The Best Ways to Help People Stop Smoking

The decision to help a friend or a loved one quit smoking is one that should be entered into with wide eyes. Without proper preparation on what you can do and what to expect, you can actually sabotage your effort and any honest attempt put forth by the smoker to quit. Helping people stop smoking in the best way will require some selflessness and the ability to influence their energy in a different direction.

Do Some Research on Your Own

Before you jump head first into the pool of support to help someone else stop smoking, know what you are getting yourself into. First, research some support groups or ways to support the person you are helping to quit. This is a good time to strategize before approaching the smoker you are helping.

Look up some details like the effects cravings will have on the former smoker and how to refocus this energy. You can also see ways to convince the person to stop smoking. If the smoker you are helping came to you for help, then obviously it will not be necessary to convince them to quit.

Push Them to Self-Realization

When you are helping someone quit who has not decided to do it on their own, then it will be necessary to employ tactics to get them to realize why they should quit. Using personal health, family and money as a motivational point to compel them to quit will often work. Once the smoker has realized why they should quit on their own, they will be self-motivated to quit. Getting them to want to quit on their own is the only way they will stop.

Provide the Needed Support

Realize that the person you are helping to quit may not succeed the first time around. You can better their chances of successfully quitting by offering solutions to the problems they will face. This is partly why it is important to understand the changes that will occur during the detoxification process.

Showing the person who has decided to stop smoking the options they have available is a good way to focus them on the task ahead. Nicotine patches and gum are available as ways to slowly reduce usage and dependency over time. Let them know that using these can drastically increase their success rate and decrease the effects of cravings. Going 'cold turkey' is another option they can attempt but severely lowers the success rate and heightens the effects cravings will have.

Beyond offering them physical solutions to their attempts, it will also be equally to provide sufficient emotional support. Stress is often amplified along with feelings of anxiety in those who are attempting to quit smoking. Help to reduce this stress by taking their mind off of the situation through an alternative. Take them to a movie, play a game, or do something they enjoy that will deter them from giving in to their body's dependency. At all costs it is important not to take them to places that will make them want to smoke such as bars, clubs, or restaurants that allow smoking.

References

• Mayo Clinic
• CIGNA
• AOL Health

Resources

• Look for more tips to help someone quit smoking here.
• Find more helpful information to help smokers quit at this site.

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