Tools and Techniques for Remaining Nicotine-Free                                            
Here is a guide to help you deal with the problems and situations which you formerly dealt with by lighting up. A cigarette may have acted as a DISTRACTION in a Difficult situation, but it really DIDN’T MAKE ANYTHING BETTER. You always used a cigarette because you didn’t have any other options, had smoking was the “easy” way to deal with problems. Now instead of lighting up, refer to this guide, review your options ,and use an alternate technique.

1.   Breathe deeply two or three times.

2.   Have a glass of orange juice or cold water.

3.   Change your locale or circumstances if possible. Walk around, go outside and take a few deep breaths of fresh air.

4.   Review your reasons for wanting to quit, or your dreams.

5.   Do oral gratification (Lavoris).

6.   Implement a reward.

7.   Examine self pity. If you allow your self to feel sorry for yourself, your mind will tell you that you need a cigarette to make yourself feel better.

8.   Decode the urge... ask yourself what you really want when you think of a cigarette, and then take care of the need.

9.   Try to distract yourself.

10.  Anticipate problem (trigger) situations and plan your strategy for dealing with it in advance.

11.  Use your imagination... think of something pleasant.

12.   Have a piece of fruit or fresh vegetables.

13.   Do some physical activity.

14.   Remember your desire for FREEDOM.

15.   Think about your SELF-ESTEEM... how you would feel if you go back to smoking.

16.   Call a non-smoking friend.

17.   Find (or start) a support group for non-smokers.

18. Square off with your smoking habit. Look at it and size it up. Ask yourself exactly what it is doing  for you: then ask yourself what it is not doing for you. You can begin with your hair and work  your way down to tips of your toes. It is a medical fact that smoking affects every organ in the human body in a harmful way.

19.  Look at quitting cigarettes as giving yourself a gift; a very big gift. You are giving yourself a better quality of life and very possibly a longer one. You are giving yourself a healthier body.You are giving yourself more self-esteem. Wrap all this in a package and look at it for what it           really is and then “GO FOR  IT”.

20.  Always keep a positive attitude. After all this is one of the most positive things you have done. Stay away from negative people and worrisome situations.

21.  Treat quitting smoking with respect that it rightfully deserves and become willing to go to any lengths to remove it from your life. If you are not willing, then try praying for the willingness. This usually works.

22.   Look up the word “NICOTINE” in you dictionary and write down the definition in big letters,”A  POISONOUS  ALKALOID  USED  AS  AN  INSECTICIDE”.  Put it where you can see it.

23.   Don’t use the excuse that you might gain weight to go back to smoking. Even better if you do gain a little, a few pounds cannot do anywhere near the damage to your body that a pack-a-day of cigarettes do! Remember, overeating causes weight gain, not stopping smoking.

24.   Plan to do things that will keep your mind off smoking. Sometimes our minds can be our worst  enemy. They will tell us that we need a cigarette for just about any reason that is handy at the time. By doing things like going to the movies and sitting down in the non-smoking section. Munching on popcorn, our minds will stay occupied and give us a break. Go to museums and places where smoking is not allowed. Swimming is a good idea to.

25.  Quit smoking one day at a time and only think about the part of the day you are in. I am not going to smoke till noon. I am not going to smoke until three o’clock. Sometimes just do it one hour at a time. This makes it a lot easier than trying to quit forever.

26.  Don’t subject yourself to any smoky situations. If you do come in contact with someone who is smoking, realize that you are free and that person is not. Fell pity for a smoker - not envy.

27.  Start being kind to yourself. It is the beginning of a new way of life for you and you are the most important one there. Treat yourself with respect and love, and remember you are no longer filling your system with poison every few minutes. Breathe the clean air and breathe it deeply.    Smell the different and wonderful fragrances. Begin to spend time outdoors close to nature. Many new sensations await you.

28.  Don’t get too HUNGRY. It is amazing how our minds will tell us everything that we need is a  cigarette when all we really need to do is to eat something.

29.  You have accustomed yourself to lighting a cigarette to cope. Until our minds learn that we don’t  need a cigarette to cope, try to avoid situations that might be setting yourself up. Avoid certain people that may bother you. If there is a lot of tension at work, try to get a few days off. Avoid things like getting stuck in traffic, if you can. Use a lot of caution. ANGER can be very destructive.

30.   Don’t get too LONELY .  Keep busy and seek out stimulating activities.

31.   Don’t get too TIRED.  If we are tired, it is easy to become irritated and when we are irritated   our minds will tell us that a cigarette will help. Our overall resistance becomes weak and easy to say,”Oh well, I guess I’ll smoke.”
 
32.   Remember these four things by the word Halt .” HUNGRY, ANGRY, LONELY, TIRED. If you feel you need a cigarette, check. Make sure you are not experiencing any of these things.

33.   Don’t get too BORED. It is hard to just sit and not smoke. Keep busy. Find things to do that you enjoy. Bike riding, hiking, swimming, exploring new places, try new restaurants. This is the time to indulge yourself.

34.   Have something to fidget with. We are accustomed to holding a cigarette: being without one might leave our hands at loss. Get a rubber ball, a yo-yo, play dough, or clay.

35.   If you always have a cigarette with a cup of coffee, try avoiding coffee as much as possible. Try hot soup instead.

36.   Don’t drink alcohol while you are quitting. Once alcohol is in your system your defenses will diminish greatly.

37.   Frequently give yourself a pat on the back. What you are doing isn’t easy by any means. It takes  a lot of guts to try to quit smoking.

38.   If you are feeling pain from withdrawal, let it become a lasting memory to serve as a reminder of exactly how strong the drug nicotine is and how hooked you really are. Remember that the discomfort you experience in the first two weeks will definitely come to an end and you will           never have to go through it again. Look at it as   SYMPTOMS  OF  RECOVERY.

39.   Remember, every minute you were sucking they very life out of you. Don’t let them have that anymore.

40.   Remember, if you just keep trying you will win. It is good against evil and the odds are stacked in your favor.

41.  Remember, it is the first cigarette that gets you started. It only takes one. This is the one you  don’t have. You can always put off lighting that first one for a little while. Don’t fool yourself and think you can start and stop at will, you can’t. Many people have tried this and gone on to live   the rest of their lives never to experience  FREEDOM  FROM  NICOTINE again.

42.   Frequently remind yourself about the differences you have noticed in yourself. Things like, your breath no longer smells like a dirty ashtray. Your teeth are beginning to lose their yellow color and look bright and clean. Your fingers aren’t stained from tobacco. That sickly sounding        smokers cough is disappearing. Your sense of smell and taste are returning. Your complexion is beginning to improve. Your general attitude about yourself is better because you are starting to care about yourself.



THINGS TO HELP AFTER YOUR TREATMENT
FOR  SMOKING CESSATION

KEEP ACTIVE - Any type of movement or exercise helps the cleanup that is now taking place in your body.  Exercise overcomes and reduces withdrawal symptoms.  Brisk walking is especially good.

DRINK WATER - Drink at least eight glasses of water daily to help flush out the toxins and poisons now being eliminated by your body.  Research shows that dryness causes cravings, so sipping water throughout the day helps reduce cravings.  Drinking water is very important and one of the best things you can do to help yourself.

EAT HEALTHY - Increase your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables.  They contain a lot of water and fiber which help with the cleanup and detoxifying now going on in your body.  Decrease your intake of red meats, cheese, refined sugar, sugar substitutes, and white flour.  Instead, eat fish, chicken, whole wheat and bran breads and cereals.  Candies upset blood sugar levels, which can aggravate withdrawal symptoms. 

CAFFEINE, ALCOHOL, SPICY FOOD, SOFT DRINKS, AND TEA - These things contain many products which irritate the central nervous system, so please avoid these products for at least 72 hours after your treatment.  Also be aware that your resistance is lowered when you consume alcohol.

TAKE VITAMINS - Take a daily multivitamin tablet.  Some people say it helps with their withdrawal symptoms to increase their intake of vitamins C and E.

DEEP BREATHING - Once or twice an hour, or as you think of smoking, stop and take a few deep breaths and exhale strongly.  This helps your lungs eliminate toxins and poisons and helps relieve tension and irritability.

CRAVINGS - Cigarette smoke contains more than 3,000 different chemicals and 200 of them are types of poisons.  After 10, 15, 20 years or more of inhaling these toxins, you have developed a dependency.  Try to avoid situations where you know you are susceptible to having a cigarette.

HUNGER AND METABOLISM - A slight increase in your appetite is normal.  The different feeling in your stomach may make you think you are hungry when you are not.  Drink a glass of water or juice.  This is usually your stomach readjusting after years of swallowing saliva laden with nicotine and other nerve killing chemicals.  You will probably have a slight increase in weight (about 5 pounds) because of the change in your metabolism.  When your metabolism stabilizes, your weight will return to normal.

POSITIVE ATTITUDE - This is the most important thing you can do for yourself at this time.  You have just taken a very important step toward good health.  Be proud of yourself!!!