Seeing your loved one addicted to something is hard, especially if it causes harm to himself. Many people have tried helping someone close to them quit the habit if smoking. Some succeed, some don’t. What do you do when someone you love has turned into a smoker?
If the smoker doesn’t want to quit smoking, don’t nag at him to doing so. Nagging at the person to quit or making him feel guilty of smoking would only add stress and anxiety to the person. This would definitely drive him more into lighting another stick or worse an entire pack just to relieve the negative feeling.
Try talking to them about their habit. Do this but be sure not to obviously point out their smoking habit. Try telling them the dangers brought about by smoking; the things that cigarette smoke may be bringing not only to the smoker but to the people around him too. Discuss with him the possible illness that he could get because of smoking.
Don’t dwell on the negative side. Talk about the things that the smoker would be getting once he breaks the habit. If your husband is a smoker, tell him that you still want him around for the next fifty years and would not want to lose him just because of the illness he might possibly suffer from smoking. Talking about positive things will help enlighten his mind about smoking.
Show them that you really care. Assurance that whatever happens you will still be there for them is a great motivation for the smokers to quit. Let them know that it’s not for you that they have to stop but for them. Make them feel important and loved.
Tell someone not to smoke in a polite manner. Never point out to a person that he is not to smoke anywhere.
If someone you know tells you that he wants to quit smoking, congratulate him. Having someone tell you that he wants to break a habit is a sign of courage. It takes courage to will oneself to stop smoking.
Quitting is hard in the first week. Smokers also suffer from withdrawal syndrome. You need to understand what they are going through and learn to dwell on the fact that it isn’t easy. Instead of nagging at your husband because he is always irritated, give him time to relax. Anxiety is normal for someone who quits a habit.
Help them by talking to them about ways they could quit smoking. Discuss with them the possible solutions as well as where they could get help.
Encourage them to continue what they started. If someone you knew is on the process of quitting, help them keep going.
A feeling of loss is often felt by someone who just quit. Help them fight the feeling by offering substitutes to smoking. Engage them to a new hobby. Having something that will occupy their time will help them feel whole again.
Get involved with the decision of the person to quit smoking. If your husband tells you that he wants to stop don’t give him a blank look. Give him a hug and tell him that you’d support him every step of the way. Steer him into the quitting process. There are support groups available for those who wanted to stop smoking as well as for the people who’s helping their loved ones to stop the habit.
Quitting doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time before someone could say he has really stopped smoking. Lapses happen. It only takes a single event for someone to have him lighting another stick or worse, an entire pack. If this happens never fall in to the mistake of raging at the person about not keeping his word. Instead, have a quiet talk with the person. Talk to him about the commitment he has got himself into. Tell him that you understand that he still craves for a cigarette but also tell him that he has promised to quit. Encourage him to continue what he has started. Tell him that he has overcome the urge for months now and there’s no reason why he could not overcome it for the months or years to come.
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