Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 4: Talking to a loved one about the need to quit smoking
• Part 2 of 4: Offer support
• Part 3 of 4: Using professional advice or helpful resources
• Part 4 of 4: Understanding Nicotine Addiction
• Tips
• Warnings

Convincing someone to quit smoking isn't always easy. It is possible that your loved one has already tried to quit smoking, but his attempts were unsuccessful. Perhaps your loved one still wants to break with this habit, but does not know how to do it right, and also does not have enough support to achieve the intended goal. If so, then your help will be difficult to overestimate. Remember that your loved one will be able to quit smoking if you give him the support and help he needs.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Talking to a loved one about the need to quit smoking

1. 1 Find the right approach to your loved one. Since this is a very sensitive topic, think about how to get the conversation started right.
   • Think about the best place to talk about this issue. The best place would be a comfortable and familiar environment for a person.
   • Think about how you can start a conversation. Avoid sharp corners. Do your best not to shock the person with this.
   • Be prepared for the fact that your loved one may be offended by you. For example, if a person says: "I will make my own decisions," you can agree with him by saying: "I completely agree with you, you have the right to decide for yourself what to do. I just worry because ..."
   • Appeal to his emotions. This will help your loved one understand what drives you and are more willing to listen to your advice.
2. 2 Remind the person about the dangers of smoking. Smoking is a bad habit. Smokers endanger not only themselves, but also those around them. However, only talk about it in a positive way. Do not scold, nag, or try to intimidate your loved one.
   • Tell him that you love him very much and want him to have no health problems. Smoking causes lung cancer and other serious illnesses such as osteoporosis, stroke, and depression.
   • If physical beauty is important to your loved one, remind them that smoking can cause wrinkles and yellow teeth.
3. 3 Remind about relationships with relatives. Remind your loved one that they have family and friends (children, grandchildren, husband / wife, friends). Tell him that his family really appreciate and love him. Display photos of young relatives in a prominent place. They will serve as a daily reminder of how important it is to quit smoking.
4. 4 Offer your support. Do your best to make it easier for your loved one to quit smoking.
   • You can invite him to call you any time he is tempted to take up a cigarette.
   • Be sure to tell the loved one that you will be support for him throughout the process.
   • Ask your mutual family and friends to help a loved one trying to quit smoking.
5. 5 Make a plan of action. Make a concrete plan to help your loved one achieve their goal. You can adjust the plan as needed. However, your loved one must strictly follow it day in and day out.

Part 2 of 4: Offer support

1. 1 Help your loved one get distracted. Most likely, smoking in the life of your loved one has already become a natural part of his daily life, you can say his second nature. Therefore, you will have to help him replace his old habit with a useful new one. You can help him with this yourself or ask your loved ones to do it.
   • If your loved one smokes during lunchtime, invite him to take a walk during this time.
   • If he smokes after eating, ask him to help you clean the apartment or walk the dog.
   • If your loved one is used to smoking in the morning, invite him to have a cup of coffee with you.
   • If your loved one is used to smoking over a glass of alcoholic beverage, stay away from bars that serve alcohol.
   • If the person has a strong urge to smoke, try to dissuade him.
2. 2 Be aware of withdrawal symptoms. Your loved one will experience withdrawal symptoms. Let him know and be real support during this difficult time. Remind your loved one that these symptoms are temporary.
   • Quitting smoking is marked by rapid weight gain. If your loved one starts to gain weight, offer them sports activities. Also, help him make adjustments to his diet.
   • Also, your loved one may have difficulty falling asleep. Invite him to read a book, watch a TV show, or write down his day in a journal if he cannot sleep.
   • Don't take the person's bad mood personally. Stay positive and let your loved one know that it's okay to be in a bad mood. Remind him that you are very proud of him.
3. 3 Encourage the person not to give up, even if he succumbed to temptation and lit a cigarette. Most people who quit smoking from time to time "break down". And believe me, this is normal. Unfortunately, some at this moment give up on themselves and refuse to go further.The first 2 weeks are usually the most difficult.
   • List all the reasons the person wanted to quit smoking.
   • Tell him that he will still be able to quit smoking, even if he did not succeed this time.
   • Identify the provoking factor that your loved one should avoid.
4. 4 Reward him for his success. Quitting smoking is not easy. Reward your loved one for their efforts to quit smoking. Encourage him and remind him that he is heading in the right direction.
   • One of the reasons a person should quit smoking has to do with money, or rather, saving money. Tell the person that they can afford more if they quit smoking. How about a trip to the sea, for example?
   • Remember that reward and praise are essential. Material reward will be clear evidence that a person was able to achieve success.
5. 5 Follow the person's progress. Do not leave him alone, ask how he manages to fight this habit. Track his progress. This will help you determine what your loved one needs. Perhaps he needs your support or reward for his success.

Part 3 of 4: Using professional advice or helpful resources

1. 1 Invite your loved one to get help from a professional. If you cannot provide the support you need, offer them professional help. For example, he may consult with a therapist who can help him quit smoking. Perhaps the therapist will suggest private or group sessions, depending on the person's needs.
2. 2 Invite your loved one to go with him to a group session with a psychologist. Your loved one may feel extremely uncomfortable the first time in a session. Invite him to go with him to make him feel more comfortable. You can attend sessions with him until he is ready to do it himself.
3. 3 Suggest using a nicotine patch or chewing gum. Studies have shown that nicotine patches or chewing gum can help break the habit. You can invite a loved one to try these aids.
4. 4 Provide him with all the resources he needs. Be prepared to provide any resources you may need. If a person cannot afford expensive counseling from a psychotherapist, you can find information on free or cheap counseling. You can also give him links to sites where he can find useful information to help him quit smoking.
5. 5 Offer to see your doctor. A doctor can provide helpful advice and resources in their specialty. It is always a good idea to seek the help of a doctor who can help in this case.

Part 4 of 4: Understanding Nicotine Addiction

1. 1 Study smoking statistics. Nicotine is addictive. You can find a lot of information on this subject. The internet can help you with this.
   • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has demographic statistics.
   • You can find many facts related to smoking and quitting.
   • The Department of Health and Human Services has a full record of the health effects of smoking.
2. 2 Take notes. You can write down the most important statistics in a notebook. You can use them when you convince your loved one to quit smoking.
3. 3 Talk to your healthcare provider. Of course, statistics are very important, but talking to your doctor who can provide more detailed information specific to your particular situation may be more helpful. You can also ask your doctor questions.
4. 4 Talk to someone who has already quit smoking. Who can better understand your loved one than the person who was able to break with this bad habit? Since no two people are exactly the same, it would be nice to talk to a few people who have quit smoking. They can understand your loved one, and this is something that no resource on the Internet will give.

Tips

• Make sure the person really wants to quit smoking. If a person does not have the right motivation, he will not be able to succeed.
• Check regularly how things are going.
• Be a good listener. In some situations, a person needs to be simply listened to.
• In some cities, people who want to quit smoking can get free anti-smoking patches and lozenges.

Warnings

• Don't be too hard or critical, especially during the first weeks. It is very difficult for a smoker to abstain and overcome nicotine addiction. Be positive, even if the person is in a bad mood.
• Respect the person. You need to be completely confident that your friend needs to stop smoking and have all the arguments in hand to get him to break with the habit, but your feelings should not exceed his personal right to choose whether or not to smoke.