How do i quit smoking ? -
Hi i am smoking from the last 14 years - would like to stop smokeing ?
Hi,
If you realy wants to quit smoking then you should know some facts.
This is for your information pl. that Cigarette smoking kills nearly about 420,000 people a year, making it more lethal than AIDS, accidents, homicides, suicides, drug overdoses, and fire.
The main risks of smoking are
1. Heart disease
2. Cancer
3. Dementia and neurologic diseases
4. Lung disease
5. Female infertility and pregnancy
6. Male sexuality and reproduction
7. Behavioural and Social Problems
8. Effects on bones and joints
The methods to quit smoking are
At this time the most effective methods for quitting is a combination of nicotine replacement products and the antidepressant drug bupropion bolstered by counselling.
1. Nicotine replacement
Nicotine replacement products provide low doses of nicotine that do not contain the contaminants found in smoke. They are proving to be twice as helpful as other standard quitting methods. Replacement products include nicotine patches, gums, nasal sprays, and inhalers. Side effects of any nicotine replacement product may include headaches, nausea, and other gastrointestinal problems. People often experience sleeplessness in the first few days, particularly with the patch, but the insomnia usually passes. Patients using very high doses are more likely to experience symptoms, and reducing the dose can prevent them. Certain individuals like people with heart disease, pregnant women, small children may need to avoid nicotine replacement products.
Nicotine patches: Nicotine patches, or transdermal nicotine, can be an effective way to quit smoking. The quit rate for patch users is around 20% after six months. Nicotine patches are available over the counter, but it is best to consult a doctor before using them, particularly people with any medical problems.
Nicotine gum: Nicotine gum (Nicorette), available over the counter, has also been effective for a number of people. Some prefer it to the patch because they can control the nicotine dosage and chewing satisfies the oral urge. Long-term dependence may be a problem with this method.
Nicotine inhaler: The nicotine inhaler resembles a plastic cigarette holder. It comes with a number of nicotine cartridges which are inserted into the inhaler. It has some specific advantages over other slower nicotine replacement products:
Nicotine nasal spray: The nasal spray satisfies immediate cravings by providing doses of nicotine rapidly, and thus may play a useful role in conjunction with slower acting nicotine replacement therapies.
Nicotine tablet: A nicotine tablet that is held under the tongue is also very useful.
2. Alternative and ther Methods for Quitting
Scheduled reduction: One study showed that people who used a systematic withdrawal schedule were twice as likely to quit as those who went cold turkey. The procedure involves the following steps:
Divide the number of minutes per day awake by the number of daily cigarettes; the result is the minute-long wait between smokes.
Set up a schedule with time intervals based on this result and using a timer, smoke only at those intervals; if the -cigarette appointment- is missed by more than five minutes, the smoker must skip that cigarette.
The following week, one-third fewer cigarettes are used and the smoking time is recalculated based on the lower number.
During the third week the count is again reduced by a third, and the smoker quits in the fourth week.
Change daily habits:
Change the daily schedule as much as possible. Eat at different times or eat many small meals instead of three large ones, sit in a different chair, rearrange the furniture.
Find other ways to close a meal. Play a tape or CD, eat a piece of fruit, get up and make a phone call, or take a walk (a good distraction that burns calories as well).
Substitute oral habits (eat celery, chew sugarless gum, suck on a cinnamon stick.) Go to public places and restaurants where smoking is prohibited or restricted.
Set short-term quitting goals and reward yourself when they are met, or every day put the money normally spent on cigarettes in a jar and buy something pleasurable at the end of a predetermined period of time.
Find activities that focus the hands and mind but are not taxing or fattening: computer games, solitaire, knitting, sewing, whittling, crossword puzzles.
Avoid heavy drinking of alcohol, caffeine, or other stimulants or mood altering substances.
Enjoy Life
I became a chain non-smoker.When I got the urge sometimes I would put off lighting one up for a few minutes.Then I found the urge would pass for a half hour and I avoided smoking one.I counted that as one not smoked.At the end of the day sometimes I counted more than a pack I didn-t smoke.After several weeks of this I was hardly lighting up at all,then I reached the point that I haven-t smoked one in several years.I never quit,I just haven-t had one in 5 years and counting. Good luck,I hope you live to look back on this like I can.
Enroll in a smoking cessation programme (hospitals, health departments, community centres and worksites frequently offer programmes)
Ask your health care provider for advice, including whether prescription medications are safe and appropriate for you
Find out about nicotine patches, gum and sprays
Try hypnosis—it works for some people
Avoid smoke-filled settings and situations in which you are most likely to smoke
Exercise to relieve urge to smoke
think smoking is injurious to health everybody is aware of. The best tip is do meditation it really helps. The most important is unless n until u r not having a strong will power u cannot quit and u cannot resist urself from smoking. I-ll give u my husband-s example he use to smoke at least thrice a day everybody use to tell him a lot but he never stopped, one fine day when my child grew up and he saw one advertise of smoking is injurious for health on TV and told him -look pop how injurious it is when I’ll be of ur age I’ll never smoke . and believe me that was the instance which hit his mind and the very next moment he quit smoking. I don’t know when something will click to ur mind but my genuine advice to u is try meditation it will really help u to quit smoking. Keep trying n I’m sure one day definitely u-ll succeed. Above all strong will power is must.Good Luck
Easier said than done, why don-t you just stop smoking? Every time you need a drag pretend you-ve just had one. Don-t dwell on smoking. Drink plenty of water. Remind yourself of the numerous advantages in giving up the dreaded weed. The first day of not smoking is hell. The nicotine craving will be unbearable so bear it like a man and the rest will come easily. Good luck.
Make yourself allergetic to smoke fog.
A Strong Will.thats all u need.
Strat CHEWING gums.
Here are 10 techniques that will help you quit the habit.
Remember - you can do it!
1. Deep Breathing Perhaps The Single Most Powerful And Important Technique: Every time you want a cigarette, do the following. Do it three times.
Inhale the deepest lung-full of air you can, and then, very slowly, exhale. Purse your lips so that the air must come out slowly. As you exhale, close your eyes, and let your chin gradually sink over onto your chest. Visualize all the tension leaving your body, slowly draining out of your fingers and toes, just flowing on out.
This is a variation of a yoga technique and is very relaxing. If you practice this, you-ll be able to use it for any future stressful situation you find yourself in. And it will be your greatest weapon during the strong cravings sure to assault you over the first few days.
2. Taking In Fluids:
The first few days, drink LOTS of water and fluids to help flush out the nicotine and other poisons from your body.
Remember that the urge to smoke only lasts a few minutes, and will then pass. The urges gradually become farther and farther apart as the days go by.
3. Stay Away From Alcohol, Sugar And Coffee
Do your very best to stay away from alcohol, sugar and coffee the first week or longer, as these tend to stimulate the desire for a cigarette. Avoid fatty foods, as your metabolism will slow down a bit without the nicotine, and you may gain weight even if you eat the same amount as before quitting. So discipline about diet is extra important now. No one ever said acquiring new habits would be easy!
Nibble on low calorie foods like celery, apples and carrots. Chew gum or suck on cinnamon sticks.
Stretch out your meals; eat slowly and wait a bit between bites.
4.Taking An Oral Substitute
In one study, about 25% of quitters found that an oral substitute was invaluable. Another 25% didn-t like the idea at all - they wanted a clean break with cigarettes. The rest weren-t certain.
One can use cinnamon sticks, chewing gum or artificial cigarettes as a substitute. You will mostly find that after the first week of being a non smoker, you wouldn’t even need these.
5. Get Exercising
Go to a gym, sit in the steam, exercise. Change your normal routine – take time to walk or even jog around the block or in the local park.
6.Pamper Yourself
Go ahead and join a yoga class or maybe reiki – they-re great! Get a one hour massage, take a long bath - pamper yourself. Get yourself involved in a hobby.
7. Ask For Support
Ask for support from co-workers, friends and family members. Ask for their tolerance. Let them know you-re quitting, and that you might be edgy or grumpy for a few days. If you don-t ask for support, you certainly won-t get any. If you do, you-ll be surprised how much it can help. Take a chance - try it and see!
Ask friends and family members not to smoke in your presence. Don-t be afraid to ask. This is more important than you may realize.
8. Destroy All Your Cigarettes
On your quit day, hide all ashtrays and destroy all your cigarettes, preferably with water, so no part of them is smokeable.
9. Write It Down
Write down ten good things about being a nonsmoker - and then write out ten bad things about smoking. Do it. It really helps.
10. Don’t Pretend
Don-t pretend smoking wasn-t enjoyable – it was. This is like losing a good friend – and it-s okay to grieve the loss. Feel that grief, don-t worry, it-s okay. Feel, and you heal. Stay with it - you can do it!