Dr. MJ Bazos MD,
Patient Handout
Smoking
Cessation: Plan To Get Ready
- List all of your reasons for quitting and tell
your friends and family about your plan.
- Stop buying cartons of cigarettes.
- Pay attention to when and why you smoke.
- Think of new ways to relax or things to hold in
your hand instead of a cigarette.
- Think of habits or routines you may want to
change. Make a list to use when you quit.
- Make a list of the things you could do with the
extra money you will save by not buying cigarettes.
- Think of who to reach out to when you need
help.
- Buy the over-the-counter nicotine gum, or get a
prescription for the nicotine patch, or the non-nicotine pill, bupropion SR
(Zyban).
- Clean your clothes to get rid of the smell of
cigarette smoke.
- Think of a reward you will get yourself after you
quit. Make an appointment with your dentist to have your teeth cleaned. At the
end of the day, throw away all cigarettes and matches. Put away lighters and
ashtrays.
- Keep very busy. Change your routine when
possible, and do things out of the ordinary that don’t remind you of
smoking. Remind family, friends, and coworkers that this is your quit day, and
ask them to help and support you.
- Avoid alcohol. Buy yourself a treat, or do
something to celebrate.
- Congratulate yourself. When cravings hit, do
something else that isn’t connected with smoking, like taking a walk,
drinking a glass of water, or taking some deep breaths.
- Call your support network. Find things to snack
on, like carrots, sugarless gum, or air-popped
popcorn.
The first step
to quitting smoking is to decide to quit. Next, make an appointment with your
doctor, to discuss your options for treatment. Set a quit
date.Website: www.surgeongeneral.gov/tobacco