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Troubleshooting for quitters
It is extremely rare not to experience any bumps in the road when you are trying to quit smoking. This section takes the most common bumps and provides concrete, road-flattening solutions.
Can you give me any advice for living with a smoker?
Living with someone who smokes can make quitting more difficult. The main reason is that one of the biggest challenges you face is avoiding any temptations to smoke. Don’t try to get them to quit along with you. Rather, mention that you understand that he/she might not be ready to quit yet and that you respect the right of each person to decide when – and if – they want to quit.

Here are some things to ask for:

  • Please smoke outside when I am home
  • I would like to create smoking and no-smoking zones
  • Please put away all ashtrays and lighters
  • Please keep any cigarettes out of sight
  • Please have all visitors smoke outside
  • Please don’t smoke when you are driving with me
  • Please don’t ask me to buy any cigarettes for you
I feel sad and depressed after quitting.
It’s very common to feel sad after you quit smoking. One common reason is that by quitting, you unmasked a depression that was always there. The anti-depressant properties of nicotine were covering up the depression all along.

Here are some things to consider:

  • Talk to your doctor about the quit smoking pill, Bupropion, that also combats depression.
  • Consider that the way you are feeling is due to nicotine withdrawal.
  • Understand that it is normal to miss your cigarettes for the first few weeks after quitting.
I am losing my motivation to stay quit.
Losing your motivation is common when you start to remember the “positive” side of smoking. Loss of motivation can also be due to stress or withdrawal symptoms.

Here are some ideas to get you re-motivated:

  • Think about the negative side of smoking.
  • Think about how it’s robbing you of your life.
  • Involve yourself with others trying to quit.
  • Talk to others who have already quit.
  • Think about how good you will feel when you quit.
  • Think about how much money you will save and how free you will feel.
  • Understand that it’s normal for motivation to wax and wane.
I can’t stop thinking about cigarettes
Sometimes, for no apparent reason, you start thinking about cigarettes. Then, those cravings you thought were gone, come back. These are the steps to follow if this occurs:
  1. Try and figure out why this is happening.
  2. Think about what’s happening in your environment and social life that might be triggering the cravings.
  3. Be careful not to “romance” your cigarettes (thinking only about the positive side of smoking).

Next, here are some ideas for handling the situations:

  • Stop thinking only about the rewards of smoking.
  • Concentrate on the rewards of quitting.
  • Change situations that are causing the triggers.
  • Distract yourself by saying, “Stop, I don’t smoke anymore!”
Holiday time challenges
This can be one of the most challenging times, especially if you go to a lot of parties where people smoke. Seeing all those people having fun smoking can cause some major triggers. Here are some ideas:
  • Before going to a party, review your reasons for quitting
  • Tell yourself that smoking is not an option tonight
  • Mentally see yourself saying no to someone offering you a cigarette
  • Know that you can leave the situation if things get too rough
My friends and family don’t understand
Just as support can be helpful, not having enough support can make quitting more difficult. However, typically it’s not because they don’t want you to succeed, it’s because they don’t understand how big the challenge of quitting is. Here are some suggestions:
  • Tell them they can play a major role in helping you
  • Ask that they be considerate of what you are trying to do
  • Explain how you may be irritable because you are getting nicotine out of your system
  • Suggest specific ways they can be of help