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Smoking cessation: Creating a quit-smoking plan
Create a quit-smoking plan to help you quit smoking for good. A quit-smoking plan gives you the tools to cope with hurdles you may face as you quit smoking.
By Mayo Clinic staffIf you're like many smokers and tobacco users, you know you should quit — you just aren't sure how to do it. Creating a quit-smoking plan improves your chances of stopping for good. Having a quit-smoking plan helps you cope with the physical and emotional issues that often arise when you stop smoking, such as nicotine withdrawal and strong urges to smoke.
Deciding to quit smoking
Sure, you may be able to list plenty of reasons to stop smoking. You may be worried about the health problems related to smoking, the social stigma, the expense or the pressure from loved ones. But only you can decide when you're ready to stop smoking. You may spend a lot of time thinking about quitting smoking before you're ready to actually do it. If you're thinking about quitting, go ahead and pick a specific day to quit — your quit day — and then plan for it.
Picking a quit day
Pick a specific day within the next month to quit smoking. Don't set your quit day too far in the future, or you may find it hard to follow through. But don't do it before you have a quit-smoking plan in place, either. Pick a random day as your quit day or pick a day that holds special meaning for you.
Next page(1 of 2)
- Guide to quitting smoking. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_13X_Guide_for_Quitting_Smoking.asp. Accessed Jan. 7, 2009.
- Clearing the air. National Cancer Institute. http://www.smokefree.gov/pubs/Clearing-The-Air_acc.pdf. Accessed Jan. 7, 2009.
- Treating tobacco use and dependence: 2008 update. Rockville, Md.: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/tobacco/treating_tobacco_use08.pdf. Accessed Jan. 15, 2009.
- Okuyemi KS, et al. Interventions to facilitate smoking cessation. American Family Physician. 2006;74:262.
- Tips to help you quit smoking. American Academy of Family Physicians. http://www.aafp.org/afp/20060715/276ph.html. Accessed Jan. 16, 2009.
- Hurt RD (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Jan. 23, 2009.
