How to quit smoking March 5, 2008

You realize that smoking is bad for the health and you want to take care for yourself but you realize too that quitting is so hard. So what can you do to completely quit smoking?

Suppose you are a long-term smoker. What happens when you quit? Within 20 minutes of your last cigarette, your blood pressure will drop to normal. After a week your body will be free of nicotine. After one month your coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath will begin to decrease. After five years your risk of dying from lung cancer will have dropped by 50 percent. After 15 years your risk of coronary heart disease will fall to that of a person who has never smoked at all.
Your food will taste better. Your breath, body, and clothing will smell better. You will no longer have the trouble or the expense of buying tobacco. You will have a feeling of accomplishment. If you have children, your example will reduce the likelihood that they will be smokers. You will likely live longer. Don’t feel that it is too late for you to quit; the sooner you quit, the better.

Why quitting is so hard

It is difficult to quit smoking-even for those who are highly motivated. Mainly, this is because the nicotine in tobacco is a highly addictive drug. “In a ranking of the addictiveness of psycho-active drugs, nicotine was determined to be more addictive than heroin [and] cocaine,” states WHO. Unlike heroin and cocaine, nicotine does not produce dramatic evidence of intoxication, so it is easy to underestimate its power. Yet the mild sense of euphoria it produces keeps most people smoking so as to experience the feeling repeatedly. Nicotine really does alter your mood; it does soothe anxiety. However, the tension the cigarette reduces is caused in part by the craving for nicotine itself.
It is also difficult to quit smoking because smoking is a behavioral habit. Apart from being addicted to nicotine, smokers develop frequently repeated routines of lighting up and puffing. ‘It’s something to do with your hands.’ ‘It fills time,’ some may say.
A third factor that makes it difficult to quit is that tobacco is woven into everyday life. The tobacco industry spends almost six billion dollars each year on advertising campaigns that depict smokers as glamorous, active, healthy, and intelligent people. Often they are shown riding a horse, swimming, playing tennis, or engaging in another appealing activity. Movies and television programs show people smoking-and not always the villains. Tobacco is legally sold and is readily available virtually everywhere. Most of us are never far from someone who smokes. You can’t escape these influences. Sadly, there is no pill that you can take to eliminate the desire to smoke as an aspirin might eliminate a headache. To succeed in the difficult task of quitting, a person must be motivated. Like losing weight, it requires strong commitment for a long time. The responsibility for success lies with the person who smokes.

Helping a loved one quit

If you are a nonsmoker who knows the dangers of smoking, you likely feel frustrated when your friends and loved ones continue to smoke. What can you do to help them quit? Nagging, begging, coercion, and ridicule seldom meet with success. Neither do condescending lectures. Instead of quitting, the smoker may reach for a cigarette to ease the emotional pain these tactics may cause. So try to understand how difficult it is to quit and that for some it is much harder than it is for others.
You can’t make a person quit smoking. The inner strength and conviction to quit must come from the person who smokes. You need to find loving ways to encourage and support a desire to quit. How can you do that? At the right time, you might express your love for the person and say that you are concerned about his or her smoking habit. Explain that you will be there to support any decision to quit. Of course, if this approach is used too often, it will lose its effectiveness and meaning. What might you do if your loved one does decide to quit? Keep in mind that he or she may have withdrawal symptoms, including irritability and depression. Headaches and difficulty in sleeping might be problems too. Remind your loved one that these symptoms are only temporary and are signs that the body is adjusting to a new and healthy equilibrium. Be cheerful and positive. Express how happy you are that he or she is quitting. Throughout the withdrawal period, help your loved one avoid stressful situations that could lead to a relapse. What if there is a relapse? Try not to overreact. Be compassionate. View the situation as a learning experience for both of you, making it more likely that the next attempt will be a success.

So how can you quit?

■ First, you must convince yourself that quitting is worth the effort. List your reasons for wanting to quit, including all the benefits. After you have quit, reviewing this list will strengthen your resolve.
■ Analyze your smoking habits to figure out when and why you smoke. You may find it helpful to record on paper when and where you smoke each cigarette during a typical day. This will help you to foresee situations that may tempt you to smoke after you do quit.
■ Choose a quit date, and mark it on your calendar. It is best to choose a day when you will not be under undue outside stress. When that day arrives, quit completely-abruptly and totally.
■ Before the quit date arrives, get rid of ashtrays, matches, and lighters. Clean all your clothes that smell of tobacco smoke.
■ Enlist the support of coworkers, friends, and family to encourage you in your efforts to quit. Do not be afraid to ask others not to smoke in your presence.
■ Plan activities for your quit day. You might go somewhere where smoking is not permitted, such as to a museum or a theater. You could also exercise-swim or take a bicycle ride or a long walk.

Dealing with withdrawal

If you are a heavy smoker, you will likely experience withdrawal symptoms, which begin within hours of smoking the last cigarette. These may include irritability, impatience, hostility, anxiety, depression, insomnia, restlessness, increased appetite, and a craving for cigarettes. Perhaps your doctor can prescribe medication that will help ease these symptoms. In addition, there are things you can do to help you win the battle.
■ During the first few difficult weeks, eat low-calorie foods, and drink plenty of water. Some have found it helpful to snack on raw vegetables, such as carrots or celery. If you exercise, you will help offset weight gain and soothe jittery nerves.
■ Avoid places and situations where you will be tempted to smoke.
■ Fight against bad reasoning that may tempt you to smoke. Here are some common thoughts during withdrawal: ‘I’ll smoke just today to get me through this tough time.’ ‘Smoking is my only vice!’ ‘Tobacco can’t be all that bad; some heavy smokers live to be over 90.’ ‘I’ve got to die of something.’ ‘Life is no fun without tobacco.’
■ If you are about to give in, delay. By waiting just ten minutes, the acute craving may pass. Sometimes the thought of never smoking again might seem overwhelming. If you feel that way, concentrate on quitting just for today.

Remain an ex-smoker

■ The first three months are the most difficult, but even after that you should, when possible, avoid smokers and situations that may tempt you to smoke.
■ Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you can be an occasional smoker, even if you have stopped smoking for a year or more.
■ Resist the temptation to have “just one cigarette.” Just one may easily lead to others, and soon you will have undone all the hard work you put into quitting. However, if you do weaken and have a cigarette, there is no reason to smoke another. If you relapse, quit again.
Millions of smokers have successfully quit. With determination and persistence, you can too and so take care for yourself!

• Categories

  • depression
  • drugs
  • friends
  • good health
  • loneliness
  • stress

  Archive

  • April 2008
  • March 2008

RSS Feeds

• Articles
• Comments