Put Something Else in Your Mouth:
Part of the urge to smoke is having something in your mouth. In place of a cigarette, pop chewing gum, hard candy, or a healthy snack in your mouth when the urge strikes. Be sure to have something with you at all times. If you’re concerned about gaining weight, stick with sugar-free alternatives.

Secure a Lifeline:
Ask someone to be there for you when you need support. The best choice is a friend who is also a former smoker who has kicked the habit. But anyone who cares for you and wants you to quit smoking can help when times get tough.

Limit Caffeine:
Caffeine helps some people get going in the morning and stay alert when they're tired. But caffeine can make some people feel tense, jittery, and stressed. These effects can be amplified when you’re in the process of breaking nicotine addiction. If caffeine negatively affects you, try cutting back to see if it helps reduce your anxiety.

Be Alert to Bad Moods:
Negative emotions -- depression, anger, frustration -- are another common reason people go back to smoking. Bad moods happen to everyone. And chances are you'll experience more than your fair share of negative emotions during the first few weeks of quitting. Find ways to distract yourself. Useful strategies include getting together with friends or doing something you really enjoy.

Avoid Troublemakers:
Although friends and family should be supportive, they aren't always. Some people may be threatened by your decision to quit. They may even try to undermine your best efforts. If you sense that there are people like this in your life, avoid them. If that isn't possible, sit down and explain to them why quitting is so important to you. Ask for their support.

Be Patient and Stay on Track:
Once you make it through the first two weeks, you're on your way to a lifetime free of nicotine addiction. But be prepared in case you falter. Remember: one lapse does not signal a collapse. Analyze what went wrong. Then brainstorm strategies to prevent the same problem from happening again.