How to Help a Friend Quit Smoking
Knowing the extremely long term and short term effects of smoking can make it painful to watch a friend or family member smoke a pack of cigarettes. There are thousands of smoke-free success stories proving that quitting is entirely possible, however, smoking is highly addictive and your friend will need your love and support to be able to quit.
How to Support a Friend to Quit:
Communicate
Talking to someone about their nicotine addiction must be done in a positive way. During the conversation, focus on encouraging your loved one to quit as opposed to the dangers and repercussions of their habit, as they likely already realize the negative effects of smoking. Be understanding, because getting angry or frustrated with your friend will only cause them to become stressed, which they will inevitably relieve with another cigarette.
Maintain A Positive and Encouraging Attitude
Withdrawing from any addiction can be difficult, and if your friend is trying to quit smoking, they need you to remain positive. The first week of trying to quit is often the most difficult for smokers and their friends, as the smoker’s body does not react well with the lack of nicotine, which they were previously dependent on. Despite the irritability that your friend may experience, it is important to remain positive and encouraging and remind your friend that they are on the road to recovery.
Don’t Give Up
Evidence suggests that nicotine rivals heroin in addictive nature, so it’s not unnatural for any person who is quitting smoking to have a lapse. If your friend does lapse, remind them of the commitment they have made to quitting and maintain a positive attitude. A negative reaction to lapsing will likely upset your friend, which may cause them to smoke a whole pack as opposed to a single cigarette.
Understand What Your Friend Is Going Through
By reading this article, you are already working toward this. Learning about what your friend is dealing with will help you to sympathize and efficiently support your friend. By knowing some reputable quitting techniques, including the nicotine patch, healthy lifestyle changes, and nicotine gum, you are able to help your friend in taking their first steps towards becoming smoke-free, a journey that you only want them to take once.
Quitting smoking is more than difficult, for some people it takes multiple tries, however, by taking these ideas into consideration; you can help your friend to quit smoking, and live a much healthier life.
