QuiTips

Welcome to our quit smoking tips page! Here you will find some of the best pieces of advice which helped us and others to kick the habit. Have a browse and think about how these tips might help you both prepare to quit and succeed!

First things first. Don't panic before you start. If you allow yourself to start worrying about quitting too much before you start, the chances are you are preparing to fail already. Try to develop a positive attitude towards quitting while you are still smoking. Keep telling yourself that this isn't the end, it's a new, fresh start in life and that it's going to be good!

Pick a day on which you will become a non-smoker. Any date will do but somewhere around 4-8 weeks in advance is probably a good benchmark as this will give you time to prepare without delaying too long. Maybe quit in the New Year when you are naturally thinking about new starts and new beginnings.

Your reasons are your rock. Spending time beforehand thinking about why you want to quit and preparing a short list of reasons will help keep you focussed as your quit program progresses. If you want to quit for your kids or partner, put it on your list. If you're scared of dying, put it down! Be totally honest with yourself because these reasons could be the only thing that stand between you and a cigarette one day.

Before your Quit Date, throw out all your smoking stuff. Ashtrays, cigarettes, lighters, matches, tobacco, tins, filters, papers, that special lucky lighter you were given by an old-friend on a mountain top in the Andes. ALL OF IT. Any temptation remaining in your home, office or car once you quit is just asking for trouble. Throwing it away now will signal to yourself, that things really are about to change.

Tell your friends, family and colleagues that you are quitting smoking. This will again help you to prepare mentally and also give them a chance to give you some much needed support. (If any of them smoke, try not to get drawn into the "Oh No! Not you too" and "Ah, you'll be smoking again in a few weeks" comments. That's just internal panic on their behalf...rest assured that they will secretly be thinking about why they still smoke.)

There are many kinds of support you can find ranging from support groups, online forums, friends and family. It really can make a difference especially during the times when you may be feeling low, longing for a smoke or find yourself locked in a confused internal dialogue with yourself about how "one or two a day won't hurt" or "my grandmother lived to be 100" or "I'm too old\young to quit now". Support can help you separate reality from fantasy. QuiText support is different from most other kinds in that it will find you as long as you have your mobile phone to hand.

There's no doubt, cravings can feel awful. Your tongue feels like it's swollen up and covered in ash, your head feels like it's being slowly squeezed. You can't concentrate on anything and you just want to shout at ANYONE about ANYTHING! Sure, you've heard cravings can be awful but did you ever hear of them killing anyone? How about cigarettes? Making your mind up beforehand and expecting nicotine withdrawl to be bad will help build a strong, committed attitude to really attacking your addiction. Expecting the worst also has the added bonus that you might find things actually turn out easier than you thought.

Water. Marvellous stuff! Drinking water helps your body flush out all those toxins that have built up during the bad-old-days as a smoker and also keeps you hydrated which can help you overcome cravings. Also, that act of getting up and going to have a glass of water is a cheap, simple and effective way to give yourself an escape when a craving hits.

Fresh fruit and vegetables are another great way to help you detox better and again, eating an apple or orange can distract you temporarily if a craving hits. Fresh fruit and vegetables are rich in fibre and nutrients which all help your body repair and detox putting you on the road to recovery more quickly and effectively. (p.s. Non-smokers, stop looking so smug. You should be eating healthy too you know!)

It's easy. You just get up, open the door and go outside. Going for a walk, breathing in some fresh air and stretching your legs helps get your circulation going and work out any aches or pains which may have arisen from withdrawl. It's also a great way to change your perspective on any thoughts you might be having about lighting up. Walking. It's free. What are you waiting for?

A fleeting thought whips across your mind..."Hmm. It would be nice to have a quick ciggy." And before you remember that you actually quit, a craving is starting. Cravings can feel like they go on forever sometimes but in actual fact they only last a few minutes. Keeping a watch handy and timing your cravings can help stop your brain from warping time and stop you feeling helpless as more and more cravings hit over a period of days.

When you quit smoking you are quite likely to undergo a period of turmoil. Quitting affects different people in different ways but whether it's the mental anguish, the sleepless nights or the complete, total and utter lethargy, finding time to stop, wind-down and relax helps you gather your thoughts, settle your aching joints, and just "have some time for yourself". You're kicking an addiction here, a little "R and R" is more than you deserve. Whether you opt for a candle lit bath (guys, spas are ok for you too...), a cup of tea or some time with a book, learning to relax is chicken soup for the soul.

Many smokers focus so hard on their Quit Date that they give it 110% effort and make absoultely sure that they will make it through without smoking. This is brilliant! Unfortunately, quitting lasts a bit longer than one day. A wise person once said "Forever is a long time. Especially towards the end...". Treat every day with the same focus as your quit day and before you know it, the days, weeks and eventually months will have passed since you last smoked. Keep going until that special day occurs when you can honestly say, "hey, I'm a non-smoker".