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CENTURY
Yale University
School of Medicine
SAC-203
Connecticut
Mental Health Center
34 Park Street
New Haven, CT 06519

Phone:
203-974-7591

Fax:
203-974-7606

E-mail:
infocentury@yale.edu

QUICK TIPS TO QUIT SMOKING from CENTURY/TTURC

1. List all the specific personal reasons for you to stop smoking, including the gains of quitting, and then set a concrete day for quitting.

2. Speak with your provider about programs and products that may help.

3. Get rid of all cigarettes, ash trays, lighters, and matches (other than safety matches) right before your quit date

4. Avoid places that you smoke in, places that you buy cigarettes , and people that you smoke with

5. Sit in non-smoking sections or go to smoking prohibited restaurants and cafeterias. Spend time in public buildings, stores, theatres, museums, hospitals, etc, where you can't smoke.

6. Get away from the table immediately after you eat and do something incompatible with smoking (e.g. walk, wash hands, do dishes, garden, hobbies, etc)

7. Keep handy a range of low calorie and non-edible smoking substitutes to use when you have an urge to smoke. Ice water, sugar-free candies and mints, toothpicks, worry beads, hand-held computer games work well. Have them available on your person, at home, car and work

8. Tell every one you know that you are now smoke free, and thank them for their support

9. Be good to yourself! Do something special and if possible try to reduce undue stress and demands for a few days.

10. Review your reasons to give up cigarettes, and stay smoke free for tomorrow.

11. Start a money jar. For each day that you do not smoke place in the amount of $$ that you would have spent in smoking. Keep this for yourself for a special reward

Exerpted from CENTURY Smoking Cessation Treatment Program, J. L. Cooney, Ph.D.