Supplies to Have on Hand When You Quit Smoking

Updated October 27, 2016
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The first several weeks of smoking cessation can be difficult. It's important to have things you can do to distract yourself in mind ahead of time..before the urge to smoke hits. A little preparation goes a long way.

Gather Your Quit Smoking Supplies

Have some of the following items within easy reach, both at home, and in the car. These things will help you weather the urge to smoke more easily.
  • Flavored toothpicks.
  • Straws or coffee stirrers.
  • Hard candies to suck on. Butterscotch and cinnamon drops are favorites.
  • Sunflower seeds in the shell. Very messy, but a great way to keep your hands and mouth busy.
  • Bottled water. Water is nature's best quit aid in my opinion. It beats back cravings to smoke, and by keeping yourself well hydrated, you'll improve how you feel overall. Always carry a bottle of water with you in the car.
  • Raw vegetables, fruits and healthy dips for snacking. Keep containers of clean produce ready to eat in the refrigerator. Try freezing whole grapes and have small bags of them ready for snacking in the freezer.
  • Cinnamon sticks.
  • Herbal teas. There are several calming teas on the market today. Taking 15 minutes to drink a cup of tea and honey will go a long way toward calming you and beating the urge to smoke at the same time.

Work on Your Resolve

Attitude will make or break your success.
Your mind can be your best friend or it can be your worst enemy. Use it to your benefit and train yourself to think in terms of I can and I will, instead of I can't and I wont.

Pay attention to the running dialog going on in the background of your mind. We talk to ourselves all day long, and often our thoughts are negative and counterproductive.

We tend to believe what we tell ourselves over and over, so give yourself positive cues. It may take some time, but you can change your thoughts and beliefs by training yourself to listen closely to the mental dialog within and correct faulty thinking as it comes along.

Be Your Own Best Friend

Take time to do something relaxing for yourself every single day. It could be as simple as taking a half hour alone in a quiet room to read a good book, or it could be as much as scheduling an afternoon at the movies. Avoid a piling on of stress by taking time daily to decompress.

Tell yourself that you can, and before you know it, you'll be a successful, long-term exsmoker looking back wondering why you waited so long to quit.

Next:  Quit Aids or Cold Turkey?