Putting a Stop to Smoky Thinking

It can be easy to lose sight of the benefits of quitting when a strong craving for a cigarette hits. You might start to lose your focus on staying smokefree. There is no good reason to smoke. You know this. So if you are giving yourself a reason to smoke, you are probably experiencing an attack of smoky thinking.

Fight your smoky thinking with a clear thinking response using this list.

Smoky Thinking	I just need one cigarette to take the edge off these cravings.
Clear Thinking	Cravings become weaker and less frequent with every day that I don’t smoke. Even just one puff will feed the cravings and make them stronger.

Smoky Thinking	It’s been a long day. I deserve a cigarette.
Clear Thinking	I deserve a reward after a long day, but there are better rewards than a cigarette. A favorite meal, a funny movie, or a hot shower will help me relax without ruining my quit attempt.

Smoky Thinking	The urge to smoke is just too strong. I can’t stand it.
Clear Thinking	Even the strongest cravings last less than 3 minutes. The urge will go away whether I smoke or not, and smoking now will just make it even harder for me to quit later. I can find something else to do—anything—until the craving goes away.

Smoky Thinking	I blew it. I smoked a cigarette. I might as well go ahead and finish the pack.
Clear Thinking	I am still learning how to be a non-smoker. It’s normal to make some mistakes. But I don’t have to smoke that next cigarette. I can learn from this mistake and keep going.

Smoky Thinking	I can’t deal with never being able to have another cigarette for the rest of my life.
Clear Thinking	I only have to deal with today. Quitting happens one day at a time, sometimes one hour at a time! The future will take care of itself.

Smoky Thinking	I am too grumpy without my cigarettes. I am doing my friends and family a favor by smoking.
Clear Thinking	My friends and family love me and understand that quitting smoking now is the best gift I can give them. Grumpy or not, I am not doing them any favors by continuing to smoke.

Smoky Thinking	I am doing really well. Just one cigarette won’t hurt.
Clear Thinking	I have never smoked just one before. One cigarette always leads to another. I don’t want to undo all my progress by smoking a cigarette now.

Smoky Thinking	It’s too hard to quit smoking. I can’t do this.
Clear Thinking	Quitting and staying away from cigarettes is hard, but it’s not impossible. About 40,000,000 Americans have quit smoking. If other people can do it, so can I. It is too important to give up on.

Smoky Thinking	I’ve been smoking for so long; quitting won’t make a difference now.
Clear Thinking	No matter how long I’ve been smoking, my body will benefit from quitting. The healing process starts right away, and before long I will start to feel healthier and look better.

Smoky Thinking	I know people who smoked their whole lives and never got sick.
Clear Thinking	It’s true that some people get lucky. But there is no way of knowing whether I will be one of the lucky ones, and I am not willing to risk my life. The only safe choice is to quit smoking now.

Smoky Thinking	I have already cut down to a safe level.
Clear Thinking	There is no safe level of smoking. Smoking less is a good first step, but there are many more benefits when I don’t smoke at all. Plus, every cigarette that I smoke feeds the habit and makes it that much harder to quit.

Next: Staying Focused on Quitting