How to Quit Smoking For Good, According to Behavioral Therapists and Addiction Experts

The below guide on how to quit smoking is part of Glamour's 2024 Smart Goals series, which explores reasonable, quantifiable, and—crucially—sane ways to embark on self improvement objectives you'd like to complete this year. We all know traditional New Year's resolutions are nonsense and are mostly designed to make us feel terrible about ourselves and, as a result, spend money on things we think we need to live a more fulfilling life. Here, our associate beauty editor shares how she quit smoking more than ten years ago, and enlists the advice of experts for anyone looking to do the same in 2024.

Wondering how to quit smoking? Congratulations. You're not only in the right place, but you've made a vital first step in the right direction. That's no small feat.

Quitting any habit is difficult, but know that it's not impossible: I quit smoking over a decade ago and used what I learned to help my sister quit vaping earlier this year. It took a lot of hard work and discomfort for both of us, but it was—obviously—very worth it in the end. We both wanted to stop for good, which—according to addiction experts who have quit smoking themselves—is the most important thing. You have to be willing and ready to do the work to quit, not just vaguely toy with the idea because you know it's terrible for you.

“Most people do realize that it's absolutely unhealthy to smoke and what the health hazards are. The problem is that they're addicted to nicotine,” Steven Rosenberg, PhD, a psychotherapist and behavioral specializing in quitting smoking and author of Quit It Now and Forever, says. “The key factor is readiness.”

As for how to know you're truly ready? Take stock of your emotions. Are you sick of the habit that has you in its clutches, both physically and financially? Dr. Rosenberg, who used to smoke three packs a cigarettes daily, says this is crucial. “Are you tired of the idea of having to be outside in a cold, rainy, snowy day? Are you tired of looking to make sure that you won't run out of cigarettes, that you have enough to last you if it's a bad climate and you can't go out? Readiness is being tired of doing it already and wanting to get rid of it. This is the key factor for everyone, and if they're ready, then they will have success."

Why should I quit smoking?

Aside from the general frustration around the hold your habit has on you, everyone has at least one specific reason for why they finally want—or feel ready—to quit. While removing the leading cause of preventable death in the United States should be the most obvious however, it's often not the only one. For example, mine was fairly trivial, but it did the trick: I had just moved to New York from California and didn't like standing outside in the cold. My sister was finally inspired to quit vaping when she noticed it was negatively impacting her skin.

“The reasons people decide to quit range widely from physical health and fitness, cost, and social reasons,” says Lindsay Obertleitner, PhD, LP, a licensed clinical psychologist and substance use and health researcher. ”Sometimes it is hearing that a family member or friend has become ill related to smoking that gives someone the push to make a change, or realizing that a 30 minute exercise class is getting harder and harder to complete that gives the push to make a change," Dr. Oberleitner says.

The medical benefits to quitting are, frankly, astounding: it can decrease your chances of getting fatty liver disease, as well as your risk heart failure, blood clots, and stomach ulcers.

According to Karen L. Smith, MD, FAAFP, a family physician in Raeford, North Carolina and American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) board of directors member, smoking can lead to heart problems and progress to heart failure.

“Cigarettes contain tar carbon monoxide, which are actually pesticides. The DDT arsenic, aldehyde, all of these wonderful little ingredients causes the heart rate to increase and aggravates the blood pressure,” Dr. Smith says. “Because of that, they can lead to pretty serious heart problems and even progress to that heart failure. We also know that they cause blood clots that can form stomach ulcers.”

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Now let's talk about cancer. Most people associate smoking with lung cancer, but Mark Rubinstein, MD, a smoking cessation expert, former leading researcher with UC San Francisco's Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, and current Head of Medical Affairs at nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) brand Blip, notes that there are several other types of cancers people often don't realize smoking can cause, too. “In addition to prolonging your life, quitting reduces the risk of a ton of different cancers, including some that you didn't even think of,” he says, pointing to cervical cancer and breast cancer as some of the lesser known examples.

And let's not forget about the other benefits you'll see when you understand how to quit smoking. According to Dr. Smith, one of the less unknown risks of smoking is the impact on skin in terms of wrinkles, and Dr. Rubinstein says the same. “Quitting can also improve your skin health, as smoking rapidly ages and increases wrinkles," he explains. "It doesn't necessarily reverse that, but it prevents it from getting worse."

Trying to get pregnant? Quitting smoking can help. “If you're planning to get pregnant, quitting increases the chances of getting pregnant and having a healthy pregnancy,” adds Dr. Rubinstein. “For men, quitting decreases the risk of impotence down the road.”

While many people smoke to relax, people actually report improvements in mental health after quitting, says Dr. Rubinstein. “Believe it or not, a few months after people quit, people report decreased anxiety and decreased depression,” he tells Glamour.

Indeed, according to 2023 Oxford University study, quitting smoking is associated with significant improvements in anxiety and depression among people with and without psychiatric disorders, proving that, at the very least, quitting will not worsen mental health symptom—which is a valid concern many smokers who do so out of stress or anxiety—and will likely improve them over time.

And of course, quitting will inevitably save you money. How much, exactly? Well, that depends on how much you smoke and where you live, but if you lived in New York state and smoked one pack a day, quitting would would save you $480 a month, $5,840 a year, and $87,434 over the course of 10 years, according to data from SmokeFree.Gov.

How to quit smoking

Now that you're hopefully feeling inspired to quit, here's how to start the process.

Start small.

Before anything, be sure not to overload your plate with aspirations and goals before you even begin. “A lot of of people make too many plans for January first: I'm going to get fit, quit smoking, and change my job. It's too much and can be overwhelming,” Dr. Rubinstein explains. “Pick one big thing like quitting smoking, that's the best thing for your health."

Of course, this can be supplemented by smaller related goals, like stretching, or or going on more walks. But over all, pick one big goal, like quitting smoking, and stick to just that.

Make a list of reasons you're quitting, and keep then in mind.

The first thing to do when quitting smoking is identify your “why" and if you don't yet have one, figure it out. “This is the time to pull out the paper pen and start writing, ‘why do I want to quit smoking?’ and list everything," says Dr. Smith, and Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist in New York and Washington, D.C. and author of Be Fearless: Change Your Life in 28 Days, says the same.

“Make a list of all of the reasons you want to stop smoking, such as better health, saving money, and fresher breath, and review your list daily," Alpert suggests. If it's a physical list, keep it nearby or somewhere easy to access, like inside of your wallet. If it's digital, save it in your Notes app.

Dr. Rubinstein recommends doing the same with photos of your main reasons to quit. “Is it your dog because you want to avoid second and third hand exposure. Is it your kid? Is it your health or your skin? Take a picture of that and put it on your refrigerator or on your phone, so if things get tough, you can click on it, remind yourself, ‘why am I doing this again?’”

Set a quit date.

Every single expert interviewed for this story suggested picking a firm quit date. “I'm a big believer in at least a few days out, but no more than two weeks so that you can commit and stick to it,” says Dr. Rubinstein. “The reason for that is it's a good idea to prepare.”

Let people know.

After setting a date, Dr. Rosenberg recommends “advertising" it. “Tell all your friends, 'I made an appointment, I'm going to stop smoking, and this is my quit date. I want to do it.'” This is not only for accountability, but so your friends and loved ones don't unintentionally hinder your progress.

“Let people know that you're going to quit so they don't offer you a cigarette, they quit with you, or at the very least they'll support you through your quit,” says Dr. Rubinstein. One easy way to do this is to post it to social media—both for accountability, and so everyone knows with one simple action as opposed to telling everyone you know individually.

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Make a quitting plan.

“Having a clear plan gives you the best success,” Obertleitner explains. “Explore your resources and consider what types of plans have worked for you with other behavior changes in the past.” As part of your plan, consider taking the following steps.

Identify smoking patterns and triggers.

“The biggest things to identify when getting started are, first, if you had prior attempts, what worked and what didn’t for you. Get started with your plan from there,” says Obertleitner. Second? Consider your smoking patterns, such as locations and times of day, and make sure to focus on a plan that addresses each of those, Obertleitner adds.

Finally, review lists of common motivations for quitting and common triggers for smoking. “Focus in on your top three on each of those lists and plan for them,” Obertleitner continues. “The more personalized your approach, the better your setup to succeed.”

Prepare your environment in advance.

One of the most common triggers is simply seeing something that reminds you of smoking in your environment, like the lighter you keep in your car or pocket, says Obertleitner. Thus, prepping your environment in advance of your quit is essential. “If you smoke in your car, get it detailed before the quit date so you're less tempted to smoke in there,” she says. "If you smoke at home, box up or throw away those vape pens, ashtrays, and lighters.”

Find a social support system.

Next, you'll want to identify to whom you can turn for support. “It can be helpful to have a friend or family member who you can call to seek support while you are quitting, and let them know in advance that you hope to call on them," says Obertleitner.

This can be in person or online, adds Dr. Rubinstein. “Having social support is a huge help, and we are trying to do that on social media and in real life," he says. In fact, Dr. Rubinstein routinely answers smokers' questions on Instagram and TikTok via educational videos. Try finding and engaging with accounts like these to help make your quitting experience easier, and look into quitting forums like Reddit's r/stopsmoking subreddit.

And mental and physical health support system.

“It is incredibly important to have a trusted support network when you are looking to break an addiction, and support can take many different forms: friends, family, peers, and even professional support through mental health resources," Obertleitner clarifies. So while social support among likeminded people is important, the quitting experience can greatly benefit from professional guidance and resources.

If you're not sure where to start, Obertleitner suggests starting with the CDC's How to Quit Smoking Campaign. They have a quitting smoking hotline 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669), a text line which can be accessed by texting QUITNOW to 333888, and the quitSTART smartphone app. Familiarize yourself with them in advance of your quit date.

Another option is to reach out to your medical practitioner or family physician, add Dr. Smith. “We are trained in this area, particularly with behavior counseling and behavior intervention. Let us connect you with those resources if you're not quite sure where to go or how to get connected.”

This is also a fantastic time to pursue therapy and/or mental health counseling to help you through quitting. “Monarch by SimplePractice is also a great source for individuals looking for information on various conditions, ailments, and can serves as a source of truth for folks seeking therapy to support their journey to quit smoking," says Obertleitner.

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Find new ways to manage stress and anxiety.

Atop therapy, you'll need to find new ways to manage stress and anxiety as it comes—because it will. "Anticipate tough times ahead. Stressful situations may increase likelihood for relapse, so anticipate them and come up with a plan to manage your stress,” says Alpert. “Form new habits, and replace what was once your smoke-break with a new activity such as a brisk walk or healthy snack.” For example, if you paired smoking with drinking, try to limit how much alcohol you drink, and have a snack instead of smoking.

“In that pre-quit date period, you can do things like start practicing stress reduction activities,” adds Obertleitner. “Go for walks, sit in nature, do deep breathing, listen to calming music, or any range of things that help you personally feel more relaxed. It is like exercising a muscle, the more practice you give relaxing before the quit date, the easier it will be to use that skill when it gets hard in those first few days and weeks of quitting.”

If you really have no idea where to start, try coloring books for the time being. At the very least, it will serve as distraction at the height of your cravings.

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And new hobbies.

You'll also want to find new ways to fill your time over all. “Before a quit date I always have people add up the amount of time they are spending smoking. Sometimes estimates from clients have been as much as two hours of their day. That is a lot of time that you can (and need to) fill with new activities,” Obertleitner explains.

“It is never the best approach to take away something you enjoy (smoking) and hope that enjoyable time empty will work. Maybe now is the time to read that new book, join that new club, or start doing art again," she continues. "The key is that it is something active and typically done while smoking. Fill the time with something that makes you feel good!”

And honestly, zero judgment if that “hobby” is something “lazy,” like binge-watching a new series or scrolling through ASMR TikTok. You're already doing something good for your health; your time-filling hobbies don't have to be so productive that you end up running a marathon (though doing so will definitely get easier the longer you go without smoking!).

Identify how you'll manage cravings.

Be sure to plan how you'll manage cravings—and especially when you least expect it. “Come up with a plan for some predictable situation: 'What am I going to do when I'm really stressed out at work?' That's when it's a good idea to have someone on your phone on auto dial that you can call,” says Dr. Rubinstein. “Have a plan for how you're going to handle incredible stress handle when someone literally offers you a cigarette and puts it in your face or when you are drinking, which is a huge one.”

In good news, those intense cravings typically go away in about five minutes, so it's advised to put together a quick “cravings kit" to get you through the worst of it. “Have some tools and supplies ready for the go,” Dr. Rubinstein suggests, pointing to toothpicks as an especially useful tool, and Alpert agrees. “This tough time is temporary. You can get through it. Indulge in lollipops, gum, carrots or celery sticks to keep your mouth occupied and satisfy your oral fixation,” he says.

Blip Non-Nicotine Toothpicks (3-Pack)

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You'll also want to decide whether you want to quit cold turkey, or use quitting medication like nicotine replacement. “If you do decide that you want to go the quit medication route, I actually suggest in that few days before you quit, you buy a few and try them out," Dr. Rubinstein says. “Try the different flavors, try gum versus lozenge because you're going to be using it for at least 12 weeks, so it would be nice to get something you feel comfortable with.”

Prepare for some withdrawal symptoms.

It's essential to prepare for common withdrawal symptoms. “You might feel more irritable, hungry, and tired, amongst other things. Knowing those feelings are coming in advance helps you to find things that will help you cope with those feelings, like plan to step away when irritability peaks or call a friend, and prepare yourself for the struggle knowing the symptoms are time limited,” she says.

Also of note? According to Alpert, oftentimes people who quit deal with an increase in hunger. “You may snack a little more. Your metabolism, which increases during smoking, will also be restored to a normal rate,” he says. “This is part of the process of quitting, but it's temporary.”

Find treatment that works for you.

You don't have to do this alone: There are several treatments, medications, and therapies that can help make the process easier. “Consider medications to help with the quit attempt," says Obertleitner. "Both over the counter nicotine medications and prescribed medications can be quite helpful."

Dr. Smith agrees, reiterating the importance of working with your doctor to find an ideal solution. “Your family physician is trained in [quitting smoking] beyond that of counseling, and can utilize other therapies,” she says, pointing to everything from FDA-approved methods like nicotine replacement therapy and prescription medications to holistic remedies as techniques her patients have tried. “We look at what's available an ensure that it can work for that individual," she adds. "If there are other cardiac or other health issues or medical problems that need to be reviewed before we can prescribe, we can do that.”

There are several non-medication treatments with great success too, adds Dr. Smith, such as behavior feedback and hypnosis. It may sound silly, but Dr. Rosenberg tells Glamour he's helped over 40,000 people quit smoking via hypnosis and has over a 90% success rate with this method. The numbers tell a similar story over all, too: Several studies on addition and smoking demonstrate that hypnosis has between an 81% and 90% success rate as a treatment for smoking.

Avoid—and prep for—stressors as much as possible.

“Unfortunately, life doesn’t always allow us to avoid stressful situations, so I recommend two things. First, if there are stressors you can reduce, do it," Obertleitner says. “If you have too much going on and you have the opportunity to prioritize your quitting for the moment, this can be very beneficial.”

She also suggests building new ways to manage those stressors in the days leading up to your quit date. “The key is that it isn’t always the stressors themselves that make quitting hard, it is the way we experience the stress,” she explains. "The more tools we have to manage our stress, the stronger we will be in fighting off those cravings.”

As well as situations in which other people might be smoking.

"The other key thing to avoid is being around other people who are smoking,” Obertleitner continues. “I think of it almost like a magnetic force, you have to exert much more power to resist smoking if you are directly faced with the opportunity to do it."

Some of Obertleitner's clients have said this is the hardest part of quitting for them, since smoking is social for some people. Plus, the thought that they might not get those outside breaks with friends and family can be hard. “It might mean asking people you live with to make temporary changes to support you. If they can’t or won’t it means being prepared to do what you need to do to distance yourself, for example, hanging out in different areas of the home if that is the best you can do in the short-term,” she says.

Try “urge surfing.”

One of Obertleitner's favorite activities for managing cravings is called “urge surfing.” “The idea behind it is that cravings or urges do not last forever: Urges to smoke are likely occurring, peaking, and decreasing on and off throughout the day, but when we work so hard to fight them, it feels like the day is just one big untangled urge,” she explains. “In urge surfing we actually help people find a way to focus in on that urge, notice what it feels like, and notice it peak and reduce. It is amazing what we can learn about ourselves and our urges if we lean in sometimes rather than fighting it.”

Learning to sit with and really feel those urges will pay off in the long run, too. “This really helps us break the cycle of craving to smoking,” Obertleitner says. “We learn that smoking is not the only thing that leads to the reduction in cravings.”

Maintain healthy lifestyle habits.

It's never a bad idea to stay active, but doing so when quitting smoking is especially important. “I'm a huge believer in exercise. Even if it's just walking, if you could find someone that agrees to walk with you," Dr. Rubinstein suggests. “If not every day, a couple days a week where you just know at five o'clock I got my walking partner, I'm going to distract myself.”

Same with staying hydrated. “Start drinking a lot of fluid when you quit. It cleans your body of the nicotine," Dr. Rosenberg says. “Try to drink one hundred ounces a day for at least three days, because it takes three days for the nicotine to get out of your body,” he adds, and suggests keeping a small sports bottle with you at all times. "That way, if you think if you feel like putting something in your mouth, you start out by having some water instead.”

Dr. Rosenberg also recommends taking B complex of vitamins for about a month. “B complex is great for addiction, since part of the B complex is nicotinic acid, which helps with withdrawal symptoms," he says.

Keep physical reminders of why you quit.

“Cravings are powerful and can overwhelm our ability to think things through in the moment, so I recommend holding onto physical reminders of why you are doing the hard work of quitting smoking,” Obertleitner suggests. “Maybe it is a rock that reminds you of a trip you took with your family who you want to be healthier for to enjoy time with them, or a picture of something you are saving up for that the money once spent on smoking is going to go towards.Whatever it is, make sure it is now and in the present, and make sure you can hold it and look at it when that desire to stop trying inevitably hits.”

Another option, according to Alpert, is to place notes in key places around your house and office to remind yourself of your goal. "They might say something like, 'I'm a nonsmoker and feel healthy, clean, and strong,'” he says.

If you're more of an auditory learner, Dr. Rosenberg advises his clients to listen to their hypnosis recording everyday for 30 days. “It reinforces the fact that they do not want to smoke,” he says. Of course, you don't need to listen to hypnosis on repeat (unless you want to), but you can listen to self-help books, inspiring podcasts, or recordings of loved ones—or yourself—reminding you of why you're really doing this to bring you back down to earth.

How long does it take to quit smoking?

The quitting process is different for everyone, and can take multiple attempts. “After about three months, your dopamine receptors and your nicotine receptors roughly start to return back to where they were at baseline, so some of the brain rewiring at least goes back to normal after about three months,” Dr. Rubinstein explains. However, there is much more to it than that.

“There's the physical addiction, which is part of what those receptors are, and there's the psychological addiction. You might have been using it as a coping mechanism for different behaviors, or it might be linked with alcohol, so every time you smell a beer or smell that smell in a bar, you crave it. That's harder to break,” Dr. Rubinstein explains. But one thing is for sure: It gets easier with time.

What won't be easy, however, are the first few weeks. “Understand that the first two to three weeks will be the toughest. That's when your psychological withdrawal symptoms will be strongest,” says Alpert.“Remind yourself that this tough time is temporary. You can get through it."

What happens if you relapse or slip up?

Slip ups and relapses happen. “We're all human,” says Dr. Rubinstein. “If you have a slip, let it slide. Just pick up where you are and keep going.” Dr. Smith agrees: “Do not not beat yourself up. We know that trying to quit smoking, a a habit for many people that have had lifelong for years, sometimes for a long as they can remember, we know that it's going to happen."

Sometimes, a slip can turn into a full-on smoking “relapse,” but experts assert that doesn't take away from your hard work. In fact, it arms you with even more knowledge for your next quit attempt. “Take time to note what you learned," advises Obertleitner. “What can you learn about when the relapse happened? After you take the time to learn, decide if you need more support or a new approach."

“Maybe now is the time to try that medication or seek out a therapist who can support you,” Obertleitner concludes. " Whatever you need to do, make sure to pick that new quit date and get back to it.”

Danielle Sinay is the associate beauty editor at Glamour. Follow her on Instagram @daniellesinay.

More Smart Goals:

How to Start a Podcast 
How to Start Going to the Gym 
How to Start the Divorce Process 
How to Quit Drinking
How to Start a Book
How to Quit a Job

Originally Appeared on Glamour