Quit Smoking Tips
Stop smoking now and lower your risk factors for:
- Heart disease
- Chronic lung disease
- Gum disease
- Set a quit date.
- Change your environment. Get rid of ALL cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car, and place of work. Don't let people smoke in your home.
- Review your past attempts to quit. Think about what worked and what didn't.
- Once you quit, don't smoke.
Get Support & Encouragement
- Tell your family, friends, and co-workers that you are going to quit and want their support. Ask them not to smoke around you and put their cigarettes out of site.
- Talk to your health care provider (doctor, dentist, nurse, pharmacist, psychologist)
- Get individual, group, or telephone counseling (PA free quitline - 1-800-QUITNOW)
Learn New Skills and Behaviors
- Try to distract yourself from urges to smoke. Talk to someone, go for a walk, or get busy with a task.
- Change your routine. Use a different route to work, drink teas instead of coffee, or eat breakfast in a different place.
- Do something to reduce your stress. Take a hot bath, exercise, read a book or learn a new hobby.
- Drink a lot of water and other fluids.
Ask your health care provider for advice and carefully read the information on the package.
Be Prepared for Relapse or Difficult Situations
Most relapses occur within the first three months of quitting. Don't be discouraged if you start smoking again. Remember, most people try to quit several times before they finally quit. Here are some difficult situations to watch out for...
- Alcohol - avoid drinking alcohol. Drinking lowers your chances of success.
- Other smokers - being around smoking can make you want to smoke.
- Weight Gain - many smokers will gain weight when they quit, usually less than 10 pounds. Eat a healthy diet and stay active. Don't let weight gain distract you from your main goal.
- Bad Mood or Depression - There are a lot of ways to improve your mood other than smoking. If you are having problems with any of these situations, talk to your health care provider.
For additional information about quit smoking, please call Healthy Communities Partnership at (717) 264-1470.