Plan ways to deal with quitting
Some people see quitting as a private battle between themselves and cigarettes. But getting help is not a sign of weakness or lack of will power - it's a smart way to quit.
There are two types of help to include in your plan:
It is also a great idea to gather information and get help from friends and family.
Get some coaching
A coach gives you structure, motivation, support, new skills and confidence. It is much harder to get these things when you try to quit on your own. Getting a coach will give you a much greater chance of long-term success.
The more times you have tried to quit and the less confident you are, the more coaching you are likely to need.
Here are some good coaches:
Call the Quitline on 13 7848 (13 QUIT)
The Quitline is a confidential telephone quitting information and advice service. Professional telephone advisors, who understand the challenges of quitting, provide strategies and support to help you quit. This is for the cost of a local call (except mobiles).
Go online with the QuitCoach
This is available on the Internet at www.QuitCoach.org.au. You answer questions and the QuitCoach gives you the ideas and suggestions that will be most useful to you. The QuitCoach can help you before and after you quit.
Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or other health professional
Doctors and pharmacists are good sources of advice about quitting, especially for advice on quit smoking medications. You need to see a doctor if you want to use prescription quitting medications.
If you have suffered from a mental illness or are taking medication for one, it is important to see your doctor before quitting.
If you have asthma, diabetes or other health problems, it can be useful to discuss quitting with a health professional.
Use quitting medications
These products are suitable for nicotine addicted smokers.
Quitting medications reduce withdrawal symptoms such as cravings, irritability, mood swings and anxiety.
They usually do not stop withdrawal symptoms altogether. Most people's smoking is linked to habits and emotions. So you are likely to still get some cravings in situations where you used to smoke. Remember that coaching can help you handle these times and adjust to life without cigarettes.
There are two kinds of medication:
- nicotine replacement products
- prescription medications.
Nicotine replacement
Nicotine replacement products, such as the patch, gum, lozenge, tablet and inhaler, work by replacing some of the nicotine you usually get from cigarettes. Nicotine by itself has not been shown to cause cancer. Because nicotine products remove all the other dangerous chemicals, they are much safer than smoking.
Your doctor or pharmacist can explain to you how to use these products.
Prescription medications
Prescription medications, such as bupropion and varenicline (Champix), must be discussed with your doctor as they are not suitable for everyone.
Gather information
Talk to other people who have quit about how they did it. There are some useful websites. Remember, different things work for different people.
Get help from friends and family
The support and encouragement of friends and family is important, but sometimes others can hinder your efforts.
If you do talk to your friends and family about your quitting, explain how they can help - for example, by not offering you cigarettes if they smoke, or by being patient if you are a bit irritable at first.
Quitting with a friend can be useful as you can help each other through the hard times.
