Quit smoking your way:
A step by step guide
This guide has been created
by GlaxoSmithKline Consumer
Healthcare, the makers of NiQuitin.
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Introduction
Approximately 3.3 million smokers in the UK will attempt to quit every year,
and many will be thinking about stopping every day. Some will take their
first steps on their quit journey, while others will continue to consider
how and when they may quit. Whether you have a quit date in mind or are
still thinking about stopping, every smoker will have their own fears and
anxieties about quitting. Quitting smoking is indeed a formidable challenge
but with motivation, one that is within your grasp.
This booklet has been developed to help you get on the right path to quitting
for you, whether starting your first or tenth attempt; or even if you have
already stopped smoking. The information will help you to understand your
own smoking behaviour and provide advice and support on what may help
you quit. For example some smokers may want to give up all their cigarettes
in one go, while others feel they need to cut down their cigarettes gradually
to help them gain confidence and motivation before stopping completely.
Every smoker trying to quit will go on their own unique journey.
Every smoker is different but statistics show that the average smoker makes
four or more attempts before they quit for good so don’t worry if you slip up
during your journey to stopping smoking. It’s really about trying to find the
right method for you, learning where you may struggle or need extra help
and using this knowledge to help get you back on track.
This guide is not designed to highlight the benefits of quitting (because we
all know what they are) but it will help you to understand the right approach
to stop smoking for you and what tools could help you in quitting for good.
If you have tried quitting before it may help you to understand why previous
attempts failed to work as well as provide new ideas to help you quit. If you
are trying to stop for the first time it can help you to make your quit attempt
a success.
Whatever stage of the journey to being a non-smoker you are on, good luck!
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Contents
Page
What type of Quitter are you?
5
Different ways to quit for
different Quitters
8
Top tips for making your
quit attempt a success
13
Tools and support to
help you quit
17
Further information
20
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What type of quitter are you?
Everybody approaching a quit attempt will have their own expectations
and concerns about quitting smoking. It is important to understand your
current attitudes before starting your journey to stop smoking for good. The
questionnaire below will help you determine what type of quitter you are
right now. However, these groups are not fixed and you may find that you
will move between groups as you progress on your quit attempt. This will
depend on various things such as if you have tried to quit before, how many
cigarettes you smoke, how long you have smoked for and also your reason for
quitting.
To help you to identify your current quitter profile, pick the answers that are
closest to what you might say to the questions below. Even if the answers
aren’t a perfect match they should help you to start thinking about your
relationship with cigarettes and the way you look at quitting. There is also
advice and support throughout the rest of the guide to help you identify the
right tools for you to use on your next quit attempt.
After answering all four questions below look at the letters next to the
answers you chose and add up how many A, B, C or D’s, to identify which
type of quitter you currently are. If your answers fit into two or more groups
then read through all the profiles to see what you can learn from each.
1.Which of the four statements below best describes how you
currently feel about quitting smoking?
A. I enjoy smoking and although I know I should
quit I am not sure I will be able to n
B. I think about quitting smoking and I know that
‘one day’ I will stop smoking n
C. I am committed to quit smoking and I feel
that I am ready to give up n
D. I have tried to quit a few times before but I
never seem to succeed so I am not sure I will
ever be able to quit n
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2.Which of the following best describes your thoughts about
your next quit attempt?
A. Just the thought of quitting makes me anxious
so I haven’t spent much time thinking about it
n
B. I would like to give up smoking and believe that
once I make up my mind to do it, it will be
straightforward n
C. I have spent time thinking about quitting smoking
and I know I am in the right state of mind to make
a quit attempt n
D. I am not confident about my next quit attempt
as I have not been able to succeed in the past n
3. Which of the four statements below best describes how you
will approach your next quit attempt?
A. I have no idea how I will try to give up smoking n
B. I know there are several different ways to quit
but I haven’t really thought too much about it n
C. I have looked at all my options and I know how I
will try to quit n
D. I have tried many different ways to quit before so
I am not sure what is best for me to try next time n
4. Which of the four statements below best describes how
keen you are to make your next quit attempt?
A. I don’t currently have the willpower to quit B. I don’t intend to quit today but once I make a
decision I know I will stick to it
C. I am very motivated to quit n
n
n
D. Although I do want to quit one day my enthusiasm
to quit is low
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n
Mostly A’s
You can be classified as a Worried Quitter. You are torn between the
enjoyment of smoking and the knowledge that you should quit. Any
thoughts of quitting make you feel anxious and you have no idea where
to start. Why not try to find out a bit more about quitting methods and
support available? No-one will judge you if you don’t succeed first
time, it’s all about finding the best way to quit for you.
Mostly B’s
From your answers you are currently an Interested Quitter. You seem
to know your own mind and are clear that you want to quit even
though you have not set a date. When you are ready to quit don’t forget
there is lots of help and support available so make use of this to get
off on the right foot. There is lots of information within this guide and
you could also check the NiQuitin.co.uk website for online support and
even a personalised quit plan.
Mostly C’s
At the moment you seem like a Confident Quitter, you have done your
research, sought advice and set a date. This is a great first step for
anyone thinking of quitting smoking and it seems that you are ready
for the next one. If you have tried to quit before, the key for you may
be looking at past attempts and learning from them to give yourself
the best chance of success this time around. What was helpful and
went well, and what didn’t work so well for you? If it is your first
attempt, make sure you make use of all the support that is available
to you, for example, checking what services are offered by your local
pharmacy, speaking to a healthcare professional at your GP surgery or
other local NHS stop smoking services.
Mostly D’s
Your answers presently place you in the Serial Quitters group, but
don’t be alarmed as you show the dedication needed to succeed in
stopping smoking. Don’t forget that it takes most smokers more than
one attempt to stop. You need to look back at previous attempts and
identify what the barriers were to you stopping before, and think
of ways that you may overcome these the next time. The section on
managing cravings may be useful to you. There is lots of support and
advice available and for many people it takes a few attempts before
they can stop completely.
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Different ways to quit
for different quitters
As a smoker you may already know how difficult smoking is to give up, but
you may not fully understand why. When you smoke, receptors in your brain
can become dependent on the nicotine contained in cigarettes. It is these
‘nicotine-hungry’ receptors that can cause you to crave cigarettes when you
try to quit.
When you are trying to quit you can
experience a range of different
withdrawal symptoms, these may include:
• Cravings or the urge to smoke
• Increased appetite and weight gain
• Feeling depressed
• Restlessness
• Poor concentration
• Irritability
Every smoker will experience different
symptoms at various points of their quit
journey and may even find that no two
quit attempts are the same. The two
most common ways to quit smoking are:
• To stop straightaway
• Or to cut down your cigarette intake before stopping completely, known
as gradual cessation
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Stopping smoking straightaway is best for your health but whichever method
you choose will require getting into the right mind set, maintaining your
willpower and determination. You need to ensure that you are committed
and have a steady stream of things to keep you motivated along the way,
whether this is support from friends and family, tools to deal with stressful
times and other smoking triggers or products to manage cravings.
Stopping straightaway
Many people refer to giving up all their cigarettes at once as going ‘cold
turkey’ but this term should only be used for those who try this approach
without using any products or receiving any support from healthcare
professionals.
It is also possible to stop smoking straightaway with the help of
therapeutic nicotine products, such as NiQuitin patches, lozenges and
gum, which help to combat the withdrawal symptoms associated with
quitting smoking. Evidence shows that you are twice as likely to succeed
by using a combination of willpower and therapeutic nicotine rather than
willpower alone.
Advantages of Disadvantages of stopping
stopping straightaway
straightaway
• Immediate health • Some people may find it too
benefits daunting
• Sometimes less planning
•
involved compared to
alternative methods
The ‘cold turkey’ method of
stopping straightaway has a lower
success rate so remember that
there are products and support
available to help you succeed.
Quitting all your cigarettes at once is more popular with men. Indeed, in a
recent YouGov survey*, commissioned by NiQuitin, 63% of male smokers said
they’d prefer to stop smoking immediately.
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If you found you were currently an
Interested or Confident quitter in
the test on the previous pages you
probably know what this method
involves but don’t forget that you
can ask for support along the
way. Even if you’ve never tried
quitting before, or are a Worried
quitter, you should try quitting
immediately if you feel you can.
Look into what help and support is
available to cope with the various
withdrawal symptoms you may
encounter. For example being
aware that you may experience
hunger pangs which have
previously been kept at bay by
smoking, will help you plan ahead
and buy healthy snacks. (Find more
examples in the Top Tips section)
Cutting out all cigarettes at once is best for your health but this approach
can be really tough and may be too daunting for some people, especially
if they have tried and failed before. If you are not ready to cut out all
cigarettes at once you can try a more gradual approach - by setting a quit
date and cutting down the number of cigarettes you smoke over a short
period of time.
Cutting down before stopping completely
Like the race between the tortoise and the hare, whilst some people are
straight off the blocks, others prefer a more gradual route to stopping
cigarettes for good.
Cutting down involves reducing your cigarette intake before stopping
completely and there are therapeutic nicotine products available to help you
do this. A good approach is to set a quit date up to 6 weeks away and reduce
your cigarettes in the run up to your quit date, using a therapeutic nicotine
product like NiQuitin Pre-Quit Lozenges to help manage your cravings. A
short-term reduction programme can actually increase your confidence and
motivation to quit.
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Advantages of cutting downDisadvantages of cutting down
before stopping completely
before stopping completely
• May be easier for some people
• Doesn’t have the immediate
who can’t face giving up all health benefits of quitting
their cigarettes at once straightaway
• Can help to build
confidence in your
ability to stop
If you found you were a Serial or Worried quitter, cutting down before
stopping completely may help you succeed in quitting for good.
Other Medicinal Support
Prescription products are also available which you start taking one to two
weeks before your quit date. These medicines change the way that your body
responds to nicotine by stimulating the nicotine receptors in the brain. This
produces an effect that relieves the craving and withdrawal symptoms you
can get when you stop smoking. At the same time, they block nicotine from
acting on the nicotinic receptors. This helps to prevent the nicotine inhaled
in tobacco smoke from having a rewarding and enjoyable effect.
The most important thing to remember
for any method of quitting is that you
are not alone and there is support
available no matter how big or small
your worries are. Whatever stage you
are at in your quitting journey there is
help and support available from faceto-face advice to speaking to someone
on the phone; therapeutic nicotine or
prescription-only products; or online
support tools to help you to plan and
get into the right mindset - there are a
wealth of options available to you. We
will go on to discuss these options in more detail later in the ‘Tools & Support
to Help You Quit’ section as well as provide links to where you can find more
information to help you on your quitting journey.
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Top tips for making your
quit attempt a success
We hope that you have learnt a little more about the type of quitter you
currently are and the different ways there are to quit smoking. Below are
some tips that may help to make your quit attempt as successful as possible.
Develop a step-by-step plan
• Set a quit date - have a clear
date in your mind that you
can work towards
•
Decide which approach to use
that will work best for you – do
you want to stop smoking
straightaway or cut down the
amount of cigarettes you smoke
over a short time before
stopping completely?
• Consider what support you could use (see ‘Tools & Support
to help you quit’)
Make a plan for how you will cope when you feel like you want a cigarette.
One of the most important things to do is to come to terms with the fact that
you may be stressed, anxious and uneasy whilst trying to give up smoking.
It is not easy to give up and therefore you should pat yourself on the back
for taking the first step and make allowances for the fact that you will not
necessarily feel yourself:
• Try and avoid events where you would be tempted to smoke, such as out with friends who smoke, as this will reduce the temptation to smoke
• Let your friends and family know that you are trying to quit smoking so that they are aware that you’ll be facing difficult times so they will be able to support you
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• Smoking is a habit as well as an addiction. When you have time to kill
and may be tempted to have a cigarette, make yourself do something
that will take your mind off giving into temptation (see tips opposite)
•
Exercise is a great way to keep yourself busy, as well as fit and healthy
and there’s some evidence it helps reduce cravings to smoke. It may be
a struggle at the beginning to get yourself motivated to do some
exercise but once you start you will feel a world of difference both mentally and physically
•
Keep a diary of your quitting journey. This will help you to get control over
your smoking behaviour, see how far you have come and also identify
times where you feel like you want to reach for a cigarette so you can think
about how you would deal with this if it happened again
•
Aspire to the long-term aim of quitting for good but also reward yourself
for achieving smaller short-term goals like your first smoke-free week or
first big night out without cigarettes. Attempting to quit smoking is
tough, so every day without cigarettes is a big achievement. Spread the
word about your success, because extra support will help you get through
any difficult times. And remember that any uncomfortable feelings you’re
having now are only temporary
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Managing cravings
Stop smoking products are available which have been clinically proven to
help manage cravings. These include therapeutic nicotine products which
come in various different forms such as: patches, lozenges, gum, spray
and inhalator. If you experience particularly difficult cravings try speaking
to a healthcare professional about how you can use therapeutic nicotine
products together to help (see ‘Tools & Support to help you quit’ section for
the different types available).
The following tips may also help you to manage cravings:
Key times
for cravingsTips for managing cravings
Stress
Take a few deep breaths, close your eyes and remind
yourself of all your reasons for quitting. If you can,
take a break from whatever you are doing, talk to a
friend or at home you could have a bath, read a
book or listen to music.
When you wake up
Try changing your morning routine: treat yourself to
an extra 5 minutes in bed, listen to the radio or watch
TV, take a little extra time to read the paper, try some
stretching exercises or making a healthy packed lunch.
Walk to work
Try listening to music or audio books and walk
briskly. You could even try jogging or cycling to
work so you’re also improving your fitness levels.
At work
Instead of joining colleagues who smoke, go for a
stroll or spend your break with non-smokers. If you
are using a therapeutic nicotine product like lozenges
or gum, have one when you feel a craving coming on.
After dinner
Having a cigarette after a meal can become a habit
so is often a difficult hurdle whilst trying to quit. Try
getting up from the table as soon as you’ve finished eating and do the washing up, talk to a friend, put the coffee on or have a cup of tea, go for a walk or watch some TV.
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Key times
for cravingsTips for managing cravings
Socialising
with friends
Going into pubs now the smoking ban is in place makes
it easier if you are trying to quit but if you still
socialise with people who smoke it can be hard to not
go outside with them. Alcohol can also weaken your
willpower so can make a night out with friends a
minefield for those on a quit attempt. Try chewing gum
or chewing on a straw or tooth pick and try not to go
outside bars or restaurants where you may get tempted
by other smokers.
There are also plenty of other activities that don’t involve
smoking, so find out what’s on at the cinema, get a film
out, go out to eat or invite friends round for dinner.
Boredom Why not try making a ‘to do’ list - it doesn’t have to be
chores, maybe places you’d like to visit or friends you’ve
been meaning to catch up with. Remind yourself of the
fun things in life by talking to a friend / family
member, looking on the internet for inspiration or
reading a book to escape. If you get bored often, try to
take up a new hobby with money saved from smoking or
do some gentle exercise.
Rewards
In the past you may have rewarded yourself with a
cigarette on completion of a task or chore perhaps
buy yourself a treat instead. You could also try asking
friends and family to give you praise for each new
hurdle or goal you achieve and you could try returning
the favour when they need support.
It has been said already, giving up smoking is not always easy and therefore
if at first you don’t succeed – keep trying!
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Tools & support
to help you quit
The previous page should have given you some ideas on ways to change your
habits and tackle withdrawal symptoms but what else can you do to help
make your quit attempt a success? The following section looks at the tools
and support available to help you kick the habit.
Therapeutic Nicotine Support
These are products that substitute some of the nicotine you usually get from
smoking cigarettes with therapeutic nicotine to help deal with the cravings.
Taking these products can double your chances of success compared to
willpower alone. They help relieve your cravings to allow you to concentrate
on changing your habits.
Therapeutic nicotine products are divided into two categories,
distinguished by whether you want to take a passive or active role in
managing your cravings. Passive products are those that provide a
continuous supply of therapeutic nicotine i.e. patches, and active products
are those that are used as and when cravings occur e.g. gum, lozenge,
inhalator. With all formats you will need to reduce the strength or the
amount you use over time and eventually stop.
Therapeutic nicotine products are not designed for long-term use and
you should always read the label. It’s also helpful to seek advice from a
healthcare professional. Where possible, stop smoking products should be
used with other methods of support e.g. smoking cessation clinics, online
support etc. as this can increase your chances of success even further.
On the next page is a quick reference guide to therapeutic nicotine
products, prescription products and behavioural support.
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FormatKey Facts
Therapeutic nicotine products:
Passive role in •
managing cravings i.e. Patches - •
products which offer a continuous supply of therapeutic nicotine •
•
•
Nicotine is absorbed through the
skin when patch is applied
Provide nicotine throughout
the day for constant protection
against withdrawal symptoms
Available in a 24 hour or 16 hour patch
and varying strengths to help you
wean yourself off nicotine
Discreet - available in clear or opaque
Not suitable for occasional smokers
e.g. ‘social smokers’
Active role in •
managing cravings i.e. Lozenges, Gum, Inhalator or Nasal •
Spray – products which help relieve and control cravings as and when you need
•
them
•
•
•
•
Use when you experience the urge to
smoke but do not exceed stated dose
for the day
Available in different strengths
according to the number of cigarettes
smoked or the length of time before
your first cigarette of the day
Lozenges can be used discreetly and
along with gum are a familiar format
similar to regular mints or chewing
gum. However, they are used in a
different way, so ensure you read
the directions
You need to avoid eating and drinking,
while you chew gum or a lozenge is
dissolving in your mouth, as this may
interfere with nicotine absorption
Lozenges and gum are available in
mint and a range of flavours
Inhalator is useful if you feel you
need to physically hold a substitute
for your cigarette due to habit but is
less discreet than other formats
Suitable for most quitters
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FormatKey Facts
Other medicinal support
Prescription-only •
products
•
•
•
Only available on prescription
Come in tablet form
You need to start using 1 to 2 weeks
before your quit date to give them time
to start working
Not suitable for certain groups of quitters
Behavioural support – suitable for everyone
Support Group/ •
Smoking cessation clinic/visiting smoking
cessation advisor
•
Group support is good for those who are
social or need friends who are in the
same situation as them to keep motivated
Face-to-face support adapts as you get
further along your quit journey so the
advice you receive is tailored
Telephone Support
• Having someone who will listen and offer
tailored advice
• Many services offer round the clock support
Internet Support/
•
Forums
•
•
•
Wealth of information available
Easy to find like minded people on the
internet, swap stories and tips
24 hour support in the comfort of your
own home
Anonymous
Alternative support
Hypnosis, acupuncture •
or hypnotherapy
•
•
•
Can help you get into the right mind set and give you methods of coping in
different situations
Tailored one-on-one support
Limited clinical evidence to suggest
that it will work
Can be very expensive
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Further information
NHS Smokefree
http://smokefree.nhs.uk
0800 022 4 332
No Smoking Day
www.nosmokingday.org.uk
ASH
www.ash.org.uk
QUIT
www.quit.org.uk/index.php
0800 00 22 00
Cancer Research
www.cancerresearchuk.org
British Heart Foundation
www.bhf.org.uk
Click2Quit
www.click2quit.com
NiQuitin Patches, Lozenges, Pre-Quit Lozenges & Gum are stop-smoking aids
that contain nicotine. Requires willpower. Always read the label.
NiQuitin and Pre-Quit are trade marks of the GlaxoSmithKline group of companies.
*YouGov survey: Total sample size was 1214 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 23rd - 27th February 2009.
The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults
(aged 18+). All figures relating to survey, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.
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