Quitting smoking is so challenging because your body has become dependent on the nicotine in tobacco. Having support from loved ones and a plan in place are two key elements to quitting smoking. It is recommended that you pick a date to quit, talk to a counsellor about smoking cessation, and consider what kind of nicotine replacement therapy/medication might work for you. Here are some tips for quitting smoking:

1. Ask for help and choose your support team – this can be done by joining a support group, using in-person or over-the-phone counselling, working with your doctor, and asking for additional support from family and friends.
2. Set a quit date – while you can avoid dates that may be more difficult to quit on (such as birthdays or holidays), there really isn’t a perfect day to quit and you shouldn’t wait for one. Pick a date and do your best to work with it. Although going “cold turkey” doesn’t work for everyone, if you think it could work for you, give it a try! Remember, even if you slip up, do not give up. Pick a new date and try again. You got this!
3. Have a plan for obstacles/challenges you may face – It is important to change up your routine and avoid people or situations that urge you to smoke. Make a list of strategies you can do when you have a craving such as going for a walk, drinking a glass of water, calling a friend, playing with your pet, or having a snack.
4. Use medicine – Talk to your doctor about nicotine replacement therapies (i.e. patches, nicotine gum, inhalers and lozenges) that may work for you. These can help with managing cravings and stress related to quitting, and increase your chances of successfully quitting.

Did You Know?

Do you have a chronic respiratory condition? Did you know that quitting smoking can reduce your chronic respiratory disease’s progression. Even long-time smokers see drastic health improvements once they quit. In addition to slowing your respiratory disease’s progression and reducing your risk of developing other respiratory cancers, there are other benefits of quitting smoking such as:

• Improvement in lung capacity
• Easier breathing
• Decreased COPD symptoms or flare-ups
• Reduced complications/reduced risk of death from COPD
• You will save money on cigarettes
• Your sense of smell and taste will begin to improve
• Reduced lung damage
• Lower cancer risk
• You will feel proud of yourself for overcoming something so challenging

Make a quit plan here!

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References

Quitting Smoking as a COPD Treatment. (n.d.). Retrieved December 31, 2020, from https://www.healthline.com/health/copd/quit-smoking-treatment