What Are the Best Tools For Quitting?

People stop smoking in different ways. Much like going on a hike, you may pack different supplies in your pack or have different skills you’ve gained from past hikes.

Having good tools makes it easier to quit. Tools for quitting can be ones that help you think about quitting differently (what you think or tell yourself), or ones that help you act differently (what you do in response to certain thoughts).

Plans can include thinking ahead about how to manage specific triggers, figuring out how to remember WHY you’re quitting when those triggers come up, and learning how to relax through mindfulness and stress management.

Other tools might include setting a quit date or coming up with a schedule to cut down on your smoking, using exercise or physical activity, changing WHERE you smoke, getting rid of your cigarettes, creating a list of distractions and substitutions, getting support for your quit from other people, and learning to reward yourself each step along the way. The specifics of any plan should be right for you.

Think of the tools as your gear for setting out on a hike—they won't get you there on their own, but it sure helps to have a stocked backpack before you set out.

What tools are other smokers using to quit cigarettes?

Check out EX Community posts about tools other smokers have used to quit cigarettes:

• Jaded: 100+ Things to do instead of smoking / vaping / chewing
• Giulia: Quit Kit aka Tool Box
• Want some inspiration? Check out these triple-digit milestones:
  • This group is for people who have reached the 100 day quit mark. Welcome to 6% club!
• Is cutting down on smoking a good strategy for you? Read other people’s experiences:
  • Cigonzalez: Q: Has anyone quit smoking by cutting down on the amount of cigarettes?
  • Sweetplt: A: the last year before I quit I basically only let myself smoke when I drank, but then I found myself drinking more...so I decided I would just keep cutting down weekly until I was smoking not even everyday
• Mindfulness has worked for some people
  • Karenjones: Mindfulness saved my life.
  • NDC.Treatment.Team: Mindfulness and Craving. While I can’t vouch for the many claimed good effects of mindfulness, it does seem to help to reduce both the intensity and frequency of cravings.  So what is it, and why would it work?