Tomorrow marks the Great American Smokeout, an event sponsored by the American Cancer Society encouraging smokers to quit smoking. The Society suggests these five strategies to assist in the process:
1) Get Ready. Set a stop date, change your environment, think about past attempts to stop and what did and did not work, and once you stop, don’t smoke again.
2) Get support and encouragement. Tell the people around you that you are going to stop and want their support.
3) Learn new skills and behavior. Try to distract yourself from urges to smoke.
4) Get medication, and use it correctly. Whether its over-the-counter or prescription, medications can help you stop smoking and lessen the urge to smoke.
5) Be prepared for a relapse or difficult situations. Most relapses occur within the first 3 months after quitting. Don’t be discouraged if you start smoking again.
For more information on how to stop smoking, click here.
