The Importance of Having Support

Who do you have available to help you through the really difficult times? The most important key to success is a really solid support system of friends, family, and even your healthcare provider, who can all be very important to your success or failure.

Most people who have successfully quit smoking say that one of the most important parts of there plan to quit was to have a great support system of family and friends. There are many places to look for help such as from co-workers, members of an established group, or even your doctor.

Friends and family

If you choose to use the support of friends and family it is very important that they know it is never ok to take even one puff, so they should be there for you when cravings get severe. If your friends smoke make sure they do not smoke around you while trying to quit, as this is one of the most common ways people get back to being hooked. If this is the only way they can help you it will be worth the effort. Make a plan to clean up your entire house before you quit including washing all your clothes, sheets, and curtains. You should wash and clean anything that may smell like smoke or cigarettes, when you do not smell them it will help you keep your mind off the habit and the cravings you will surely have when trying to quit.

A sponsor

When your withdrawal symptoms or cravings get really bad, call up one of the members of your support system and just talk about it or go out and do something to get your mind off the problems. It is a great idea to go out to the park or walk around the mall, because this will not only get your mind off the problem but it will help you keep from gaining weight while quitting. The gaining of weight is one of the most common reasons for failing to quit. Some people see smoking again as the only solution losing the extra pounds. Although it is best not to try to diet until you have successfully quit, try to drink plenty of water and stay active.

When at work when you usually have a smoke break try to stay away from the smokers outside and stay inside and read a magazine you like or even get a tasty treat so you will be doing something and keep your mind off going outside for that smoke. If your co-workers all know you are trying to quit they can be extra supportive by not smoking in front of you as well as keeping you from taking a puff in a moment of weakness, so tell them all.

Support Groups 

If you want to use an established support group for people trying to quit smoking, then there are many things to look for in one before you decide. First of all make sure the leader of the group has proper training in the area of smoking cessation. Then you should make sure that the group has one-on-one counseling available, because this is a crucial element in the support system. Intensity of the program is also a deciding factor in whether it will be successful or not. It is best to look for a program that includes things such as session lengths of at least 20 to 30 minutes each. It should also last at least 2 weeks at 4 to 7 sessions.

In some places a program is available called Smoke Enders or Nicotine Anonymous, which will hold meetings regularly. If this program is available in your area, there is not usually a fee to go, and you will also have a sponsor to consult when you get tempted to relapse. These programs can prove to be very helpful when trying to quit for good.

Quitting smoking is an endeavor that is going to require every last bit of will power and dedication that you can muster up. If you plan to succeed at quitting smoking for good, you’ll need to go through a lot of preliminary effort such as creating a plan to deal with withdrawal symptoms, setting up a support group, and even changing many of your other daily habits that would be likely to lead you back into a smoking frame of mind. You’ll also need the physical and mental fortitude to get through the terrible pain and misery of withdrawal symptoms; something that is much harder than most people suppose it will be. In other words, it’s not going to be easy. Quitting smoking for good might actually be the hardest thing you’ve ever done in your life.

However, you can rest easy in the calm assurance that you’ll definitely be doing the right thing. Somehow, just knowing what you’re gaining in the long run can make it just a little bit easier to turn down that offered cigarette or to suffer through that lunch break without taking a puff.

You’ll gain abundant, radiant health. You’ll reduce your risk of heart disease and devastating cancers. You’ll live longer and help your friends and loved ones to live longer as well, when you stop poisoning them with second hand smoke. You’ll save money and time and find that you have a lot more energy that you can devote to new, healthier habits. The benefits to ending smoking are almost limitless. By keeping them in mind, you’ll definitely have a much easier time of it when you do decide to finally quit smoking for good.

Get Some Help!

Most importantly, though, you should never attempt to quit smoking all on your own. The vast majority of people simply aren’t strong enough. This is nothing to be ashamed of! Once you’ve admitted your weakness, you’ll need a solid support group of friends and loved ones to call upon in your times of need and desperation. By making sure that you have such a safety net set up ahead of time, you can avoid devastating slip-ups and relapses. In a very real sense, the first steps to quitting for good are to realize that you have a problem, and that you cannot solve it alone.

Hopefully, the tips and tactics in these articles have been of help to you. While the statistics and medical prognosis for smokers might seem somewhat gruesome, only by knowing the truth will you be able to find the strength to tear yourself away from this destructive habit once and for all. The specific advice about substitutes, medications, and even hypnosis should demonstrate that the world of options available to those who have resolved to quit smoking is vast indeed. When you decide to quit, you won’t be alone, and you’ll always know that there are literally dozens of avenues that you can take to find success.

What they all have in common, though, is that they all require you to get them underway. Make the commitment today, and you’ll soon find yourself a better person for it. Set off down the path to recovery with a dedicated and firm conviction, and make good use of the techniques described in this book. We’re confident that you’ll be glad you did.