Quitting smoking or vaping can be one of the hardest things you will ever do and for most people, it will not take only one try. It’s likely you will feel physical symptoms of withdrawal, cravings, and changes to your mood. But, with the right strategies, preparation and a strong support system of people who understand your new challenges, it is possible to quit for good and live a longer and healthier life.
Efram Turchick knows first-hand the great challenge people are taking on when they start their journey to quit. He has seen his own family and friends experience the long-term effects of smoking and has been a quit coach for the Smokers' Helpline for over 12 years. We asked Efram some questions about how someone can improve their chances of successfully quitting smoking or vaping.
1. What do you consider when you help someone create a quit plan through the Smokers' Helpline?
Motivation is really the key. We consider reasons for wanting to quit, as well as reasons that one might want to continue to smoke or vape. It’s normal to have mixed feelings leading up to quitting, and talking about those thoughts and feelings can help one to make up their mind. Our booklet You Can Quit can also help one to explore their reasons more fully.
We also consider ways of handling the cravings. For example, if you know you smoke during your work breaks, we can look at what else you might do during those breaks instead. We encourage lots of support while quitting, whether from Smokers' Helpline quit coaches, healthcare professionals, community forums, text messaging support, friends, or family. Healthcare professionals can offer support around quit aids which have been found to lessen nicotine cravings and withdrawals. Our booklet Help Someone Quit can also give friends, family or co-workers a better idea about how they can support you.
It can help to think about a timeline for quitting. Some like to set a specific quit date, while others might want to leave things more open-ended. Research shows that if someone has a quit date, then their chances of successfully quitting tend to be higher. It depends on what you prefer.
2. How can you change your home environment to help you resist the urge to smoke?
Set some boundaries and change where you smoke. Before you quit, say to yourself, “Maybe I'll only smoke outside now.” If you smoke in your car, maybe make your car off-limits to smoking. Find ways to make smoking less comfortable. Think about ways to take cigarettes out of the picture before quitting.
3. What are the most common challenges people face when quitting?
Nicotine cravings and withdrawals, especially for people who are used to a high daily dose of nicotine. Cravings and withdrawals usually peak in the first three to five days. A lot of people don't know that it will get easier if they just get over that hump.
Withdrawals are hard, but they are also signs of healing and becoming free from smoking or vaping.
There is also a lot of learning involved in quitting. Learning new ways to cope with stress, boredom and new ways to wake up in the morning can take some time and some trial-and-error.
4. What can people do to stay motivated on their journey to quit smoking or vaping?
We definitely encourage people to give themselves rewards and celebrate the small victories as they happen. It can help as well to think about the benefits of quitting over time. Maybe you’ll find you’re not so out of breath when climbing stairs, or that you’re feeling more energetic.
If you register on the Smokers’ Helpline website, your profile updates to show how much money you’ve saved since you started your journey to quit. That can be a great motivator as well!
5. How can someone’s family or friends help them quit smoking or vaping?
One thing is to be patient. It's very normal for someone to quit for a few days and then go back to smoking or vaping again. And that doesn't mean that they have failed. It just means that they're learning how to do this.
If you want to support someone, we encourage you to ask them how they like to be supported and to listen to what they say.
If you smoke or vape yourself, generally it helps not to smoke or vape around that person who's trying to quit, or to offer them a cigarette or vape (even if you think it might help).
6. What strategies can people use to help them recognize their triggers to want to smoke or vape?
Keeping a log of times when and why you smoked or vaped can help. Try doing this for a couple of days or a week - however long you find it helpful. Sometimes, people also add how strong the craving was on a scale of 1 to 5. Smoking or vaping can become almost automatic because of the constant repetition. People also tend smoke or vape when they're stressed, bored or feeling other strong emotions. It is unique to every person and situation. Tracking the use will help you to learn more about your unique triggers.
It can also help to do a practice quit. You could try quitting for a day, just to see what makes you want to smoke and how you can handle your cravings. Some feel like setting a quit date makes them feel anxious. Doing a practice quit can make the whole thing feel less intimidating.
7. What strategies would you recommend to someone to help them resist the urge to smoke or vape?
There is something that we recommend. It's a framework, called the 4 D's. The 4 D’s are “delay,” “distract,” “deep breathing” and “drinking water.”
Delaying is based on research that shows that for most people who smoke, a craving comes and goes within about 5 minutes.So just giving yourself that information, you can say “Hey, I'm just going to wait for 5 minutes and let this pass.”
Distracting works well when you’re delaying, so rather than just sitting there, find something else to do. Hobbies for example can keep your hands and brain busy.
And then drinking water gives you something else to reach for and bring to your lips.
Deep breathing is also great for if you're feeling like you want to smoke because of stress.
8. How can your doctor or medical team help you quit smoking or vaping?
It’s important for doctors to have conversations with their patients about smoking or vaping. The doctor can tell them of their concerns and encourage them to take steps towards quitting. They can also inform them about quit aid options and if they would be good candidates for medications or nicotine replacement therapy.
A lot of people find it's motivational to quit or cut down if they have an appointment coming up with their doctor. People I have worked with would say “I want to quit before that appointment” - so just having that motivation of follow-up appointments helps them to progress.
9. What advice would you give to someone who relapses and ends up smoking or vaping again?
The best advice is just to keep trying. Every time you make a quit attempt, it brings you one step closer to being able to quit for good. If you quit for a couple days, don't think of it as a failure. You’re simply learning how to do this.
So, recognizing that slips are normal and relapses are normal. Recognize this is a learning process. Give yourself some positive self-talk. Instead of “I'm a failure,” say, “Hey, you know, I made it 24 hours without smoking, or I made it an afternoon without vaping.”
Calculate how many times you said no to smoking. Recognize the inner strength you have. It takes a lot of courage to ask for help. Just making that first step already shows great strength to want to change your actions toward a healthier life.
We're here to support you
If you are at the beginning of your quit journey, please remember that it gets easier over time and there may never be a "perfect" time to quit. Quitting smoking is a learning experience and healing process. And even though we can give you advice on how to quit, everyone is unique. Reach out to a quit coach to start your own personalized quit plan.