Quitting Tobacco: Being Around Other Smokers ... Without Smoking
What To Expect
- Some friends, especially those who are smokers themselves, may not
be supportive of your efforts to cut down or quit. Also, they may
not understand how much impact their behavior can have on your efforts
to quit.
- The changes you intend to make may disturb friends and family members
who are smokers.
- Friends may feel that your efforts to quit smoking will put a strain
on your friendship. It will be tempting to join others for routine
smoke breaks.
Did You Know?
- You may find that you don’t want to smoke just because you
see someone else smoking. Rather, your desire to smoke may be triggered
by something special about the situation. For example, being around
the people you usually smoked with could trigger the urge to smoke.
What To Do
- Ask others to help you in your quit attempt. Give them specific
examples of things that are helpful (such as not smoking around you)
and things that are not helpful (like asking you to buy cigarettes
for them).
- Post a small “No Smoking” sign by your front door. Provide
an outside area where smokers may go if they wish to smoke.
- If you are in a group and others light up, excuse yourself, and
don’t return until they have finished.
- Do not buy, carry, light, or hold cigarettes for others.
- Try not to get angry if family, friends, or coworkers hassle you
about quitting.
Nicotine and Your Body and Mind
- You may want to analyze situations in which watching others smoke
triggers your urge to smoke. Figure out what it is about that situation
that makes you want to smoke.
- Many studies have reported that smoking may make you feel happier,
more alert, and not as anxious. These good feelings may make you want
to smoke. Also, you may associate these feelings with being around
other smokers.
- When you quit, you may feel saddened by the loss of these good feelings;
being around smokers may make you feel even sadder. Try not to feel
sad; think of what you’ve gained by quitting.
Related Notes
- Once you pinpoint high-risk “trigger” situations, you
can start to handle them rationally. Nicotine cravings may be reduced
by using nicotine replacement products, which deliver small, steady
doses
of nicotine into the body. Nicotine replacement patches, gum, lozenges,
nasal
spray, and inhaler appear to be equally effective. Buproprion pills
(which don’t contain nicotine) also help relieve withdrawal
symptoms.
How To Get Help
- If you or someone you know wants help with giving up tobacco, please
call the National Cancer Institute’s Smoking Quitline toll-free
at 1–877–44U–QUIT (1–877–448–7848).
The information specialists on the Quitline can provide suggestions
and support to help smokers break the habit.
- The Federal Government’s Smokefree.gov Web site (http://www.smokefree.gov)
allows you to choose the help that best fits your needs. You can get
immediate assistance:
- View an online step-by-step cessation guide.
- Find state quitline telephone numbers.
- Instant message an expert through NCI’s LiveHelp service.
- Download, print, or order publications about quitting smoking.
This fact sheet was adapted from material developed by the Tobacco
Education and Prevention Program of the Arizona Department of Health
Services and the Arizona Smokers’ Helpline of the University
of Arizona. |
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