Session Two:

Preparation Phase
Welcome Back!
 Group Discussion
 Journaling of smoking/urges
 What did you think about this exercise?
 What did you learn about yourself?
 How do you think you will use this information to help
you stay tobacco free?
Dealing with Addiction
 “What do I really want a cigarette to do for me?”
 When you focus on what you really want, it is
obvious a cigarette cannot deliver what you are
looking for.
 Look back to your smoking diary for events or
situations that preceded your cigarettes for clues to
the triggers that prompted you to smoke, such as a
cup of coffee, a phone call. Then in these situations
try a new habit or routine to replace the old
Smoker Types
 What type of smoker are you?
 Stimulation
 Handling/Routine
 Tension Reduction
 Pleasurable Relaxation
Strategies for Stimulation Smokers
 Splash cold water on your face
 Do a few calisthenics exercises
 Take 10 deep breaths
 Go for a walk
 Floss your teeth
 Brush your teeth with a mint-flavored toothpaste
 Drink a glass of ice water with a twist of lemon or
lime.
Strategies for Handling/Routine Smokers

 Doodle with a pencil

 Play with a toothpick or carrot stick
 Handle or flip a coin
 Hull sunflower seeds or pistachio nuts
 Pour water or fruit juice in a special glass and sip slowly
 Get involved in a hobby using your hands – sewing,
wood-working, painting
 Snap a rubber band
 Squeeze a power ball
Strategies for Those Who Smoke to Reduction
Tension

 Go for a leisurely walk

 Listen to calming music
 Get plenty of rest
 Deep breathing exercises
 Keep repeating to yourself “I choose to be tobacco
free!”
 Plant or pick flowers
 Soak in a warm tub of water
Strategies for Pleasure Smokers
 Soak 30 minutes in a warm tub of water
 Go for a leisurely walk
 Read a pleasant story
 Visit with a non-smoking friend
 Do some relaxation exercises
 Do something nice for someone else
 Focus on the senses that are not involved in
smoking
Preparing to Quit
 The physical addiction to nicotine is relatively easy
to break
 Most of the nicotine will be gone after one week of
total abstinence from cigarettes.
 Breaking the psychological addiction is more
challenging.
 Stick with the program and we will provide you with
help and support for this challenge, too.
Physical Preparation
 Replace coffee and cigarettes with exercise
 Go for a walk after each meal
 Look at your watch for 3 minutes or count backwards from
100
 Eat an abundance or raw or cooked fresh fruits and
vegetables
 Chew sugar free gum
 Snack on nutritious finger foods
 Drink water or fruit juice
 Focus your thoughts on another subject
Cravings, Urges, & Triggers
 Cravings are a biochemical reaction.
 An urge is a short psychological impulse.
 Both can lead to use or relapse of tobacco.
Triggers
 A trigger is any event, habit, action, or thought that
start the act of smoking.
 Pleasurable occasions such as
 socializing
 parties
 after a meal
 Starting tasks that require concentration such as
 driving or typing
 other duties at work
 Triggers may even be feelings of
 depression
 boredom
 frustration
 anger
Alternatives to Triggers
 Substitute other activities for smoking in situations that
in the past led you to smoke a cigarette
 When something triggers an urge or craving, choose
activities that change how you feel.
 take shower
 go for a walk
 breathe deeply
 listen to relaxing music.
 Time is your friend. Triggers and urges are short and
intermittent.
It IS Possible to Stop!
 Create a network of people who will give you
encouragement and support when a desire hits.
 Give yourself the maximum advantages by
preparing early for the war against tobacco:
 stock up on healthful snacks like fresh fruits and
vegetables
 sugar-free chewing gum
 select comfortable walking shoes
 prepare or purchase extra bottles of water
 Pray for help!
Refreshment Break
Myth Busters Video
 Show video
Myth Busters Discussion
 I’ve smoked for so long, there’s no point in
stopping now.
 Do we become so settled into a rut that we aren’t
interested in trying something new?
 This same attitude can be why some are still
smoking!
 It’s never too late to quit—and never too early!
Timeline of Benefits—First Week
 First day: carbon monoxide levels drop in your
body.
 Second day: chances of a heart attack go down,
sense of smell and taste improves
 Third day: lung function improves and it gets
easier to breathe
Timeline of Benefits—They Are Real

 Within three months: blood circulation improves and

ungs work up to 30 percent better.
 Within six months: coughing, sinus congestion,
tiredness, and shortness of breath improve.
 Within a year: risk of suffering a smoking-related heart
attack is cut in half.
 Within 10 years: risk of dying from lung cancer is cut
in half.
 Within 15 years: risk of dying from a heart attack is
equal to a person who never smoked!
Deciding Your Quit Day
 Use your own free choice to decide when you will
smoke your last cigarette prior to our3rd session
 Consume at least 8-10 glasses of fruit juice or
water for the first 24 hours. These will help
decrease withdrawal symptoms.
 Avoid soft drinks or artificially flavored drinks.
 Try to avoid drinks which you have previously
associated with smoking such as coffee or tea.
Preparing for Quit Day
 Drinking at least 8 - 10 glasses of water every day.
 Avoid soft drinks or artificially flavored drinks.
 Avoid drinks you associate with smoking such as
coffee or tea.
 Avoid alcohol, which weakens your resolve to stop
smoking.
 Sleep at least 8 hours each night.
 Eat a hearty breakfast and two other lighter meals
of whole grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables.
An Essential Strategy: Exercise
 Get at least 30 minutes per day of physical activity.
 Aim to raise your heart rate several times per day.
 Exercise gives you the benefits of increased energy
and alertness without the negative side effects like
caffeine and tobacco.
Benefits of Daily Physical Activity
 Increases endorphins (happy hormones)
 Builds self-confidence
 Promotes relaxation
 Counteracts depression
 Improves recuperative value of sleep
 Helps control weight
 Builds muscles
 Increases lung capacity
 Increases energy
 Improves heart health
Common Barriers to Physical Activity

 Most common: belief there is not enough time.

 Not knowing where to start
 Fear of injury
 Too overweight
 Bad weather (too hot!)
 No place to exercise
 Forgetfulness
Simple Exercise Guidelines
 Walking is an easy way to start. And it doesn’t
require any special equipment or new skills to
learn!
 Warm-up: 5 minutes of light exercise such as walking
to prepare your body for more activity
 Cardiovascular exercise: 30 minutes a day on most
days. Can be broken into two 15-minute sessions or
even three 10-minute sessions over the day
 Cool-down: 5 minutes if light exercise
 Flexibility: gently stretch the muscles you just used
It is IDEAL to stop smoking
 Use the acronym: IDEAL
 I = Identify the positives and negatives of smoking (pg. x) 
 D = Decide to stop smoking. Deliberately make a choice
 E = Evaluate the benefits of your stopping and the
consequences of not stopping
 A = Act by setting a specific date to stop
 L = Learn from others how to be a non-smoker
You can do it! Take control of your
life!
 Now before we meet again, decide exactly when
you will stop.
 Use the smoke-free calendar (page xx) in your
notebook to set a date and time between now and
the next session.
 Cross out each day you remain smoke-free.
 Preparation activities will make it easier when quit
day comes.
 Begin asking God for victory.
Looking Forward to Next Week
 This week save your cigarette butts for two days.
Bring them to class next week.
 Track when you most crave a cigarette.
 Make special note of what triggers urge you to
smoke
 Write down how much you spend a week on
cigarettes. Then choose some alternate ways to
spend this money.