Whether you’re stopping cold turkey or doing it gradually — quitting smoking can be one of the most difficult challenges you’ll face.
But it can be done. In fact, The American Lung Association estimates that 50 million adults have successfully quit smoking.
Will you be one of them?
If you’re ready to quit smoking, here are a few tips to get started:
- Get a support system in place. Pick your “Quit Day” and tell all your friends and family about it. Having people to help cheer you on will make you feel like you’re not doing this alone. And most likely, your loved ones are going to do whatever they can to help you quit — second-hand smoke is deadly.
- Find something else to do. Once you quit, you’ve got to keep your mouth and hands busy. You can chew gum, suck on lollipops or your favorite hard candy. Now is also a good time to pick up knitting or sign up for a cooking class.
- Take one of our free smoking cessation classes. Our Freshstart program can help you come up with the best strategies to quit for good. Classes meet one hour a week for four weeks. We’ll help you develop skills for coping with cravings and provide extra motivational and educational support.
- Medication might help. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can help you deal with nicotine withdrawal. This kind of medication comes in patches, pills, gum, nasal spray, inhalers and lozenges. Talk to your doctor about which one will work best for you.
- Reward yourself. Each day, put money in a jar that you would’ve spent on cigarettes. Once it’s full, buy yourself something special — maybe a new pair of shoes or a plane ticket to a tropical island.
Click Freshstart to learn more about this program. To find upcoming free classes, visit the classes and events calendar.
West Georgia Lung and Sleep Medicine is located in Carrollton. For more information, visit www.pcgofwestga.com or call 770-838-5864.