You Can Do It!

Did you have a nice Mothers Day? What feelings did the day evoke? Perhaps celebrating Mothers Day affirmed your desire to quit, because you want to give your child the best possible start. This is a thoughtful response to the love you have for your child, but it is very difficult to quit using tobacco. You know it is important to your child that you quit but it is really a difficult thing to do. So what then, how do you tackle this important effort?

The first step is to have a strong enough desire to quit that you make the decision, I AM GOING TO QUIT!

The next step is to pick a day to quit. _____________ is my Quit Day! If you have some vacation time coming up, or a time in your schedule that is higher in calm and lower in crazy which would make a good Quit Day.

Tell your Dr about your Quit Day. Your health care provider will be supportive and if you aren't pregnant will work with you to determine what medication would be most affective.

Make plans that will help you avoid going where you usually smoke, and find alternatives on routines that include smoking. It is especially helpful to look at your morning routine, change it up by changing your hot beverage or even where you sit. Change where you take your break at work and if possible do something active then. Your Quit Day might be a good day to plan on going to the movies with a friend.

The day before you quit is a good time to clean all of your smoking places so it smells clean. Ashtrays need to be thrown away and your stash of cigarettes too. If you smoke in your car give the interior a good cleaning, some people even have their car detailed. All of this cleaning provides a fresh start for a new beginning.

It is also important to make a plan for when cravings hit. Remember that cravings don't last longer than 15 minutes and that cravings aren't as intense after the first few weeks. Going for a walk is a great coping activity. Eating carrots, or playing with a cinnamon toothpick are other possibilities. Call the QUIT LINE. What worked for you when you tried to quit in the past? You have a better idea of what will help you cope than anyone else.

Line up your support. Calling the QUIT LINE for some pre-quit day counseling is an excellent beginning. That call is a good time to set up a regular time for the QUIT LINE counselor to call you with encouragement and helpful tips. People are much more likely to be successful when they have support and informal support from friends is great. Surround yourself with people who support and encourage you and help you keep the mood positive. Tell them what is helpful for you and what doesn't work so they know what is encouraging and what is pressure that is a negative force not a positive one. Sometimes people want to help but aren't. With a little coaching from you on what will work best in your situation their encouragement will be maximized .

Make a list of the reasons you want to quit and when the cravings come take out your list and remind yourself why quitting is important to you. This list might include a picture of your family.

You have excellent reasons to quit, you have been successful at other efforts that you have tackled with determination and you can do it. If you need to be reminded, make a list of things you have accomplished so you can see in yourself your potential for this positive change. I believe in you, believe in yourself.