Quitting for the First Time

If you’ve never seriously tried quitting before, especially if you’ve smoked for years, the task may seem overwhelming. But you are here now and you’ve decided that you are really going to do it this time. Here are some tips for you first timers that may make quitting smoking a bit less daunting.
• Set a Quit Date – This date could be tomorrow, or a year from tomorrow, but as long as you have a quit date that is set in stone (you may even want to chisel it somewhere) you increase your chances of success.
• Cut Back – Now that you have a quit date, cut back on the amount of cigarettes you smoke based on how far away that quit date is. For instance if you’ve given yourself a week, by day three or four you should be smoking half as many cigarettes as you were on day one.
• Look for Good Information – Sites like this one, whyquit.com, cancer.org and lungusa.org have a wide range of information for quitters to peruse. Whenever searching on the internet, look at who wrote the information and if they are trying to sell you a product. If they are, be sure you seek other information about that product from a source not connected with it.
• Seek Out Help – Go to your doctor and ask questions, and develop a plan of action. As you quit, make certain you talk to your doctor about any new or changing symptoms, which could be a sign of disease that was masked by smoking. Also use resources like www.supportgroups.com and an accountability partner to help you when you struggle. You may even choose to see a licensed therapist.
No matter what you try, don’t be too down on yourself if you fail the first time. Becoming a non-smoker takes a few tries for many people, and holding on to guilt, or hating yourself for not succeeding is only going to make it harder to get back on track.

Now it’s time to get started. Welcome to the non-smoker club!