O.K. You've decided to stop smoking. Great, we don't need to go into all the reasons for you to stop. You've done that to get this far. Of course, now you just want to know how to stop smoking quickly. As quickly as possible right?

The first step is to prepare for stopping. Pick a day that you are going to stop smoking, it doesn't matter what day, but not too far distant, say within ten days. It's also going to be really helpful if you can pick a day which you know is going to be stress free and relaxing. Having picked the day, stick to it, without fail.

Let's take the scenario that you usually have your first cigarette almost immediately after waking up in the morning. Then go on to smoke say 25 to 30 cigarettes over the course of the day. This makes you pretty highly nicotine dependent. So, as part of your preparation you would probably want to consider nicotine replacement therapy and other prescription drugs to help you.

Visit your doctor, they often have quit smoking clinics, and discuss the options with them. You can then get in a stock of the drugs you have agreed upon, so you're not dashing about at the last minute the day before you plan to stop smoking. This will raise your stress levels, putting you at a disadvantage.

As part of your preparation, in the run up to the day you picked, write down all the reasons you have for wanting to stop smoking. Yes, I know you already know them, but writing them down on paper will re-inforce the message. Keep this list on you at all times. Use it as a reminder any time you are tempted to smoke after your quit day.

Keep a diary for a few days, in which you record every cigarette you smoke, exactly when, and the circumstances you reached for each one. This is knowing your enemy, and will help you through any particularly rough patches. If you know when you are going to have one, you can be ready to minimise it, and it won't be a problem.

Let all your friends and aquaintances know what you are doing, and when you are going to stop smoking. This has a twofold purpose. Having someone else support and encourage you is invaluable, especially in the early stages. Plus, you will subconciously not want to fail in front of all these people. A powerful tool.

Do some simple relaxation exercises. Controlled breathing is good. Sit in a comfortable upright chair, feet on the floor. Do not cross your legs. Place your hands on your knees, and breath slowly and regularly in and out. You can close your eyes if it helps you, although this is not a must. Concentrate on each breath, breath from your stomach, letting it relax and swell out when taking air in, and pushing it out when exhaling.

Do this a few times, return to breathing normally, then repeat. If you can find the time to do this (and let's face it how long does a cigarette take to smoke?) say three times a day. Morning, during the day, and at night before sleeping, it will help greatly. Make this a habit in the run up to your quit day.

Get rid of everything to do with smoking in the house, ashtrays, matches, lighters. Cigarettes of course, and maybe a little spring clean to rid the house of any lingering stale smoke smells

Right, you've done your preparation, today's the day. You wake up, you've quit, that's it. That's how to stop smoking quickly. Just remember, take it from day to day. Before you know where you are it's a year down the line and you feel great. Here's a good tip. In the early days when you feel tempted, or maybe someone offers you a cigarette, DO NOT say "No thanks, I quit". Say instead "No thanks, I don't smoke". Welcome to the world of the non-smoker.

 

Chris Haycock