Be a Buddy! How to Help a Friend Quit Smoking

You’ve been there, done that, and successfully quit the habit of smoking cigarettes. You feel better, experience improved health, and could not be happier. Your best friend, who wants to stop smoking as well, admires your resolve and tenacity. Your friend wants to beat the habit too and comes to you for advice. Now that you’ve done it how can you best help a friend quit smoking?

First, you must remember that not everything works for everyone. What worked for you might not be an ideal way to quit for your friend. The key to helping your friend is to review all the research you conducted while deciding the best way to quit. While perhaps you were able to quit by going cold turkey and swallowing a couple of anti-craving herbs every once in a while, your buddy might need extra-strength nicotine patches to be able to even THINK about quitting. Help provide your friend with the latest information on smoking cessation, which you can get from free quit smoking pamphlets and other resources.

Remember how cranky you were those first few days without nicotine? Don’t forget that feeling when dealing with your friend, and treat their moodiness accordingly. If your friend bites your head off on day three of quitting smoking, there is no need to respond in kind, which can not only lead to a bigger argument, but can also stress your friend out enough so that they resume the unhealthy habit. Help your friend stay on track by being warm and understanding even when they are behaving like a jackass.

How Else To Help A Friend Quit Smoking

Read books and conduct plenty of research on how to help a friend quit smoking. Be as supportive as you can during this troubling time—after all, your friend is always there for you.

Reward your friend for achieving their short-term and long-term goals. Your friend told you about their smoking cessation plans for a reason. When you recognize your friend’s success, you help strengthen their resolve so they are more likely to stick with it. After one week of being completely smoke-free, reward your friend by treating them to a meal at a restaurant or a night on the town. This not only makes your friend feel good, but also teaches your friend how to help a friend quit smoking, so your friend can in turn help someone else in the future.

There are various ways you can help your friend quit smoking forever. At the same time, there is no right or wrong way how to help a friend quit smoking, so make sure you use your sensitivity and understanding when helping your friend quit smoking.