Myths and Facts Regarding Smoking Cessation
Myth: Quitting is either easy or it is impossibly difficult.
Fact: Some people have very few withdrawal symptoms and find quitting to be fairly
easy. Others may experience withdrawal symptoms or intense cravings that make
quitting more difficult.
Myth: Quitting does not take any extra effort or time.
Fact: It is usually helpful to allocate extra time and energy to quitting.
Myth: Cravings for cigarettes last forever.
Fact: Individual cravings are typically short and decrease in frequency, while the
intensity may not change.
Myth: If the initial quitting is hard, maintaining abstinence is equally difficult.
Fact: Quitting and maintaining abstinence are different and may require different
Myth: If you have any difficulty, it probably means you cannot quit or did not really want
to. You might as well smoke.
Fact: Most people can expect some difficulty in quitting.
Myth: Feeling proud or successful after getting through a difficult time is a waste of time.
After all, the battle is not over yet.
Fact: It is important to recognize and reinforce progress rather than interpret crisis as
signs of failure.
Myth: There is not much to know about quitting - it just takes wanting to.
Fact: There are definite coping skills and strategies that can be learned to manage
quitting.
Myth: If you have had a hard time quitting in the past you can expect it to be hard in
future quitting attempts.
Fact: Successive attempts at quitting are not necessarily the same. In fact, previous quits
may provide insights and skill development for future quits.
Myth: It does not make any difference when you try to quit, or, it is best to wait for the
"perfect quit date."
Fact: Timing may be an important consideration that may affect a client's success in
quitting.
Reprinted with permission from Freshstart, the quit smoking program of the American
Cancer Society, Minnesota Division, Inc. 1-800-582-5152 or 925-6329
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