Quit smoking with a buddy

Many people find the decision to quit smoking to be a challenging one. But there are several factors that can make it easier, the primary one of which is to quit smoking with a buddy.

There are a number of important benefits that come with quitting smoking with a buddy that you wouldn't ordinarily get as a solo smoker who decides to quit smoking.

You can stay better motivated when working with a buddy, you can be more accountable to your buddy for your actions, and you can stay in touch with each other in regard to complications.

Stay motivated

It is one thing to quit smoking, but if you want to stay quit, then chances are you need all the motivation that you can get. And when you quit with a buddy, you both can lean on each other. You can call each other for support when the urge to smoke gets to be too great.

You can boost each other's confidence with kind words, encouragement, and pats on the back. When you fall off the wagon and have a forbidden cigarette, you have a partner you can cry to, receive absolution from, and start over with.

When you reach a new milestone -- a day without smoking, a week without smoking, a month without smoking -- you have someone who will be your biggest cheerleader.

And when your quit smoking buddy needs you, you can be there to provide a stronger level of support because you're in the same boat; the self-confidence you'll get will help you be a stronger buddy and a more compassionate buddy.

Stay accountable

When you quit smoking with a buddy, you have someone to stay accountable with. You and your buddy can check in with each other regularly to measure your progress. Your buddy can and should stay on top of you as far as breaking your "quit smoking" rule, and you should do the same for your buddy.

This increased level of accountability means that you may have an increased chance of success; you'll have a partner in quitting instead of feeling alone and isolated.

Stay away from complications

Like withdrawal from any addictive chemical, making the decision to quit smoking can have serious health risks. Although they are minimal, they are real. By deciding to quit smoking with a buddy, you will have someone else in tune with your health.

While you may not notice some of the more gradual changes that your body undergoes when you quit smoking, your buddy probably will, alerting you to anything that may need a physician's attention.

While there is a lot of information about the how and why of deciding to quit smoking, the chance to quit with a friend should not be passed up.

You can stay motivated knowing that you are not the only person going through the experience. You can also be held accountable to quit in a way that you can't really do on your own; for example, if you fall off the wagon or decide to sneak a cigarette, all is not lost.

Your quit smoking buddy will provide an extra level of someone to answer to, someone who will make you feel guilty for not following through on your promises, the most important one being to quit smoking.