There are lots of ways you can help a friend or family member quit tobacco. Here are some tips that can help you support them, wherever they are in their quit journey.
Helping Someone Start Their Quit Journey
Smokers have to decide for themselves that they want to quit. But there are many ways that you, as their friend or family member, can help encourage them to become tobacco free. Here are some tips:
Tips for Encouraging Someone to Quit
- Don’t judge or nag. Instead, let that person know that you’re there for them in case they need anything, even if it’s just to talk.
- Be understanding. Always keep in mind that tobacco is highly addictive and hard to quit.
- Stay positive. Help them focus on the many health benefits of quitting. For example: remind them of how quitting their addiction will help them lower their risk of disease and even add years to their life! You can get a list of benefits here.
- Remind them to keep trying. It takes most former smokers several attempts before they quit for good.
Everyone’s quit-tobacco journey is different. So, if your friend or family member is thinking about quitting, let them know about these free tools and services that are available to them.
Helping Someone Stay Tobacco Free
Everyone is responsible for their own quit journey, but there are things you can do to make it easier for your friends and loved ones to succeed.
What to do
- Do keep in mind that quitting is very hard on both the mind and the body. Learn more about what symptoms they may be dealing with.
- Do remember that mood swings are just a temporary part of the process.
- Do ask your friend or family member how they’re doing or feeling, regardless of whether they were successful at quitting tobacco.
- Do remind your friend or family member that quitting smoking not only has great health benefits, but it also saves them a lot of money! That being said, try to help them come up with a plan where they can reward themselves for every quitting milestone they reach.
- Do help them get their mind off tobacco. If you’re hanging out together, pick a place where there won’t be smoking so they won’t be tempted.
- Do distract them if they seem like they’re focusing on tobacco.
- Do congratulate them for hitting the little victories on their way to the big one.
- Do get rid of things that might remind them of smoking. This includes ashtrays, lighters, or anything of the sort.
- Don’t focus on how dangerous tobacco is. Instead, remind them about the health benefits of quitting.
- Don’t smoke around family and friends who are trying to quit.
- Don’t criticize them if they slip.
Helping A Friend Who Slipped Up While Quitting
Relapses happen—don’t sweat it. If it has happened to a friend or family member, don’t be hard on them. Quitting tobacco is hard, and for many people, it requires several attempts.
Here Are Some Tips:
- Stay positive. Don’t judge.
- Help them look at the slip-up as a learning experience.
- Position what they’re doing as “learning how to quit” instead of “failing.”
- If you know why they slipped, is there anything you can do to help them out the next time around?
- Did your friends try to quit on their own? Having a plan and getting support can make it easier to quit tobacco. Encourage them to try different options, and let them know Tobacco Free Florida has free tools and services that can help.
