Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Plan to stop smoking or cut down
• Part 2 of 3: Smoking less
• Part 3 of 3: Increasing your chances of being able to cut down or stop
• Tips

If you are having trouble quitting or cutting back on smoking, it is most likely because cigarettes contain the highly addictive chemical nicotine. Nicotine keeps your brain craving the stimulation and relaxation that comes from smoking a cigarette. You may also find it difficult to cut down or quit because of the associations you have with smoking, such as taking breaks or smoking while drinking or after dinner. Since the act of smoking can still be quite enjoyable, quitting completely may not be something you want to do. Learn how to limit smoking, manage your stress, and consider quitting.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Plan to stop smoking or cut down

1. Keep track of how many cigarettes you smoke. Before changing your behavior, you will need to understand your current situation. Take a baseline or keep track of how many cigarettes you smoke in a day. You can use a calendar, laptop, journal, billboard, or anything else to help you keep track of it consistently. While tracking your usage, keep an eye out for any patterns.
   • For example, you may notice that on Wednesdays you tend to smoke 5-8 more cigarettes than the rest of the week. What happens on Wednesday? You may have a stressful weekly meeting on Wednesday that makes you tense and you smoke for anxiety relief.
2. Determine a daily ration. Once you have tracked how many cigarettes you typically smoke per day, set yourself a goal. Because quitting smoking completely can be stressful, difficult and can lead to a relapse that will make you smoke more, start by limiting smoking. You can try going back from a pack a day to 20 cigarettes and then to 15 a day.
   • Only you can decide the right amount to cut down, but a good start could be to cut down by a quarter. For example, if you smoke 16 a day, go back to 12. Or go from 12 to 8.
3. Create a non-smoking schedule. If you allow yourself five cigarettes a day, decide when you can smoke them. This removes the option to smoke a cigarette when you are bored or have nothing else to do. Instead, you have set smoking times to stick to your own agreements.
   • For example, you may smoke one in the morning, two at work, one in the evening and one before going to bed.
4. Create a series of effects. It can be difficult to forgo the instant gratification of smoking, especially when there is no immediate reward for cutting down. You need a system of immediate rewards and consequences. So, if you smoke 2 more cigarettes a day than you allowed yourself to, there must be some consequence. Choose consequences that are good for you in some way.
   • For example, for every extra cigarette you smoke, you'll need to stretch an extra 10 times, put a dollar in a jar, clean the bathroom, or keep your diary 10 minutes longer. While this is somewhat supposed to be a punishment, at least you have worked in some way to make up for the lack of discipline.
5. Create rewards. Reward yourself when you meet or exceed goals. This will motivate you to continue cutting down. Rewards don't have to be tangible things. You can remind yourself that you are investing in a healthy future for yourself and that is a reward in itself.
   • If your goal was to smoke no more than 8 cigarettes a day and you have not smoked more than 5, reward yourself with a glass of wine or playing your favorite video game for 20 minutes or free time. Choose something you enjoy but don't necessarily always have access to.
6. Keep track of your smoking habits. This creates a progress report. You can even keep track of your cigarette consumption on a graph, for an overview of the peaks and troughs. Here are a few things to keep track of when you're monitoring your smoking habits:
   • Triggers: Find out which triggers are causing you to smoke more.
   • Cost: Keep track of how much money you spend on cigarettes each week. If you've saved money after a week, put this aside. After a few weeks, you buy yourself a reward from the money saved.
   • Consequences / Rewards: Pay attention to whether certain intervention plans (such as decreasing or increasing consequences and rewards) are working or not. This way you can change them to make cutting back on smoking more effective.

Part 2 of 3: Smoking less

1. Change your environment. While it can be difficult to change your environment, it is important to realize that certain environmental factors can contribute to more smoking. Consider limiting the time you spend with certain groups of people, where smoking is an important part. Rather, look for new places and activities to enjoy. If you enjoy having a few drinks on the terrace of the local cafe, it can be difficult for you to sit on that terrace and not smoke. In this case, you can sit inside where you are not allowed to smoke. This makes smoking a bit uncomfortable, because you have to leave the group you are with to go outside.
   • Give yourself the rule: no smoking in the car. Smoke before or after driving. Make smoking as difficult and unpleasant as possible.
2. Change your brand of cigarettes. While not a great change, switching brands can help reduce your nicotine intake. For example, if you smoke Marlboro Red 100's, switch to shorts or the more “natural” brands, such as Sherman's. Don't think by the word "natural" that these cigarettes are safe. They remain cigarettes and still contain nicotine. Look for cigarettes based on their nicotine content, usually those with:
   • low in nicotine: filter cigarettes with the words "Ultra Light"
   • average nicotine: filter cigarettes with the words "Light" or "Mild"
   • a lot of nicotine: cigarettes with or without a filter without the inscription "Light" or "Ultra Light"
3. Don't smoke the cigarette completely. Another way to cut down on smoking is to smoke only a quarter or half of the cigarette. Then wait until your next smoking break to smoke the next half or quarter.
   • This way, you can smoke as often as you usually do, but only half of a cigarette at a time. You can still take your smoking break, but you'll smoke half as much.
4. Set an alarm. If you tend to chain-smoke in certain circumstances, such as in a bar or sitting outside chatting with friends, set an alarm. It can be all too easy to get lost and light cigarette after cigarette when you're having a good time. After each cigarette, set the alarm on your phone to an interval of your choice. Wait for the alarm to go off before lighting another cigarette.
   • Over time, try to increase the amount of time between cigarettes. For example, if you set the alarm for 20 minutes, force yourself to wait 2 more minutes. If you are trying to cut down with a friend, you can make a small contest of who can wait the longest.
5. Satisfy the oral fixation. Sometimes it is the oral stimulation that must be met in addition to the nicotine craving. Things like mints, chewing gum, mouthwash sprays, small hard candies, sunflower seeds or other small (and preferably healthy) snacks for when you have the urge to smoke.
   • Avoid treats that are high in sugar or fattening, which will only make you feel full. Also, make sure not to use the treats as a long-term substitute.

Part 3 of 3: Increasing your chances of being able to cut down or stop

1. Get support. Tell people around you that you want to achieve this goal. This can lead to a good social support network that you can use in reducing the number of cigarettes. They can also stick to your intentions by asking you how your goal is progressing. If you have friends who smoke themselves, let them know you're trying to cut down so they don't tempt you into smoking.
   • You can even inspire your friends and family to start smoking less yourself. If necessary, refer your close friends and family to the following website to help them help you: http://smokefree.gov/social-support.
2. Work with a therapist. A therapist can help you work on problems and stressors that caused you to start smoking in the first place. You can work with a therapist in an individual or group setting. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help you cope with stress and make you feel more secure about yourself when it comes to quitting smoking.
   • You can search the database of the Association for Behavioral Therapy and Cognitive Therapy if you are looking for recognized therapists. Your doctor may also be able to recommend a therapist. Make sure you are aware of any costs that are not (in advance) covered by the insurance.
3. Learn to deal with your stress. Stress is a known trigger to start smoking. While it is impossible to avoid stress entirely, a coping strategy can prevent stress smoking. If you find yourself feeling tense and need something to relax, try replacing smoking with one of the following:
   • A short chat with a friend
   • 10 minutes for yourself to sit still and meditate or do some stretching and stretching
   • A short walk through the neighborhood, the office, the park or the building where you are
   • Write in a journal for 10 minutes
   • Watch a funny video
   • Exercise, which can improve your health and counterbalance the weight gain sometimes associated with smoking cessation.
4. Hold on. Social support can reduce smoking, but in the end it all comes down to you. Persistence is one of the hardest things to do and relapses will occur. The important thing is not to give up completely when your discipline is failing. This happens to everyone. You learn to live without a habit that has been a central part of your day, and is often linked to so many different areas of your life. Learning to cut down takes persistence, patience, being tenacious, and being very nice to yourself.
   • Keep track even if you have a relapse. As time goes on, continue to give yourself greater rewards and create more severe consequences.
5. Consider quitting completely. Once you start limiting and cutting back on cigarette smoking, you may find yourself ready to quit altogether. You can join a support group where you can talk about your cravings for a cigarette and how to combat it. You can also try one of the following:
   • Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT): This includes nicotine inhalers, oral medications, patches, and chewing gum. They deliver the nicotine without the act of smoking. Do not use NRT if you still smoke, as it can get toxic amounts of nicotine into your body. If you're trying to cut down on smoking, but you're not really ready to quit completely, NRT may not be the best option for you.
   • E-cigarettes: Electronic cigarettes can help reduce or quit smoking. While E-cigarettes simulate smoking, which can help people wean traditional cigarettes, it can also act as a replacement for smoking. While e-cigarettes may be less toxic than traditional cigarettes, research on their safety is still limited. Caution is advised when taking an e-cigarette, as the idea often arises that it is a safe alternative.

Tips

• Remember that you will have relapses and this is normal. Don't let this put you off your goal completely.
• If you can quit all at once, do it. Just be prepared for any challenges and learn to cope with stress without smoking.
• Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is recommended for people who smoke 15 or more cigarettes per day. NRT has not been proven effective for people who smoke less than 10 cigarettes per day. The dosage depends on how many cigarettes you smoke per day and should be gradually reduced.
• NRT is more successful in conjunction with a behavioral / counseling program.