Three Small Steps

Part of any successful smoking-cessation effort is a good plan. Heather LaChance, Ph.D., a smoking-cessation expert, offers what she calls “The Three A’s” to help you focus on your goal:

1. Alternatives. You need to have alternative behaviors that will keep your hands and mouth busy, to replace the motion of smoking. LaChance suggests sunflower seeds, mints and crunchy fruits and vegetables. For those who would rather not use food as a substitute, LaChance suggests McDonalds straws, which are reportedly the same diameter as a cigarette and therefore feel like a substantial replacement.
2. Avoid. You should avoid certain potentially triggering situations and environments whenever possible. Common trigger environments include bars, casinos and break rooms at work.
3. Adjust. As Pavlov proved with his dogs, the brain becomes conditioned over time. The same conditioning that created the habits associated with smoking can also work in reverse if you give yourself enough time.

LaChance also adds an unofficial fourth item to the list: anticipate. “If you smoke on your commute to work every day, plan to take a different route so you can break the association,” she says. “Quitting smoking successfully is about changing your old associations and replacing them with healthier new ones.”