Enjoy Living Smoke Free

Contents

Pick a Day to Kick the Habit
What Pedro Learned About Smoking
Tips That Helped Pedro Quit Smoking
Pedro Resists the Urge to Smoke
Pedro's Family Is Living Smoke Free
My Plan To Quit Smoking
My Heart Health Card
Play It Smart, Take Care of Your Heart
Resources

Pedro Resists the Urge to Smoke

Try these tips to resist the urge to smoke:

Keep your hands busy:

• Do arts and crafts.
• Garden.
• Start a project around the house.
• Read.

Put something in your mouth that is not a cigarette:

• Drink water.
• Chew sugarless gum.
• Eat vegetable sticks or apple slices.
• Chew on a short straw or a toothpick.

If you are stressed, angry, tired, or nervous:

• Take a slow, deep breath, count to five, and release it. Repeat 10 times.
• Talk with a friend.
• Take a walk.
• Listen to music.

When you get up in the morning:

• Brush your teeth and use mouthwash, instead of smoking.
• If you've always had a cigarette with coffee, switch to tea for a while or drink water.

Pedro Says: "In the beginning, I was stressed and craved a cigarette. Instead of lighting up, I called a quit smoking help line. They suggested that I chew sugarless gum and listen to music to help decrease the urge. It worked."

Previous Page | Next Page

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
National Institutes of Health
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
NIH Publication No. 08-6356
June 2008