Smoking Cessation

44 Tips for Quitting Smoking

Yes, you SHOULD quit! Yes, you CAN quit!

Most smokers who successfully quit do so on their own. Sometimes all it takes is a few good ideas and a readiness to quit to get you started. This list combines years of "tips" from the American Cancer Society (California Division) and additional suggestions from FreshStart participants and group leaders in Alachua County, Florida, and at the University of Florida. Some of these might sound just right for you while others may not. Print out the list, circle the ones you like and plan your own strategies for quitting smoking and staying away from cigarettes! Many of these ideas would also help people trying to quit smokeless tobacco products.

When you crave a cigarette . . .

1. Doodle. Keep pencil and paper handy-or use an erasable drawing toy.
2. Take a shower. It's hard to smoke when you're all wet.
3. Stretch. Lengthening your muscles can give you some welcome relief from tension.
4. On a 3 x 5 index card, write down one or two of the most important reasons why you want to quit smoking. Fold the card in half and keep it in your wallet for frequent reference.
5. Go for a swim.
6. Touch your toes.
7. Do isometric exercises. In a sitting position, grasp the bottom of the chair and pull upward. After a few seconds of tensing, relax your shoulders and neck.
8. Work on a crossword puzzle or jigsaw puzzle to keep your hands and mind busy.
9. List luxuries you have wanted or items you would like to purchase for someone you like. Next to each, write down the cost. Convert the cost into equivalent numbers of packs of cigarettes. If you save the money each day (maybe in a special piggy bank) from cigarettes you don't smoke, treat yourself to those items as you accumulate the right amounts.
10. Play solitaire. Play double solitaire with someone else. Play solitaire or chess on a computer.
11. Knit, crochet, or sew to keep your hands busy.
12. While you are trying to quit, smoke your cigarettes in front of a mirror whenever possible. Watch yourself smoke. Think about what you are doing and what you will be trying to accomplish in the next few weeks.
13. Never smoke a cigarette until three minutes after you feel the urge. A three-minute "egg timer" (hourglass type) is great because you can watch the sands filter down. During the three minutes, the craving often eases. Call a friend or try to distract yourself with some activity.
14. Work on a hobby. Reactivate an old hobby. Get how-to books from the library. Pamper yourself with a hobby kit or supplies that you always enjoyed or wanted to try as a kid.
15. Go for a walk. Moving helps, and by walking somewhere different each time, you will be seeing new scenery, too. Pretend you are a tourist in town for the first time.
16. Do calisthenics; join a fitness center. Treat yourself to an organized exercise program if your doctor has o.k.'d it.
17. When you crave a cigarette, postpone it by thoroughly cleaning your eyeglasses with soap under running water.
18. Never carry cigarettes with you at home or work. If you must have an "emergency" supply, keep it in a place which is very difficult to reach. Don't ask a friend to keep them for you. This can put a strain on the best of relationships.
19. Never carry matches or a lighter with you.
20. Put away your ashtrays or fill them with something so they can't be used. Baking soda is nice because it kills odors and looks so "pure." It's great for car ashtrays because it helps deodorize the car, too!
21. Squeeze a rubber ball when the craving to smoke hits. A rubber balloon filled with flour and tied off is another good stress reduction device. Other good "hand" activities include working a lump of modeling clay (regular stick clay), rubbing a smooth thumbin' stone, or playing with a "Slinky". Whittling is a great old-fashioned pasttime if you're outside-or carve a bar of Ivory soap!
22. For that oral urge, sip iced water through a straw, chew sugarless gum or candies (not too much-some kinds can cause intestinal distress), munch on carrot or celery strips kept in an old empty cigarette pack, suck on a whole clove or cinnamon stick, or chew on ginger root.
23. Pump up the tires on your bicycle and take a ride in the local park.
24. Take a warm bath. Read something relaxing while you are soaking.
25. Stock up on good books you've been wanting to read. Do some recreational reading when you would normally smoke a cigarette.
26. Go to a movie. Most theaters no longer permit smoking in the auditorium.
27. Mark places at work and at home with red "danger spots" where you usually smoke. These are small, bright removable dots with adhesive backing which can be purchased in office supply stores. When you see the spot, it reminds you that's a place where you may be tempted to smoke.
28. Have someone give you a back or foot rub. Mmmmmmm! So relaxing.
29. Avoid people who smoke for awhile. Some will want you to fail because they couldn't quit.
30. Organize old photos/slides that have been sitting in drawers or boxes for ages.
31. Clean out your car, closets, storage room, garage, attic, etc.
32. Brush your teeth and tongue frequently. Savor that fresh flavor.
33. Keep a quarter-inch wide rubber band on your wrist. "Snap" it when you crave a cigarette.
34. Try going to bed early and rising a half-hour earlier than usual to avoid the rush of traffic or activities which may normally begin your day.
35. If you are depressed or have physical symptoms that might be related to your smoking, relieve your mind by discussing this with your physician. It is easier to quit when you know your health status.
36. Visit your dentist after you quit and have your teeth cleaned to get rid of tobacco stains.
37. Try to be with someone when you get a craving for a cigarette. Call a friend.
38. Alter old habits. Distract yourself by doing things differently. Breaking other "routines" makes your life seem less focused on just quitting smoking. Seek new activities and ways of solving problems. Variety helps.
39. Never say "I quit smoking" because your resolution is broken if you have a cigarette. It's better to say "I don't want to smoke" or "I am choosing not to smoke right now." This way, you maintain your resolution even if you accidentally have a cigarette. If you do backslide, don't let a puff become half a cigarette; don't let a half cigarette become a whole one; or a single cigarette become two.
40. Cut back on your coffee/cola/tea intake. Some studies have shown that smokers get only half the "kick" from caffeine that nonsmokers do. Especially if you are a heavy coffee drinker, the effects from the caffeine may double when you quit smoking. You may become jumpy, irritable, or even have heart palpitations.
41. Most of all, remember that the quitting experience is different for every smoker. Try not to assume that what happened to Uncle Joe or Aunt Jane will happen to you. Just as you have survived a bad cold or case of the flu, you will survive withdrawal symptoms from nicotine. It will get better, and the turning point is often at about the10th day after quitting.
42. As you begin to feel comfortable as an ex-smoker, try to avoid the greatest pitfall of all: wondering what one cigarette would taste like after all that time. Is satisfying your curiosity worth going back to square #1?
43. Learn some new computer programs. Buy a computer game and get good at it!
44. Keep a diary (written, on computer, or on tape) of your quitting experience. Read it or play it back when you are tempted to smoke.

Worried About the Possibility of Weight Gain?
Print out the booklet "You Can Control Your Weight As You Quit Smoking"

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