Within 20 minutes after you smoke that last cigarette, your body begins a series of changes that continue for years : 20 Minutes After Quitting Your heart rate drops, 12 hours After Quitting Carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal, 2 Weeks to 3 Months After Quitting Your heart attack risk begins to drop & Your lung functions begin to improve, 1 to 9 Months After Quitting Your Coughing and shortness of breath decrease, 1 Year After Quitting Your added risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's.

Decide for sure that you want to quit. Promise yourself that you'll do it. It's OK to have mixed feelings. Don't let that stop you. There will be times every day that you don't feel like stopping. You will have to stick with it anyway.

Imagine yourself already being free of your smoking habit. Magnify the image and make the picture bright and colourful. Notice how inspiring it is. It can be done very easily by simply imagining a time when you felt completely able to achieve your goal. Use all your senses to actually experience the feelings. See yourself feeling empowered, hear yourself laughing with joy and feel enthusiastic about your prospects. By visualising that you have successfully achieved your goal, you will naturally be free of your habit.

Nicotine is a very addictive drug; for some almost as addictive as heroin or cocaine. You are not weak willed if you are finding it difficult to quit. If you are trying with willpower alone then you are using logic and reason (conscious mind), when in fact habits are controlled by the subconscious mind.

GET READY. Set a quit date, change your environment - get rid of ALL cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car and place of work. Don't let people smoke in your home. Review your past attempts to quit. Think about what worked and what did not.

Get support and Encouragement. Studies have shown that you have a better chance of being successful if you have help. You can get support in many ways: Tell your family, friends, and co-workers that you are going to quit and want their support; ask them not to smoke around you or leave cigarettes out and talk to your doctor.

Learn New Skills and Behaviours. Try to distract yourself from urges to smoke. Talk to someone, go for a walk, get busy with a task, and change your routine. Use a different route to work. Drink tea instead of coffee. Eat breakfast in a different place, do something to reduce your stress. Take a hot bath, exercise, or read a book, plan something enjoyable to do every day, drink a lot of water and other non-alcoholic fluids.

Questions to Think About. Why do you want to stop? When you tried to quit in the past, what helped and what didn't? What will be the most difficult situations for you after you quit? How will you plan to handle them? Who can help you through the tough times? Your family? Friends? Health care provider? What pleasures do you get from smoking? What ways can you still get pleasure if you quit?

Studies suggest that everyone can quit smoking. Your situation or condition can give you a special reason to quit. Even in stressful or boredom situations you'll soon realise that even though the freedom and opportunity to smoke is there you have chosen not to.