Quitting smoking is one of the most difficult and important things you may ever do. But it is possible and thousands of others have done it successfully. The critical factor is that you must really want to stop. With the right motivation, anything is possible. The following tips may make it a little easier. You can stop smoking if you try hard enough. It’s not easy, but you can do it! And it just might save your life.

Make The Decision To Quit

• Become aware of your patterns of use, identifying trigger places, people and activities. Plan alternative responses.
  
• Explore on paper your motivations for quitting and make a list. Carry the list with you as a reminder and refer to it often. (For many people, their children and families rank high on that list)
• Start an exercise program to help manage stress, offset depression, combat urges and control weight. Set up a social support system (a trusted individual who understands addiction, Nicotine Anonymous or an on-line support group).

Set Your Quit Date And Prepare Yourself For The Transition

• Starting today, this minute-right now, cut back smoking by 50% immediately or no more than one pack per day, whichever is less. When you’re two weeks away from your quitting date, start smoking only 1/2 a cigarette a time to reduce your total nicotine dosage and dependence. When you’re just a few days away from quitting date, switch to a brand that tastes "bad" to help break the psychological habituation and make it easier to stop completely.
• Make sure everyone knows what your quitting date is going to be.
• Commit to "doing what it takes" to get through the short-term discomfort. Pharmaceutical support may be a consideration. Both over the counter preparations and prescription medicines can help.
• Enlist the help of your physician who can give you encouragement, advice, counseling and assistance. Acupuncture and hypnosis may be helpful for some people but remember that the prime motivation has to be your own.

Smoke Your Last Cigarette And Say Goodbye

• Dispose of all tobacco products and paraphernalia. Drink lots of water to help eliminate nicotine from you system. Take deep breaths to keep you centered.
• Take action whenever an urge presents itself or you feel yourself weakening. Call your support people. Pray. Take a walk. Stretch. Exercise. Read your list of reasons to quit. The urge WILL pass. Visualize yourself already smoke-free.

Modify Your Lifestyle To Support Your Smoke-Free Status:

• Change your daily routines to avoid old triggers.. develop a schedule of rewards for yourself to offset any sense of deprivation. Avoid high-risk situations, such as use of mood-altering drugs, being with smokers, being alone with tobacco products present or getting too hungry, angry, lonely, tired, anxious or bored. Do not under any circumstances accept a smoke from anyone just to be "sociable"!
• Develop new interests to give your life a positive focus and re-direct your energy. Commit time and energy to activities that reinforce and reward your new, non-smoking lifestyle. It’s one of the toughest battles of all, and you deserve a pat on the back.