Preventing the lung cancer victims of the future by helping smokers to quit, educating young people to prevent them starting to smoke and to lobbying government to take action. |
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Tips to Help you Quit
Although nicotine replacment therapy (NRT) and Zyban can help you, everyone has a time when they crave cigarettes more.
The following hints may help:
Think about when is your worst time for wanting a cigarette. For some people it is in the morning, in the car, after food, in the pub, on the phone or with tea and coffee.
What you need to do is highlight when your worst time is and work on this.
A craving only lasts 3 minutes.
- Take one step at a time
- Stay positive
- Think positive
- Say "I can do it"
You will need to change our lifestyle to help you adapt.
Spring clean
First of all make your home a no smoking home. If other people smoke, ask them to smoke outside. Spring clean your house. Paint the ceiling, redecorate and get the couch professionally cleaned. You won't want to smoke in a nice clean house.
Stock up
You will need to keep busy. A lot of people miss the hand to mouth action. Others are scared of putting on weight when they quit. Therefore you will need to stock up on low calorie snacks, fruit and sugar free gum/mints. You could also try drinking bottled water as a substitute for the hand to mouth action. Try to avoid chocolate, crisps and fizzy drinks as these are loaded with calories.
Keep busy
You will need to keep occupied to take your mind off the cigarettes, why not try:
Jigsaws, crosswords, reading, knitting, painting, cards, take up a hobby, exercise, join a class.
In the morning
If the first thing you do in the morning is switch on the kettle and light up a cigarette, change your routine. Drink juice instead of tea/coffee, eat your breakfast first, get dressed, get washed, do exercises.
In the car
Like your home, make your car a no-smoking area. Get it professionally cleaned, clean the windows, empty the ashtrays and fill it with potpourri.
After food
This is probably the worst time for most people. Instead of lighting up a cigarette, why not indulge in nice healthy afters like fruit with yoghurt or low fat ice crem. Or go for a leisurely stroll or wash the dishes!
In the pub
This is a place with which people associate cigarettes most. One way is to avoid the pub, maybe meet friends ar a restaurant, at the cinema or even at the bowling alley or bingo. Tell all your friends that you have quit and ask them not to smoke by you or offer you a cigarette. If you associate beer ot spirits with cigarettes, why not change your drink.
On the phone
Most people when they hear the phone ring pick up their cigarettes and can often go through about half a packet without even realising this until the call is finished.
Why not keep your cigarettes out of reach of the phone, maybe in a different room, or move the phone to a place where it is not comfortable and you will keep the call short. Keep a bowl of fresh fruit such as strawberries, grapes or cherries by the phone to nibble on while you are talking.
Save your money
When you quit smoking save the money you would have spent on cigarettes and put it in a piggy bank. At the end of every month treat yourself to something you wouldn't have had if you had smoked.
Don't forget a craving only lasts for 3 minutes and will go away whether you have a cigarette or not
TAKE FIVE MINUTES FOR YOURSELF
Sit in a comfortable chair and rest your hands in your lap
Close your eyes and begin by breathing out slowly with a slight sigh
Breathe in and out, very slowly. Repeat two or three times
As you breathe out imagine the tensions slipping away
Feel yourself relax
Do this at least 3-4 times per week.