Smoking and Quitting Assessment A. Which of the following describes you? q I m not interested in trying to quit smoking. q I know I need to quit smoking, but I m not quite ready yet. q I m ready to quit smoking, but I need some help. B. Have you tried to quit in the past? q Once q A few times q Many times C. Who else in your household smokes? D. Think about some of the reasons you smoke. Would you say the following things describe you not at all, a little, or a lot? 1. I smoke to perk me up or give me a lift. I want a cigarette most when I m comfortable and relaxed. 3. I smoke when I m anxious, worried, or angry. I have a cigarette within half an hour after I wake up. 5. I smoke cigarettes out of habit, without really thinking about it. I-1
E. Think about your concerns about quitting. Would you say the following things describe you not at all, a little, or a lot? 6. I m worried about gaining weight if I quit. 7. Having friends and family who smoke makes it hard for me to quit. 8. I don t have the willpower. 9. When I don t smoke, I feel restless and can t concentrate. 10. I can t stand how I feel when I first quit. F. Kicking the Habit 11. How would you like to work on quitting? q Cold turkey q Gradual approach 1 Would you like to be part of a quit smoking program? q Yes q No See Smoking and Quitting Tip Sheets, page I-3. I-2
Smoking and Quitting Tip Sheets Check the s you want to work on for the next contact. Instead of smoking 1. Look for a different way to give yourself a boost. Go for a brisk walk. Do some stretches. Take a break from what you re doing. Try deep breathing. Look for other ways to relax. Treat yourself to a bubble bath, a long shower, or a hot cup of tea. Take a nap. Work on a hobby or read a book. Visit a friend who doesn t smoke. 3. Reach for something else when you re feeling down or lonely. Call a friend. Put on your walking shoes and get outside. Shake out a rug and pretend it s your cigarette habit. Admit you re hooked and try to break free! When you feel like smoking, hold out for 5 minutes, then 10, then 15 minutes. Count backwards from 100 slowly until the urge passes. Put a dime in a jar for every cigarette you DON T smoke; save up for something special after you quit. Ask your drugstore about a nicotine patch, gum, or lozenges. Ask your doctor about getting help to quit. Join a Quit Smoking program. Get instant help: Call the toll-free quitline (1-800-QUIT-NOW or 1-800-784-8669). I-3
5. Kick the habit! Each time you reach for a light say, Do I really want this? Find something else to do with your hands (try doodling or carrying a stone or coin in your pocket that you can rub with your finger). When you have a break at work, go for a quick walk instead of a quick smoke. Be aware of other habits that make you want to smoke, like drinking coffee or sitting around after a meal. Pick up some healthy habits: munch on carrots and celery, or go for a walk right after eating. When You re Trying to Quit 6. Don t let the fear of gaining weight keep you from quitting. Smoking is a lot worse for your health than a few extra pounds! Drink extra water and keep healthy snacks in an easy-to-reach place. If you must have something in your mouth, chew gum. 7. Talk to friends and family about your plans to quit. Ask family and friends not to smoke around you. Try to get others to quit when you do you can help each other out. Visit your non-smoking friends while you re quitting. 8. Tell yourself you can do it! Quit for your grandchildren s sake or for others who love you. Set yourself up for success: choose a quit date when you re not under stress remind yourself of all the reasons you re quitting reward yourself for big AND small successes I-4
9. 10. Stay busy and keep moving. Get out of the house and walk. Put your energy into projects that need physical activity, like: gardening or yard work washing the car sweeping or cleaning Spend your free time where smoking isn t allowed. Hang in there you ll get past the tough moments. Find something to do while you wait for the smoking urge to pass listen to your favorite music. Tell yourself things will get better soon. Do some exercise to blow off steam. Ask others to be patient with you. Stay away from things that you connect with smoking. 11. Prepare yourself for quitting. Choose to be tobacco-free and imagine yourself as a nonsmoker. Tell friends and family that you are planning to quit ask for help. Prepare spiritually. Remove cigarettes and other tobacco from your home, car, and work space. Keep a record of when and why you smoke. Set a quit date and stop! Plan for the challenges you ll face while you re quitting. Reward yourself for successes. Help others quit smoking. Eat healthy, be physically active, and get enough sleep. If you decide to use a more gradual approach: 1. Delay lighting up a little longer each day. Ask your pharmacist or doctor about a nicotine patch, gum, lozenges, or prescription pills that may help you stop smoking. 3. Don t use other types of tobacco instead. 1 Ask for help if you need it. If you want or need help quitting smoking, you can call the toll-free quitline: 1-800-QUIT-NOW or 1-800-784-8669. A quitline health professional will work with you right away to quit smoking. Ask the quitline professional where you can get free or low-cost nicotine patches or other types of nicotine replacement therapy. I-5