Distract: Try to do something else to keep your mind off smoking.

Aside from cravings, you might experience other withdrawal symptoms. Check out this article from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for tips on managing them.

Understand Your Triggers and Learn to Cope with Them

Certain social situations, patterns, and emotions act as triggers that spark the urge to smoke. To quit successfully, you must be able to identify your own triggers and find healthier ways to cope.

If your trigger is social situations (i.e., being around others who use tobacco or in a social gathering or event), limit your exposure to other smokers and request friends or co-workers to NOT smoke around you, offer you cigarettes, or approach you immediately after smoking.

If you usually smoke because of pattern triggers (activities that you associate with smoking), break the link between smoking and that activity. For instance, if you usually smoke after eating, find other ways to end a meal like brushing your teeth immediately after eating, or taking a walk.

Most smokers smoke as a way to cope with stress, anxiety, or boredom. When dealing with these emotional triggers, consider deep breathing, reaching out to friends, or engaging in enjoyable physical activities to uplift your mood instead of turning to cigarettes.

If You Relapse, Try Again

If you have tried quitting smoking but failed, do not feel upset and helpless. Nicotine addiction is a hard habit to break, so it is normal to find it difficult to quit during the first try. In fact, many people trying to quit usually need to try several times before they are able to quit for good.

If you slip up and relapse (smoke again), think of it as a setback and not a failure. What matters more is that you move forward and try quitting again. During your next try, go back to your reason for quitting, find out what went wrong, and plan how you will address it on your next attempt to quit.

References:

Tips to Quit Smoking for Good

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