Getting Support

The support you get from family, friends, and co-workers is one of the most important parts of your quitting plan to become smoke-free. The support you are surrounded with will improve your chances of success.

Who can support you and how can they help?

Talk to your family, friends and co-workers. Tell them that you are planning to stop smoking and you need their help. If they smoke, ask them not to smoke around you or leave cigarettes lying around. At no time should they offer you a cigarette.

Ask close friends or family members if they are willing to be part of your support network. They can be there to listen when you need to talk to someone about your good or bad day, or they may even be able to talk you through a craving without you lighting up.

Talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or community nurse about your quit plan and ask for his/her advice. It is definitely useful to talk to them about the different medications that can help you quit, and which ones might be good choices for you.

Sign up for the QuitPack program. This program offers support and useful tools to smokers who want to become smoke-free.

Not everyone who you'd like to support you will be able to

Some people, even close friends and caring family members, may not be able to help you to become smoke-free. They may not be able to stop themselves from smoking around you; some may want to challenge you on becoming smoke-free; a few may even try to interfere with your attempts to become smoke-free.

In the early days of becoming smoke-free you might want to avoid spending time with people who cannot support you in the ways you need to be supported. You should give yourself time to build up your ability to control the urges as well as your confidence. This doesn't have to be forever- just long enough until you can be confident of resisting the urge to smoke no matter what your friends and family do.