Living with a Smoker? Help Him Quit to Help Both of You

Living with a Smoker? Help Him Quit to Help Both of You
By Catherine Kogan

You already know what I am going to tell you. My work is just reminding you of what you have chosen to forget or ignore, may be because of the super-fast lifestyle you are leading or just don't know what to do about it. I wish to help you in knowing how you can help your friends and family members. Because people who are regularly exposed to second-hand smoke or passive smoking face almost twice the risk of a heart attack as people who live in a smoke-free environment. If your spouse, partner or friend smokes, then both of you suffer the consequences.

A few sentences of care and simple and sensitive acts can help them tremendously. You can help your loved one by following ways:

• You can talk directly about your concerns. Say something like, “I’m really worried because you’re coughing and I notice you’re short of breath.”

• You will have to be compassionate as quitting smoking is unbelievably difficult.

• Encourage him or her to create a list of reasons to quit smoking, such as longer life for both of you, lower healthcare costs and being a good influence on children.

• You can help your partner pick a date to stop smoking cigarettes. Choose one that doesn’t fall on a holiday or at a time when they may be under a lot of stress.

• Now, let your smoking partner decide how you can help, such as being ready with alternatives when a craving strikes.

• Ask friends and relatives to reinforce your efforts. Smokers who hear the message from more than one person are more likely to listen. But don’t nag.

• There are products and programs that can help a smoker quit. Gather information from a doctor or pharmacist about products such as Chantix to help reduce the physical cravings. Or, link directly to their sites to gather right kind of information.

But remember…. following all these suggestions still doesn’t mean that the smoker is going to quit. But the smoker’s failure should not discourage you. It is because cigarettes are so addictive that most smokers try at least 7 times before they successfully quit. So, motivate the person to quit and he will quit one day. In the mean time you get the smoker to agree where smoking will be off-limits. Another smart idea is to talk with a non-smoker who, like you, lives with a smoker. In that way, you can support each other and share strategies to help the family to protect from passive smoking. All the best!

The author is a marketing head in an FMCG company, interested in issues like self-improvement, psychology and <http://www.chantixhome.com/smoking_statistics.html">anti-smoking movements.