Good Thursday morning and Welcome to my diary,
GUS: Helping Someone Quit (with Open Thread)
GUS (Gave Up Smoking) is a community support diary for Kossacks in the midst of quitting smoking. Any supportive comments, suggestions or positive distractions are appreciated. We avoid discussion of political issues. If you are quitting or even thinking about quitting, please -- join us!
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When I quit smoking, I did it by myself. This is not usually a recommended way to quit, but it worked for me. However, when someone you know has decided to quit, there are ways you can help.
WebMD has a short list:
1. You can help someone quit smoking by offering support and practical tips.
2. Only the smoker can follow through with the decision to quit. It's his or her choice and challenge. You can help by giving the person support.
3. Most smokers don't succeed the first time they try to quit. This is called relapse. If the person begins smoking again, don't be disappointed or make the person feel guilty. Instead, help him or her think about trying to quit again.
4. You can help yourself understand what the person is going through by learning about smoking, how nicotine affects smokers, and how hard it is to stop.
http://www.webmd.com/...
Additionally, it helps to ask the person who is quitting how it is going and how they are feeling - not just if they are still not smoking. Let the person know you are there for support; if he or she needs to talk or needs a distraction, they can call on you. Then, if they do, try some activities that will take the person's mind off smoking. Go for a walk or run, go to the movies or take a bike ride. Remember to encourage your friend or loved one. Celebrate how far they have come. Quitting smoking is a big deal and every little bit helps the person quitting to keep going.
Finally, don't take the quitter's grumpiness to heart. Let them know you understand they are going through withdrawal from a powerful substance and that any physical symptoms are real. Remind them, however, that those symptoms usually only last for around two weeks and tell them how proud you are that they have come so far.
Everyone quits in their own way, but being prepared to help is always a good thing.
THE Buddy List
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