The Four D’s to Help You Quit
The Four D’s will help you quickly respond to smoking urges in a healthy way.
Delay
- Wait until the craving to smoke passes. Most urges come and go within 3-5 minutes.
- Commit to delaying your first cigarette of the day. Try a 10, 20 or 30-minute delay for that first cigarette.
- What kind of morning delay could you commit to?
Distract (Do Something Else)
- Do something to distract yourself. Shift your thoughts to something else. Go for a walk, watch a video on YouTube, pick up your instrument, read a favorite poem, pick up a book or work on a crossword puzzle.
Drink Water
- Drink water to beat cravings. It works surprisingly well, and good hydration has the added benefit of helping us feel better overall.
- How much water do you tend to drink each day? How much would you like to increase that amount to?
Deep Breathing
- Deep breathing will help you relax through cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
- Close your eyes and breathe in slowly as you count to three. Then breathe out for a count of three. Repeat and you’ll begin to feel your body release the tension it’s holding.
- Some people may want to place a hand over their heart and the other over their stomach while doing the deep breathing
Resources
FREE Quitline
- English: 1-800-784-8669 (www.quitnow.net)
- Español: 1-855-335-3569
- TTY: 1-877-777-6534
- Free! Available to all Oregonians and Washingtonians.
- Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- You may be able to get free nicotine gum or patches.
- Tips, information, and telephone counseling to anyone who wants to quit tobacco.
- A quit coach will help you create a personal quit plan that fits your life and personality.
- Quit coaches are friendly and non-judgmental.
- Other languages are available. Call for more assistance!
Nicotine Anonymous
- Free
- Helps people who would like to stop using tobacco and nicotine products.
- Offers group support and recovery using the 12 Steps as adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous to achieve abstinence from nicotine.
- To find meeting locations, go to: https://www.nicotine-anonymous.org/meetings_search.php
