Quit Smoking Cigarettes Info

Coffee and Tea Drinking

Many people are accustomed to smoking while drinking coffee or tea.  A cup of coffee and a cigarette (or two, or three) may be part of your morning routine. You may also be used to smoking when drinking coffee or tea during and after meals. While it may not be necessary to give up these beverages in order to remain smoke-free, it will be necessary to develop new habits surrounding these activities.

Drink your morning coffee in a different location.  If your usual habit was to drink coffee on the porch and smoke, you may now want to stay inside and drink it.  If you always drink coffee, read the paper and smoke at the kitchen table, try going outside with your coffee and a magazine.  Read the paper later.

If you normally drink coffee and smoke at home, it may be helpful to go out for coffee and enjoy drinking it inside the shop where it is likely a non-smoking environment.

Let friends, acquaintances and co-workers know that you have quit. This will decrease the likelihood that they will offer you a cigarette. They may even offer encouragement, and the smokers may seek your advice in quitting themselves.

If you feel the need to keep your hands busy while drinking your coffee or tea, have a pad and pen handy in order to take notes on what you have to do that day. If you are artistic (or even if you’re not), use this time to scratch out some simple drawings. Make them humorous if you can.

Concentrate on the taste of your beverage. Your taste buds become more sensitive after quitting smoking, so it is likely that you will enjoy the flavors more now that you are smoke-free.

If you have the habit of smoking with an after-meal cup of coffee, you may want to drink your coffee more quickly rather than linger at the table.  When you rise from the table find something active to do right away, for example, clearing the table or going out for a walk.

Remember to plan for your morning routine in advance.  Write it down if you need to. This will help you to overcome the temptation to fall back into former, comfortable, but toxic habits.

Drinking Alcohol

Another habit that many smokers have is that of smoking while drinking beverages that contain alcohol. In fact, it is very common for people who drink regularly to also smoke regularly. If drinking beer, wine or your favorite spirits does not cause negative consequences in your life, then it is not necessary for you to abstain completely if you want to remain smoke-free. It is important, however, to change your routines surrounding drinking until the association between drinking and smoking is not quite as intense. As with all new routines, it is important to address what specifically works and feels comfortable for you, personally. Everyone is different.

If you are accustomed to smoking and drinking at clubs or bars, you may choose to find alternative avenues of recreation for a while. Go to the movies instead, and be sure to stay in your seat for the entire show. Visit with non-smoking friends. Attend a concert at a local college.

If you do choose to drink, try having a cocktail that you did not normally drink while smoking. Go to a new bar or club, one where you have never smoked.

If you are at a dance club, spend more time dancing and less time standing around. Remember to never ingest a drink that you have left unobserved.

As much as possible, do your drinking and socializing with non-smokers.

Realize that if you are going to drink, you will more than likely feel a strong urge to smoke. Plan for how you will handle these feelings. Write your plan down and keep it in your wallet. Tell your drinking companions in advance that you want to avoid smoking while drinking. They may offer support.

Avoid drinking alone. Find alternative activities when you have some time to yourself. Yes, you deserve to relax and unwind. You deserve to do so in a healthy manner that will enrich you and help you to feel good about yourself.

Remember that alcohol lowers resistance to temptation. Your resolve to remain smoke-free may begin to evaporate after a few drinks. In order to avoid this, you may choose to limit your alcohol consumption. If you are drinking as part of a social activity, have your drink and then engage in something other than sitting there. Seek out new people to talk to, people who do not have a cigarette in their hand. Move around the room. Play darts or billiards if available. Vary what you do and keep busy. The more you alter your usual routines that included smoking, the less likely you are to be tempted.

Choose beverages that do not contain alcohol. Sodas, juices, sparkling water and non-alcoholic versions of mixed drinks are all good alternatives that may not stimulate your desire to smoke as much as alcohol would.