This Thursday is the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout! This important day takes place annually on the third Thursday of every November. It’s a day that encourages tobacco users to quit their habit. The Great American Smokeout is a way to quit alongside millions of people across the country. By quitting tobacco, you will be taking an important step to regaining your life. When you quit tobacco you’re taking steps towards better health, freeing up more time, spending less money, and breaking free from the control of nicotine. You’re gaining much more than you’re losing! Prepare yourself to quit with the following tips.
Talk to your doctor about getting help to quit and choose a quit method. Prepare yourself for the conversation by reading this article. Learn more about methods to quit here.
Develop a quit plan. A quit plan is critical to quitting tobacco. Developing it will help you define your goals, prepare to quit and hold you accountable to your commitment to be tobacco-free. Click here to access a resource from Smokefree.gov to help you create a personalized plan.
Visualize yourself as a non-tobacco user. Imagine yourself free from tobacco and imagine all of the benefits you’ll experience like saving money, better health, more energy and less stress. No more bad breath, smelly clothes or being preoccupied by thoughts of your next dip or cigarette.
Share your decision to quit. Even if you’re not ready to proclaim it to the world, the best, first group of people you should tell are the people you use tobacco with. This could be your significant other, best friend, coworkers, sibling, etc.
Remove all tobacco products and paraphernalia from your home, car and workplace. It can also be helpful to thoroughly clean your car, porch, garage, house or any other places you may have smoked, chewed or dipped to get rid of any sights or smells that could tempt you.
Anticipate and plan for challenges. Unsure of what you may find challenging? Click here to get answers to common concerns about quitting and how to deal with them.
