When you are about to begin the process of quitting, in the process, or struggling to stay quit, the right support people can make a tremendous difference. Sometimes it takes some trial and error to find the right group for your needs. Here are some sources of support that you may find useful:
• Stopsmokingsimplified.com - this site has a list of contact information for local American Lung Associations across the country.
• Tobacco Free – Many states have support sites based on the tobacco free format. For instance if if you live in Alabama, the site is www.tobaccofreealabama.org , if you are in California, it’s www.tobaccofreeca.com. Each state has it’s own format usually with the “tobaccofree” followed by that state’s name or abbreviation, then “.com” or “.org” at the end of the address. One acception to this format is Minnesota, which is www.ansrmn.org, which is an acronym for the” Association for Non-SmokeRs.”
• Supportgroups.com - this is a sister site of readytoquit.com and provides online chat type support for a multitude of areas. The benefit to this type of support is it is literally there any time and any place there is an internet connection.
• Social Networking sites – Facebook and Twitter have plenty of pages to help you connect with other quitters and get the support you need.
Many times it is difficult to find the right support group. Join one and give it some time, you’ll know after about 6 meetings if the group is right for you. If it is not and you are not growing from the experience, don’t hesitate to try another. Many things can affect group dynamics such as leadership, group makeup and personal preferences. Stop smoking support is right for everybody, but not every group offers the perfect solution for everyone.
