You've made up your mind that you want to quit using tobacco. You might be nervous or not sure you can quit. But try to focus on the fact that you want to quit—whether it's your first time or tenth time. And focus on creating your plan to quit. A quit plan can help you deal with your feelings now and ones that may come later.
Having a plan may help your chances of staying tobacco-free.
Knowing why you want to quit can help you stay motivated. Do you hope to be more active, to look and feel better, or to lower your chances of a long-term disease? Whatever the reasons, they're your reasons so they're the most important.
To achieve a long-term goal like this, you may find it helpful to break the task into smaller goals. Every time you reach a goal, you feel a sense of pride along the path to becoming tobacco-free.
Try to pick a time when you don't have a lot of stress or change.
In your plan, include those people who can support you. They are friends or family who will tell you to keep going or trying. They will help you deal with stress and bad moods. And they will join you to celebrate when you reach your goals.
If you have tried to quit in the past, review those past attempts. Think of the three most important things that helped in those attempts, and plan to use those strategies again this time. Think of things that kept you from succeeding, and plan ways to deal with or avoid them. Write this down as a plan.
For example:
Cues are things that remind you of using tobacco. You'll want to avoid or stay away from them. You may already know your cues. Common ones include drinking alcohol and being with friends who use tobacco.
Withdrawing from nicotine can make you feel stressed, upset, or cranky. Here are some ideas:
Most people aren't successful the first few times they try to quit. If you start using tobacco again, don't feel bad about yourself. A slip or relapse is just a sign that you need to change your approach to quitting.
You may have days when you wonder whether quitting is a good idea. Celebrations are reminders that can help when negative thoughts creep back.
In your quit plan, you'll want to include ways to remember and celebrate what you've done. You'll remind yourself why you wanted to quit and make quitting seem doable again.
Current as of: November 8, 2021
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:Heather Quinn MD - Family Medicine
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