Relationships are common reasons why people begin or continue to smoke. If you grew up in a home with parents that smoked, it may have seemed natural for you to smoke too. Or maybe you were a non-smoker and adopted the habit from a partner. The important people in your life can also be key to your success in quitting smoking. That’s why friends, family and significant others have an important role to play to help a loved one quit smoking.
Here are some tips that can help you to support a loved one in their quit attempt:
- Don’t nag.
When talking to your loved one about quitting, be supportive and encouraging. Avoid being negative or nagging, instead, find opportunities to discuss the positives of quitting smoking.
- Be patient and positive.
Someone who is quitting smoking can often experience a change in mood or increased irritability. This is known as withdrawal symptoms. Try to remain positive by offering words of encouragement and emotional support on tougher days to help someone quit smoking. If they slip up, avoid being too harsh or angry. Instead, praise them for how far they have come and encourage them not to give up.
- Offer distractions.
It is common for people to experience cravings when quitting smoking, this is a normal part of the quit process. Offer distractions by suggesting smokefree activities that you can do together or alone such as going for a walk, playing a game or watching a movie.
- Celebrate successes.
Recognise the positive changes they have made and celebrate any milestones big or small. This could be 3 days smokefree or 3 weeks!
- Avoid smoking around someone who is trying to quit.
If you are in contact with someone trying to quit, smoke outside and away from that person. Try to keep your cigarettes and lighters out of sight, as these can be triggers to smoke.
Some things are better done together
If your partner, friends or family members want to quit smoking too, why not suggest trying together. Quitting smoking can be challenging but having someone there who understands what you’re going through can be a huge help. A study by the European Society of Cardiology found that couples attending smoking cessation programs together were six times more likely to quit than those attempting alone.
Join our Facebook support group!
When quitting with One You Surrey, you are never alone. Our specialist stop smoking advisors are here to support you along the way for up to 12 weeks. Between appointments, you also have a community of quitters to talk to who are embarking on a similar quit journey. Our Facebook group is a space to share your difficulties, your successes or advice and tips to support each other to quit smoking. Click below to join or help someone quit smoking by encouraging them to join.
