Avoiding Smoking Places And People when vaping.

A strong “Do Power” strategy is to avoid vaping places as much as possible during your transition to becoming a nonsmoker,

This includes:

Smoking sections
Bars
restaurants
canteens
Bowling alleys
golf courses

It’s not only places that present a problem, though, it’s people..people who smoke, that is. Most relapses begin with a cigarette offered by another smoker or someone who vapes. For you see, the mere act of witnessing someone vape can cause triggers and make you want to smoke again. You are vulnerable to the temptation to join in when someone else lights up. This is especially true when ex-smokers are feeling confident they have their smoking under control. A friend offers them a cigarette, they figure they can have just one, and so it goes. That’s why it will really help during the next few weeks if you avoid people who smoke, even if they’re your best friends. Also try to pass on social situations that involve smoking. It’s bad enough when you watch one person light up, but watching five, ten, or mote
people smoke—well, you get the picture. You might even make a list of your friends and acquaintances who smoke. Put your closest smoking friends at the top of the list, and your casual smoking friends and acquaintances at the bottom of the list. draw a line at that place on the list where your close smoking friends end and your casual smoking friends and acquaintances begin.

Of course, the object isn’t to destroy your friendships. Rather, your goal should be to spend a little less time with your smoking friends, and a lot less time with casual friends and acquaintances who smoke. A little Do Power can help here. Anticipating that you’ll miss being with your friends who smoke, you might plan to talk to them on the phone, or meet them in a nonsmoking setting, say, at a
movie, or even going for a walk together.

The Party

A lot of relapses occur in social situations. Drinking, talking with friends, feeling relaxed and maybe a little too confident about
your smoking, or perhaps feeling a little shy and anxious, being offered cigarette—these can trip up the best of us.

DO POWER IN SOCIAL SITUATIONS

Of course, you can’t avoid all social situations where people may be smoking. But you can get through them without smoking, or vaping.

Here are some Do power strategies to keep those temptations from getting control:

1. Shortly before you get to the party, review in your mind your
firm decision that you will not smoke, no matter what.

2. Take some time shortly before the party to visualize yourself
not smoking in key situations that are likely to occur. Think of
what the place will look like. If it includes a meal, try to imagine
what will be served. Practice saying, say loud, “No, thanks, I quit.”
This will help to internalize your resolve.

3. To make sure you don’t feel anxious or like a vrall flower,
plan some things you’ll talk about, perhaps a funny story you
heard or an article you read in the newspaper.

4. Drink something nonalcoholic during the party or limit
yourself to one drink.

5. Talk ahead of time to friends who will be there. Tell them you
are concerned but determined, and ask them to give you encouragement during the party.

6. Ahead of time, use Positive Self-Talk to affirm your decision
not to smoke.

Rehearsing As If It’s Important

Whether you visualize your plan or just think it through, the more detailed you are, the more likely you will be to do what you want. Here’s an example of a detailed plan: “I see myself coming into the room and I’m nor smoking. I’ll say hello to John, Susan, and Kathy without smoking. I’ll ask them about the parents’ committee at tbe school. If Susan offers me a cigarette, I’ll just tell her I quit. 1 know she’ll understand and probably won’t light up around me. I’ll tell her I appreciate this