No Smoking Day

Today is no smoking day!

If you've tried to quit smoking or are thinking of quitting, we've got a few tips to get started:

1. Pick a date to quit and stick to it. Tell your family and friends and plan something fun to take your mind off it.

2. Ask your friends and family for support. If someone close to you is thinking of stopping, why not quit at the same time so you can support each other?

3. Understand situations in which you’re likely to be tempted. Write them down and come up with ways to overcome the urge. For example, if you're with friends who are smoking, leave the room and have a glass of water instead.

4. Get rid of everything in your home or at work that reminds you of smoking.

5. Call yourself a non-smoker and think of yourself as one.

6. Think about the possible withdrawal symptoms and how you will cope.

Find out more on our website at blf.org.uk/smoking

[hypercat54]

That's the standard advice Ben and was obviously written to a formula and by non smokers. Whilst some of it is good and applies to everyone much of it depends on the individual.

For example the authors forgot (or didn't know) that many suffer great anxiety when they give up and telling others they have stopped could be putting too much pressure on them It also ignores the fact that some smoking 'friends' could say 'You will never give up' like mine have. I followed the example of a friend and told people that I was choosing not to smoke for the time being. That took the pressure off and made it easier.

Similarly I kept a pack of baccy in to lessen the anxiety and that made it easier for me. Others I know did that too. If your anxiety gets too much then it is easier to go back to it.

The most important point of all is rarely mentioned. That is find your own reasons to pack it in ie in my case it was the cough closely followed by my copd. Keep those reasons very close to your heart and repeat them as a mantra when you are tempted. x

[mrsmummy]

This just proves the 'we are all different' thing. I found setting a date worked really well for me. It gave me a chance to work up to it. I did tell family and would not have made it without their support but did not tell friends until I had been stopped for a couple of weeks as all of them were smokers themselves and may have tempted me. Unlike hypercat I found it extremely useful to clear all smoking related items from my home, ashtrays, etc. If I had had cigarettes or tobacco there I would have succumbed in moments of weakness. Planning for those moments was also very helpful as I had a go-to that stopped the feelings of panic. By far the biggest help was my imagination, seeing Nic O'Tine as a con artist complete with horizontally striped sweater, black beret and swagbag on a stick who had pretended to be my friend for years whilst simultaneously and underhandedly robbing me of my health. I was determined to win that battle!

[hypercat54 in reply to mrsmummy]

Well done mrsmummy. It's not easy is it? I found lurking on the quit site for a month or 2 soaking up all the positive messages essential to helping me quit.

I visualised Mr Nic as being this huge monster with a wicked smile coming at me with a sword to kill me. I stood there facing him down and my quit colleagues and I all charged and made him run for his life! Imagination is a wonderful thing isn't it? x