Giving up smoking

Preparation

(Before you start smoking...
1. Don't. If you think getting used to smoking, not being sick etc is hard, wait till you try getting used to not smoking.
2. Pick a brand that is a bit unusual and not available in all shops. Like B&H 100s.)

1. Pick a date to stop and stick to it. It should be a work day or a day on which you will have something to occupy you most of the time.
2. If you're going to use a nicotine replacement method, pick one and have at least a week's supply. Consider using two, like gum and an inhaler, in case like me you don't fancy chewing gum right after breakfast.
3. If you habitually smoke in the same places (chair, room etc) at home, choose a different, temporary place and stick to it.
4. If you usually buy cigarettes at the same shop, be prepared to stop going there. Find somewhere else to buy anything else that you get from there (lottery tickets have been my downfall).
5. Start keeping your cigarettes in a different room to where you usually smoke. The short walk before each smoke helps disrupt your habit.
6. Explain to smoking friends that you're going to stop. If they take offence, well, they aren't your friends.
7. Consider getting a prescription for Champix. It worked for me, it really took the edge off the initial cravings. And it didn't make me go mental (or more mental) as some websites suggest. Also, now that I know it works, if I do start smoking again, I can't use the excuse that stopping would be too hard, because Champix will always be there. If you follow this route, start the Champix 3 days before you stop smoking.

The day before - morning
1. Have your first cigarette of the day in a different place or at a different time. This will disrupt your expectations of getting one tomorrow morning.

The day before - before your last cigarette
1. Tomorrow you will have 4-5 minutes' spare time in the morning for each cigarette you usually smoke before going out. Set your alarm later to correspond (eg I used to have 3 fags in the morning, so I gave myself 10 minutes extra in bed).
2. Get a brush ready to clean up your smoking areas.
3. Dispose of all surplus cigarettes. I flush mine down the toilet. You don't want to find yourself going through the bins tomorrow.

The day before - after your last cigarette
1. Clean up all dropped ash from your smoking areas. If you can, move the chair or other furniture to make it difficult to sit there tomorrow.
2. Empty all ashtrays (into a non-flammable container!) Do it now. Don't leave them lying around as the smell will make you want to smoke tomorrow. Throw them out when they're empty, or put them at the back of a cupboard or the back of your car or somewhere where you won't see them for a few weeks.
3. Throw out all empty packets, cellophane etc.
4. Put any nicotine replacement supplies ready.
5. Go to bed.

The day
1. Change your starting routine - if you associate cigarettes with coffee, have orange juice instead etc.
2. Take any nicotine replacement supplies with you when you go out.
3. Don't go into your usual cigarette purchasing places.
4. Be prepared for temptation and be prepared to ignore it. Each one goes away after a few minutes. I get 20-30 spells of temptation on the first day. Remind yourself each time that, if you give in, you'll be disappointed in yourself in an hour's time; if you don't give in, you'll be pleased and proud of yourself in an hour's time.
5. Don't court temptation - don't stand around with people who smoke, don't watch them.
6. Use any nicotine replacement as directed. If it's an 'on-demand' method like gum or an inhaler, use it at regular intervals. DON'T let a need for nicotine build up, it will feel too much like you're hungry for a cigarette.
7. Completed the first day? Reward yourself with a treat. Something sweet, or a drink (unless you associate drinking with smoking). Well done!

Days 2-3
There will be fewer spells of temptation but they keep coming. Don't let up on the anti-temptation measures. Reward yourself again.

Days 4-5
These will be easier and there might be quite long periods of time where you don't think about smoking at all. Now don't start thinking 'Oh, that was easy. I can start again and then stop again.' You'll have to go through the first 3 days again if you do! If you don't, you will NEVER AGAIN have to do that. Keep up with the rewards too.

Subsequently...
If I get to day 6, I've done it. Your mileage may vary. Danger points for me are 2 weeks, a month, 2 months and 3 months. After 2 or 3 weeks you will feel less need for any nicotine replacements you've been using. Don't fret if it takes longer, ANY nicotine replacement is many times healthier than smoking. The nicotine receptors in your brain WILL eventually reset themselves and stop demanding nicotine.

(If you fail...
Each time you don't succeed increases your chance next time, because you've learnt more about the pitfalls. Set a new stopping date, ideally within a week)

After a month you can stop avoiding cigarette purchase locations if you feel confident. From here on it's just a matter of not starting agan.