Three things to re-learn when you quit smoking
If you've started thinking about your 2014 resolutions, or ways you'd like to change for the better in the coming year, you're not alone. And quitting smoking is often topping lists. But this new year’s, don’t make a resolution to quit smoking make a plan. The EX Plan is based on scientific research and practical advice from ex-smokers. It isn’t just about quitting smoking. It’s about “re-learning life without cigarettes.”
Whether you've tried quitting before, or this is your first try, here are three things you may not have thought about—but should.
1. Re-learn habit:
- Know how much you smoke—and when. By tracking your cigarettes, you’ll be able to see what your triggers are.
- Come up with a plan for beating your triggers. Do you smoke when you drink coffee? Treat yourself to a fancy cappuccino or try tea. Smoke when you’re bored? Download an app on your phone that keeps your mind busy—and requires two hands. Or take up knitting.
- Change things up! If you have a spot in your house you typically smoke in, move the furniture elsewhere. Smoke in the garage? Take whatever you sit on or lean on and move it to an inconvenient spot. Make it hard for yourself to be comfortable smoking.
- Prep for your quit date by buying carrot sticks, gum, and nicotine replacements and having them on hand and ready to go. Bonus points for doing laundry so you have clothes that don’t smell like smoke.
2. Re-learn addiction:
- Recognize that quitting smoking is more than an act of willpower. The nicotine in cigarettes changes the chemistry in your brain, which makes quitting hard. It’s an addiction.
- Research medications that may make it easier for you to quit. We know many people aren’t sure if they want to go that route, but research has shown it can double your chances of success. Double! Medication will help take the edge off, and trust us: your brain is used to receiving nicotine when you smoke, and it’s going to be angry and annoyed when it doesn’t get it. And an angry, annoyed brain may result in an angry, annoyed you.
3. Re-learn support:
- Ask for support. When people try to quit smoking and keep it a secret, it’s often because they’re afraid they’ll fail and be embarrassed. But having support makes it more likely that you won’t start smoking again. Tell your friends, family, coworkers—anyone who will listen—and ask for their help.
- Remind yourself why you’re quitting. Often. Sometimes a written list works best, other times all you need is a mantra. You’ll be saving money. You’re making a healthy choice. You’re setting a good example for others. Or whatever your reason may be.
- Try finding support in new places. The EX Community is packed with people who understand where you are and where you’re going. This means they also know what bumps in the road you’re likely to face, and know how to avoid them without lighting up a cigarette.
- Find a few people you know you can turn to any time for a little extra encouragement. Maybe a kind coworker to help fight the post-lunch cravings, or a family member who’d be available for a trip to the movies or another non-smoking venue to help you get through the worst of cravings.
Start preparing to quit smoking today. Register for free on BecomeanEX.org.