When you're thinking about quitting, one of things you can do to plan ahead, is learn about what happens when you quit, and when, where and why you smoke.
 
Over the next week, keep a record of when you have a cigarette, what you were doing, and how you were feeling. In the next column, rate how much you felt you needed each cigarette using this point system.
 
    1 = I could do without this cigarette
    2 = I feel like it
    3 = I need it
    4 = I really need it
    5 = I'd kill for it
 
The Quit because you can booklet contains much of this information, and is available by calling the Quitline 13 7848.

---

There are three aspects to smoking:

• chemical addiction
• strong links between smoking and behaviours
• psychological or emotional links to smoking

Back to top

---

Chemical (nicotine) addiction

 

Most smokers are addicted to nicotine. It is accepted that by the time you have smoked 100 cigarettes, you will be addicted.

To find out how important overcoming the physical addiction will be when you quit, ask yourself:

• How soon after waking do I have my first cigarette?
• How long can I last between smokes?

If you need to smoke first thing when you wake up, and can't last an hour without smoking, then addiction is a big part of your smoking. The first couple of weeks of quitting could be pretty hard, as your body gets used to living without nicotine.

But if that's the main part of your addiction - and this is more common in men, then after that things could get much easier.

Back to top

---

Links to behaviours

 

This is what is happening when you always find yourself always lighting up when:

• you drink coffee
• you're on the phone
• you're having a beer
• you've finished a meal
• you're having a break
• you're watching TV
• you get in the car

Over the years that you have been smoking, these links have become stronger and stronger. You find yourself reaching for a cigarette without thinking whenever these things happen.

When you quit, you need to be very aware of these links to behaviour, because this is when you'll miss your cigarettes. To get through it, you might need to change your routine, so that there aren't as many automatic triggers to light up.

Back to top

---

Psychological and emotional links

 

Some smokers use smoking to change the way they feel. When this happens, all sorts of emotions and situations can be strongly linked to smoking. Often these are negative, but not always.

If you find yourself:

• smoking when you're tense
• smoking when you're bored
• smoking when you need to think or be creative
• smoking when you're angry
• smoking when you need time out
• smoking when you're lonely
• smoking when you feel bad
• smoking when you're partying
• smoking after sex

then you have strong links between smoking and your emotions. You have probably spent most of your life dealing with situations by smoking. So when you quit, you'll have to learn other ways of coping. This can be very hard for some people. Some people may need extra help to learn new ways of relaxing, coping with anger or stressful situations.

If you need help dealing with these, call the Quitline 13 7848 for suggestions.


Back to top