Believe it or not, you may need to help people support you. Because it's very possible people will say things that upset you now that you're quit. And they probably won't mean to do it.
So it's good to prepare yourself. The goal: to feel comfortable talking to people about quitting, even if they don't know how to support you.
Here are some examples of non-supportive comments you might hear. As you go down the list, try reading the responses aloud to yourself. It may feel awkward at first, but give it some time. It will become more natural.
Feel free to use any or all of the responses below. Or come up with new ones that work for you.
Non-supportive comments
Possible responses
| You must be dying for a cigarette. | Sure it's hard sometimes, but I'm serious about quitting. |
| A couple of puffs a day won't kill you. | Actually, even one puff could start me smoking again. But I've come this far, and I'm determined to quit for good. |
| Do you mind if I smoke? | Thanks very much for asking. Actually, I just quit recently, so if you could hold off for now, I'd really appreciate it. |
| Would you like a cigarette? | No, thanks. I quit smoking. |
| Aren't you worried about gaining weight? | I figure I can deal with that later. Right now I'm focused on not smoking. |
| You must be really cranky. | Quitting is hard, but I should be back to my old self soon. |
| Haven't you tried quitting before? | Sure. But this time is different. I'm really going to do it, and I'm getting support this time. |
As you can see, there's not a lot you need to say. But having some responses ready can give you one less thing to worry about. Responding like this can also let people know their comments aren't helpful.
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