Content

• Steps
• Advice

If you have problems quitting smoking or reducing smoking, it could be because cigarettes contain a lot of the addictive substance, nicotine. Nicotine makes your brain crave for stimulation and relaxation at the same time thanks to smoking. You also find it difficult to quit or reduce smoking because of the combinations you often make with smoking such as smoking while taking a break or smoking with drinks or after dinner. Since smoking is such a pleasant activity, quitting may not be what you want completely. Learn how to limit your smoking, manage your stress, and consider quitting.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Smoking Tracking and Reduction Planning

1. 

   Keep track of your tobacco use. Before you change your behavior, you need to understand your current situation. Choose a minimum amount or count how many cigarettes you smoke per day. You can use a calendar, notebook, message board or anything else that helps you keep track of your regular smoking. As you follow along, try to find out if there are any typical habits.
   • For example, you may find yourself smoking 5-8 more cigarettes on Wednesdays than on other days of the week. What happened on Wednesday? Maybe you have a stressful weekly meeting on Wednesdays that make you try your best and you smoke to ease your anxiety.

2. 

   
   
   Determine your daily allowance. Set a goal after you keep track of the number of cigarettes you normally smoke each day. Since quitting smoking suddenly (quitting completely) is difficult, stressful, and can lead to a higher rate of re-smoking, you should start by reducing your smoking. You may reduce your smoking from one pack, 20 cigarettes, to 15 cigarettes a day.
   • Unless you can determine the right amount of tobacco to reduce, you can start smoking less than a quarter of the cigarette. For example, if you normally smoke 16 cigarettes a day, now smoke only 12 cigarettes. Or from 12 to 8.

3. 

   
   
   Make a smoking schedule. If you allow yourself to smoke 5 a day, determine when to smoke. This will eliminate the choice of smoking when you are feeling sad or have nothing to do. Instead, you define your smoking time so that you smoke responsibly.
   • For example, you could smoke one cigarette in the morning, two at work, one at night and one before bed.

4. 

   
   
   Introduce the penalties. It can be difficult to give up the instant gratification of smoking, especially if there is no immediate reward for reducing smoking. You need to create hot rewards and penalties. For example, if you smoke 2 more cigarettes per day than allowed, there is a penalty. Choose a penalty that works in your favor in some way.
   • For example, for each extra cigarette you smoke, remind yourself to do 10 minutes of stretching, put $ 1 in a jar, scrub the bathroom, or journal for another 10 minutes. While this is to some extent a punishment, at least you will have to do something to make up for in violation of the rule.

5. 

   Offer rewards. Reward yourself when you meet or exceed your goals. This will help you want to continue to reduce your smoking. The reward doesn't have to be material. You can remind yourself that you are investing in a healthy future and that in and of itself is the reward.
   • For example, if your goal is to smoke no more than 8 cigarettes a day and you only smoke 5, you could reward yourself with a glass of wine, 20 minutes of playing your favorite game, or free time. Choose something you like, but it doesn't have to be that way every time.

6. 

   Regularly monitor your smoking habits. This will help you gauge your progress. You can plot tobacco consumption for peaks and lows. Here are a few things to consider when managing your smoking habits:
   • Catalyst: Look for what causes higher smoking rates.
   • Cost: Keep track of how much you buy a drug each week. If you save money during the week, put it away. After a few weeks, use them to buy your rewards.
   • Punishments / Rewards: Notice if intervention plans (such as increasing or decreasing penalties and rewards) are working. This way you can change your measures to make your smoking reduction more effective.
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Part 2 of 3: Limit Smoking

1. 

   Change the environment. While it's difficult to change your environment, you need to know that certain environmental cues can actually lead to higher rates of smoking. You will want to limit the time you spend hanging out with groups of friends who often smoke. Instead, find new places and activities to join. If you enjoy drinking and smoking outside of the bar, you will find it difficult to sit there without smoking. In this case, try going inside the bar where smoking is forbidden. This will increase the inconvenience of smoking as you will have to leave the group to go out to smoke.
   • Create a rule for yourself: Don't smoke in your car. Smoke before or after driving. Make smoking inconvenient and uncomfortable whenever possible.

2. 

   Change cigarettes. Although not a big change, changing brands of cigarettes can help reduce your nicotine intake. For example, if you smoke Marlboro Red 100's, go for a shorter or more “natural” type like Esse. Don't let the word "natural" make you think that tobacco is safe. They are definitely cigarettes containing nicotine. Choose cigarettes based on nicotine levels, often written like this:
   • Low nicotine: filtered cigarettes with the word "Ultra Light"
   • Average nicotine: filtered cigarettes with the words "Light" or "Gentle"
   • High nicotine: filtered or unfiltered cigarettes and without the words "Light" or "Ultra Light"

3. 

   Don't smoke all the cigarettes. Another way to reduce smoking is to smoke a quarter or a half of a cigarette. Then wait until the next break to smoke another half or a quarter of your cigarette.
   • This way, you will still smoke as many times as you normally would, but only half a cigarette at a time. You still have breaks to smoke, but the amount you smoke is less than half.

4. 

   Set a timer. If you usually smoke during times like bars or chat with friends, set a timer. It's easy to forget and light another cigarette when you're happy with others. After each cigarette, set a timer on the phone with a duration of your choice. Wait until the timer bell goes off before smoking another cigarette.
   • In the long run, try to increase the amount of time between puffs. For example, if you set a timer for 20 minutes, force yourself to wait another 2 minutes. If you and your friend are both trying to reduce your smoking, you can turn that into a little race to see who can wait longer.

5. 

   Please respond to the moment of pale mouth. Sometimes it's the need to eat something in addition to nicotine addiction. Bring foods like mints, gum, mouthwash sprays, small hard candies, sunflower seeds, or other snacks (ideally healthy) whenever you feel the need to smoking.
   • Avoid foods high in sugar or fat that make you feel full. Make sure not to use them as a substitute for smoking over the long term.
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Part 3 of 3: Increase Your Chances of Reducing or Quitting Smoking

1. 

   Get support. Tell the people around you that you are trying to achieve your goals. This can create a positive social network to help you reduce your smoking. They can also hold you accountable by asking you how you are doing to achieve your goals. If your friend smokes, let them know that you are trying to reduce your smoking so they no longer invite you to smoke.
   • You can even inspire friends and family members to reduce smoking together. Consider directing some of your close friends and family to the following website to help you together: http://smokefree.gov/social-support.

2. 

   See a therapist. A therapist will help you overcome the problems and stressors that initially caused you to smoke. You can see a therapist individually or in groups. Cognitive - Behavioral Therapy can help you deal with your stress and make you feel more confident about quitting.
   • You can search the National Association of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapists for a certified specialist. Your general practitioner can also refer you to a therapist. Remember to check in advance if you have to pay a fee not covered by your insurance.

3. 

   Stress management. Stress is a common cause of smoking. While it can be difficult to completely avoid stress, having a coping plan will help eliminate stress smoking. If you begin to feel overwhelmed and addicted to something relaxing, replace smoking with one of the following activities:
   • A short talk with friends
   • 10 minutes of quiet sitting alone and meditating or relaxing
   • Walk around the block, office, park, or building
   • Journal for 10 minutes
   • Watch funny videos
   • Exercise, which can improve your health and help you handle the weight gain that sometimes occurs when you quit smoking.

4. 

   Be patient. Public support can help reduce smoking, but it is all up to you. Persistence is one of the hardest parts of the job, and there will be times when you feel discouraged. It is important not to give up completely even if you have violated the rules. This always happens to everyone. You will learn to live without routines that are a major part of your day, and often involve many aspects of your life throughout the day. Learning how to reduce smoking takes determination, perseverance, consistency, and a lot of love for yourself.
   • Continue doing this, even if you relapse at times. Continue to reward more and more penalties over time.

5. 

   Consider quitting. When you begin to limit and reduce your tobacco use, you may find yourself fully ready to quit. You may want to join a support group to talk about your addiction and how to alleviate it. You can also combine it with one of the following:
   • Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) includes: nicotine straws, oral medications, patches, and gum. These contain nicotine but are not smoked. Do not use NRT if you still smoke as they can increase the toxicity in nicotine levels. If you are trying to reduce your smoking, but are not ready to quit, then NRT is not the best option for you.
   • E-cigarettes: These can help reduce or quit smoking. While it also produces tobacco smoke similar to smoking, e-cigarettes can help with traditional smoking cessation, actually replacing traditional smoking rather than helping to quit smoking. While e-cigarettes may be less toxic than regular cigarettes, there is very little research on their safety. You should be cautious about using e-cigarettes as you tend to be aware that they are safe alternatives.
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Advice

• Remember that there will be times when you feel depressed, this is normal. Don't let that completely deviate from your goals.
• If you can quit smoking suddenly, do it that way. Just be ready to take the challenge and learn to handle stress without smoking.
• Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) is recommended for those who smoke 15 or more cigarettes a day. NRT has been shown to be ineffective for people who smoke less than 10 things a day. The dosage depends on the number of cigarettes you smoke each day and should be gradually reduced.
• NRT is more effective when used in conjunction with behavioral counseling / treatment programs.