Ex-Smokers: Help for Staying Quit

Many smokers will attest: Quitting smoking is easy; staying quit is hard. The unexpected strong desire to smoke can happen sometimes months or even years after you've quit. If you're having trouble staying quit, these tips can help you deal with cravings and triggers.

• Take stock of the times when you are tempted to smoke, and plan an alternative activity. For example, if you crave a cigarette after dinner, talk a walk instead.
• When you're tempted to light up, review your reasons for quitting and think of all the benefits to your health, your finances, and your family.
• Ride out the desire to smoke. It will go away, but do not fool yourself into thinking you can have just one.
• Avoid alcohol. Drinking lowers your willpower.
• If you are worried about gaining weight, put some energy into eating a healthy diet and staying active with exercise.

What if you do smoke? Try not to get too discouraged. It takes most people many attempts before quitting for good. What's important is figuring out what helped you when you tried to quit and what worked against you. You can then use this information to make a stronger attempt at quitting the next time.

And remember, it's never too late to stop smoking. The American Cancer Society is here to help. Call us anytime at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org/smokeout.

« Learn More about Quitting Smoking