Seeing Eye to Eye

If you are planning to help someone quit smoking answer this question first:

What does it mean to help?

The answer is not simple.  What you think is helpful may not seem that way to the smoker.  One of the best things you can do is understand how the smoker sees things.

To find out, try asking these 3 questions:

1. How ready are you to quit smoking?

If a smoker is just thinking about quitting, but hasn’t decided for sure, don’t push.  Only the smoker can make that choice.  Instead, say you believe he or she can do it when ready.  Then check back later.

2.  What worries you most about quitting?

Listen without judging.  Show that you care and that you really want to know what they are worried about.

3. What can I do to help?

Let the smoker’s answer guide you.  If you can, give the kind of help he or she asks for.  More important than doing any one special thing is showing you understand how hard it can be to quit smoking.