Thinking About Quitting?
When you're craving
tobacco, it's hard to focus on quitting. Preparing yourself before you quit can
help. Before you quit, get ready for a life without nicotine.
Think about your reasons for quitting
What would
motivate you to quit smoking? Think about it. It's important to have your own
reasons for quitting.
Use this self-test to help you discover what
might
motivate you to quit smoking
(What is a PDF document?).
Staying
healthy is a common reason to want to quit smoking. Or maybe you want to feel
more in control of your life, instead of feeling controlled by tobacco.
Teens may have other reasons to quit smoking.
Talk to your family and friends about quitting.
Their support might help you decide to quit.
Quitting smoking: Getting support
Know the risks of smoking
What worries you about
smoking? Make a list. Talk about it with your doctor. You may worry about:
- Health problems. Are you out of breath when
you walk up the stairs? Are
asthma symptoms getting worse? Are you coughing a lot?
- Long-term health risks. Are you afraid of having a
heart attack or
stroke? How about lung disease or cancer?
- Risks to others. Do you worry about family members getting lung
cancer and heart disease? Are you afraid that your children might start smoking
because you do? Are you concerned that your baby may die of
sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) if you smoke? Maybe your children have frequent ear infections or
asthma.
 One Man's Story: It was throat pain that helped
Nate give up smoking for good. Dealing with a sore throat all the time just
wasn't worth it anymore. "In the end, I made up my mind and quit."—Nate, 27 Read more about Nate and how he quit smoking. |
Look forward to the rewards
What do you gain by
quitting? You can:
- Have a
younger-looking and healthier body.
- Set a
good example for others (especially children).
- If you smoke, your child is more likely to
smoke.
- If your teen smokes, he or she is more likely to quit
smoking if you quit.3
- If your child never smokes during the teen years, he or
she is less likely to start smoking in the future.
- Save money by getting rid of the
cost of smoking. To find out how much you spend on
cigarettes, see the
Interactive Tool: How Much Is Smoking Costing You?

- Be in control of your habits.
Prepare for roadblocks
What could make you start
smoking after you stop?
Triggers could be events, places, or even people.
Alcohol and stress are major triggers for many people. You may always have a
smoke after lunch or during happy hour on Fridays. Does your best friend smoke?
You can't always avoid these challenges. But you can plan for how to deal with
them.
Possible roadblock | What you need to know |
Cravings and
nicotine withdrawal.
Symptoms include: feeling grouchy or depressed and having trouble sleeping or
concentrating. | Here are some things that can
help: - Take medicine to help control the symptoms. Using
medicine can double your chances of quitting.1
- Get some exercise.
- Start a new hobby or activity.
- Get counseling
and phone support.
- Try to avoid smoking triggers.
For more help, see: - Quick Tips: What to Do When You Crave Nicotine
Quitting smoking: Coping with cravings and withdrawal
|
Failure in the past | If you weren't able to quit in
the past, don't lose hope. Studies show that each time you try to quit, you
will be stronger and will have learned more about what helps and what makes it
harder. Most people try to quit many times—sometimes as many as 8
to 10 times—before they can quit for good.2 |
Weight gain | You may gain some weight when
you stop smoking. Don't try to avoid this by going on a strict diet at the same
time. This will make it even harder to stop smoking. You can take
steps to lower your chance of gaining weight: - Try to be active. Exercise can also
improve your mood.
- Eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
and fewer high-fat foods.
- Try not to substitute food for cigarettes. Instead, chew
on a drinking straw or a coffee stirrer.
- Try stop-smoking
medicines. They can help you get through the worst of your cravings and may
help you avoid putting on too much weight.
Quitting smoking: Dealing with weight gain
|
Depression | Medicines and counseling can
help treat depression. Talk to your doctor. Should I take medicines to treat depression? Depression: Using positive thinking
|
Lack of support | Support can improve your
chances of quitting. Look for people who have stopped smoking, or seek out
those family and friends who support your goal to quit. Online and phone
support can also help: - National tobacco quit line: 1-800-QUIT
NOW (1-800-784-8669)
- Stop-smoking programs, such as the American
Lung Association's Freedom from Smoking program (www.lungusa.com) or QuitNet
(www.quitnet.com)
Quitting smoking: Getting support
|
Living with or being around
someone who smokes | It would be easier for you to
quit if those around you didn't smoke. If this isn't an option, talk to the
person(s) about not smoking around you. Avoid places where others are smoking
if you can. |
Alcohol | Drinking alcohol can increase
your desire to smoke. Try drinking less alcohol during the first 3 weeks after
you quit. |
Stress | Stress can lead to smoking.
Learn new ways of coping with stress. For suggestions, see the topic
Stress Management. |
Missing your
smoking habits or not being able to avoid smoking
triggers | Assess your tobacco use (What is a PDF document?) to discover your smoking triggers. For some people,
morning coffee and talking on the telephone are common smoking triggers.
- Drinking coffee.
Change the way you have coffee: the place, the coffee mug, everything that you
did when you were smoking.
- Talking on the telephone. Use a phone in a different room when you are at home. Have
small objects nearby to handle while you are on the phone.
|
Teen issues, such as fitting in
with the crowd and dealing with stress | Fresher-smelling clothes and
breath are just a few
reasons for teens to quit smoking. They may actually
improve their chances of fitting in. Also, feeling good physically may help
teens deal with stress in healthier ways than by smoking. If you are worried
about a teen who smokes, see: Substance abuse: Dealing with teen substance abuse. . |
Quitting smoking when you have other health problems
If you have
depression,
anxiety, or a similar problem, or if you have had an
alcohol or drug use problem, try to care for that problem before you try to
stop smoking.
Some people who have had one of these medical
problems find that the problem returns when they try to quit smoking. If you
have any of these problems, talk to your doctor before you quit smoking. After
you quit, seek help right away if you see signs that the problem is returning.
Smoking can also affect the level of certain medicines in your
blood. If you take medicines for a health problem, talk with your doctor before
you quit smoking to see whether you should change the dose of any of your
medicines.