Some of this may seem like asking a lot. But when you think about it, quitting smoking is such an advantage for your health that it doesn’t make too much sense for others to do anything that will stand in your way. But attitudes and family patterns change slowly. Also, your smoking relatives may be so conscious of their own wishes to stop smoking (whether or not they acknowledge it) that asking them to limit their smoking, or even the fact that you’re quitting, may annoy them. So you will need to cooperate and compromise with your family. One approach that may be helpful is to stress that you are just asking them to cooperate with you for the first month or so, while you get used to life without cigarettes. It’s not that you are asking them never to smoke in front of you again.

What Else You Can Do.

Smokers who are thinking of quitting often worry that they will be too stressed out, or that they will gain too much weight. Did this happen to you? If so, go back to the sections on stress management and weight control in this Kit.

Exercise is a good remedy for both problems. So if you haven’t been getting regular exercise, think about doing about 30 minutes (three times a week) of moderate exercise. Even going for a daily walk for fifteen or thirty minutes is great exercise. It’s a stress fighter and a creative alternative during the times when you otherwise might light up.

You don’t need elaborate equipment to exercise. You don’t even need to join a gym (although it is a good idea, if it appeals to you). Just get out and walk, or ride a bike, or go for a swim. The idea is to have fun – active fun.

One other tool that you can use to help yourself is to plan rewards and celebrations. Right now, you may tend to be a bit hard on yourself. Maybe you thought about rewards for your progress, but if you’ve had some slips, you may really think there’s not much to celebrate now.

This is just the time to consider a different approach. Maybe you need to lighten up and go easy on yourself. You probably have made a lot more progress than you would have thought a month or two ago. See if you can get into a generous spirit with yourself and give yourself the credit you deserve for the progress you’ve made.

Forget about words like failure or will power. You haven’t failed, you’re still practicing. Use rewards to help you set small goals. Don’t let small victories go by unnoticed. It reminds you that you’ve done far too much work to go back to smoking.

Starting Over.

If you feel you need a break before tackling quitting again, that’s not a problem. Remember, the average person who succeeds as a nonsmoker may quit a few times and then relapse before finally getting it right. You can learn from your relapse, regroup, and get it right.

Although you feel that you’re not ready to quit right now, don’t put the thought out of your mind. Before you forget, take a few notes about your experience this time, so you’ll have something to build on next time. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

·        What was the best part of my effort?

·        What did I do that was most helpful?

·        As I was working on quitting what reasons for quitting and benefits seemed most important or meaningful to me?

·        What problems turned up that I didn’t expect?

·        Was I bothered by a major life change or stress that is unlikely to occur in the future?

·        Where did I get cigarettes when I slipped up? Did someone give me one? Or did I find a hidden stash at home or at the office?

·        What do I think is the most important thing for me to remember the next time I quit?

Here are some other factors to consider in trying to learn from your efforts:

1)                Timing. Maybe the time of the year wasn’t right for you to quit. If you quit in the summer this time round, when you take vacations and have lots of free time, you might want to plan your next Quit Date for the winter, when your time and activities are more structured.

2)                Quitting group. Some people enjoy and do well working together with others who are also trying to quit. Next time, you might try joining a group program. Look for your local chapter of the American Lung Association for clinics in your area.

3)                Nicotine replacement. If you did not use nicotine replacement product this time (nicotine gum, patches, nasal spray or nicotine inhaler), you might want to consider doing so next time. Some of these products are available over-the-counter, without a prescription. If you did use nicotine replacement and it didn’t help enough, ask yourself whether:

·        You should have used it longer, or used a stronger dosage.

·        You used it correctly.

·        You may have relied too heavily on the nicotine replacement and not enough on doing things to organize your quitting, maximize your motivation, and combat temptation. Nicotine replacement is not a “magic tonic.” You may want to consult your doctor or pharmacist on this. You might also ask them if other medications might be helpful for you, like Zyban.

4)                Doctor’s advice. Just because you don’t need a prescription for nicotine gum or nicotine patches, doesn’t mean you should not consider seeing your doctor. If you didn’t check with your doctor this time, you might plan to do so the next time you’re ready to quit. Your doctor may also advise you to use one of the prescription nicotine replacement products, such as nicotine spray or inhaler.

5)                Weight gain. Did increased weight cause you to go back to smoking? That’s a common occurrence. You might want to speak with a nutritionist to plan a weight-control diet. That way, you’ll have weight control tools ready the next time you quit.

6)                Exercise. It can be a real help. If you haven’t exercised much, it may have been hard to get it started at the same time you were trying to quit. You might want to start an exercise plan now, before quitting again. Then, when you quit, you’ll have exercise to fall back on.

7)                Moods and relapses. Many people relapse when they are feeling anxious or sad. If that’s what happened to you, you might to work on your stress management. Lots of people control their moods by smoking. When they quit, they can be surprised that they have feelings of real sadness or anxiety that they hadn’t realized before. It shows how effective nicotine is in blocking feelings. Consult your doctor, or see a counselor if you’re having problems with your feelings after you quit.
Finally take the time to think about the pros and cons of quitting smoking. When you try again, you want to be clear on your own reasons for wanting to quit. And you want to be clear that you want to quit, not that someone or something is driving you to it. A half-hearted, renewed attempt to quit is likely to end in relapse, which runs the risk of lowering your motivation and confidence. Give your quitting the attention it and you deserve. Start fresh – go back through all the previous chapters so that you will be clear that you want to quit smoking, and that you’re confident that you will quit smoking. You have already made a lot of progress and learned a lot. You can do it.