While no one can tell you that quitting smoking will be easy, the good news is that you do not have to do it alone. Finding a support group to help you through the process may be beneficial in a number of ways:

-providing you with encouragement and positive reinforcement

-sharing other people's success stories

-a non-judgmental atmosphere to discuss your struggles and challenges

-exchanging tips and strategies with others in similar situations

-the structure and stability of regular meetings helps break up your early quitting period into manageable chunks of time and marks your accomplishments

-being held accountable by others ? knowing you will have to admit failure in front of others can help provide added motivation; the feeling of not wanting to let ?your team? down

As you can see, the added motivation and support you gain through a cessation group can help you through the rough times, as well as celebrate your achievements and milestones. Although you will also want to have the support of friends and family outside of the group, sometimes you may feel the need to speak to others who really understand what you are going through. Although your support group, like your family, wants you to succeed and you want to be able to report continued progress, knowing that your success or failure does not affect your group members? lives on a personal level may relieve the guilt you would otherwise feel, and allow you to share your experience more honestly.

Because of the enormous advancements in internet technology, you can gain many of the benefits of a support group online, by visiting chat groups, message boards and other resources designed to help you through each step of the quitting process. You can also find local support groups by searching online, such as local chapters of national smoking cessation organizations. Do some browsing to find out what kinds of groups are available in your area as part of your personal stop smoking plan.

Planning ahead is an integral component of a successful strategy for quitting, and enlisting the help of support groups is one element of your follow through that will make it easier for you to stay on track. Because there are so many psychological and behavioral factors involved in smoking and quitting, attending a group can be helpful in providing an outlet for dealing with the underlying pressures and emotions you are feeling, helping you gain confidence in your new identity as a non-smoker, teaching you additional coping methods, and more.

Using multiple strategies in your plan to quit smoking is your best guarantee of success, so take the time to investigate your options and make some educated decisions about what is most likely to work for you. Set clear goals, use well-defined methods for achieving those goals, and establish strategies such as joining a support group for dealing with obstacles as they arise.