How do I quit smoking?

How to Successfully Quit

Preparation for quitting smoking is key. Use the following tips to increase your chances of success.

Discover why you want to quit.
Identify your smoking habits.
Look for other ways to cope.
Know what to expect.
Develop a reward system.
Assemble your quit-smoking team.
Select a way to quit.
Set a quit date.
Try to avoid relapse.
If you slip, start again.

Giving up smoking is not easy, but the health benefits are worth it. No matter how long you've smoked, your health will improve and you'll decrease your risks for serious health problems, including heart disease, when you quit. Even if you've tried to quit in the past, it's worth trying again. Most people have to quit several times before they succeed.

Smoking is both a physical addiction and a behavioral habit. To increase your chances for success, you need to deal with both of these aspects when you try to quit. Your healthcare team can help you with these.

To successfully quit, you need to:

understand the benefits of quitting
get mentally ready to quit
have a plan of attack about how to quit
stop smoking
continue to not smoke

Keep reading to learn more about each of these steps.

For more common questions and expert answers on smoking cessation, visit Sharecare.com.