5 - Be prepared for relapse or difficult situations.
1. Get Ready: Set a quit date. Change your environments; get rid of all cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car, and place of work....and, DON'T let people smoke in your home. Review your past attempts to quit. Think about what worked and what did not. Once you quit, don't smoke - Not even a PUFF!
2. Get Support and Encouragement: Studies have shown that you have a better chance of being successful if you have help. You can get support in many ways; tell your friends, co-workers and your family that you have quit smoking and want their support. Ask them not to smoke around you or leave cigarettes out. Talk to your health care provider (for example: doctor, dentist, nurse, pharmacist, psychologist, or smoking counselor). Get individual, group, or telephone counseling. The more counseling you have, the better your chances are of quitting. Programs are given at local hospitals and health centers. Call your local health department for information about programs in your area.
3. Learn New Skills and Behaviors: Try to distract yourself from urges to smoke. Talk to someone, go for a walk, or get busy with a task. When you first try to quit, change your routine; use a different route to work, drink tea instead of coffee, eat breakfast in a different place. Do something to reduce your stress; take a hot bath, exercise, or read a book. Plan something enjoyable to do every day. Drink a lot of water. Study educational information that will teach you why you smoke and the ways that will help you quit.
4. Get Medication and Use It Correctly: Medication can lessen the urge to smoke and help you to stop smoking. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as of January 2006, has approved five medications to help you quit smoking:
- Bupropion SR: available by prescription - Nicotine gum: available over-the-counter - Nicotine inhaler: available by prescription - Nicotine nasal spray: available by prescription - Nicotine patch: available by prescription and over-the-counter There is also all-natural nicotine replacement (herps - not medicine).
Ask your health care provider for advice and carefully read the information on the package. All of these will more or less double your chances of quitting and quitting for good. The use of medication is something that everyone who is trying to quit may benefit from. If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, nursing, under age 18, smoking fewer than 10 cigarettes per day, or have a medical condition, talk to your doctor or other health care provider before taking medications. It is always best to consult with a health care professional under any circumstances.
5. Be Prepared For Relapse or Difficult Situations: Most relapses occur within the first 3 months after quitting. Don't be discouraged if you start smoking again. Remember, most people try several times before they finally quit. Here are some difficult situations to watch for:
- Alcohol. Avoid drinking alcohol. Drinking lowers your chances of success.
- Other Smokers. Being around smoking can make you want to smoke.
- Weight Gain. Many smokers will gain weight when they quit, usually less than 10 pounds. Eat a healthy diet and stay active. Don't let weight gain distract you from your main goal; quitting smoking. Some quit-smoking medications may help delay weight gain.
- Bad Mood or Depression. There are a lot of ways to improve your mood other than smoking. If you are having problems with any of these situations, talk to your doctor or other health care provider.
Questions To Think About: Think about the following questions. Talking to your health care provider about your answers is something you may want to do.
Why do you want to quit? When you tried to quit in the past, what helped and what didn't? What will be the most difficult situations for you after you quit? How will you plan to handle them? Who can help you through the tough times? Your family? Friends? Health care provider? What pleasures do you get from smoking? What ways can you still get pleasure if you quit?
You CAN Quit!
The Patch To Quit Smoking
Consider this; did you know that nicotine is NOT what millions of people are addicted to? What smokers ARE addicted to, however, is a very common ingredient that appears on your grocery list every week!
And yet these companies are getting away with the lie that it's nicotine that you're addicted to. Even the pharmaceutical companies that supply the "nicotine patches", gums and other "quit smoking now" hope-pills are taking advantage of your ignorance right now as you're reading this.
And who could blame them? After all, billions of dollars are at stake. It does not matter to them that you're turning your lungs into black sponge. To them, YOU had taken up the decision to smoke and they were simply there to hand you the goods. At the end of the day, business is business and their success depends on keeping you smoking and getting people that don't smoke to start. It's all about the billions.
Here is a shocking fact; The Tobacco Industry kills more people between Monday and Thursday of each week than the terrorists killed on 9/11. Where do we see this mentioned in the media with a FRACTION of the attention?
I am here to tell you that you do not have put up with being a part of it. You do not have to become another hospital statistic. Why? Well... what if I told you by this very night (yes, you heard me right... BY TONIGHT) you will have learned to quit smoking FOR LIFE.
Let me ask you a question; what would it mean if you finally, quit smoking for good?
You see, the benefits are not just physical - you know: no more ashtray breath, no more difficulty breathing or waking up, the return of your taste buds in full gear, and so on - but psychological as well. When I kicked the habit as a result of following the program you're about to find out, I became the fond talk of my friends, family and associates.
People kept complimenting me about admiring me for my "strong will-power" and self-determination (in THEIR minds of course, it takes rare strength to kick the addiction, however big or small. Little do they know how easy it actually was).
You may be thinking at this point: "That is all fine and dandy, but I am beyond any help! I just can't get enough!"
Here's why you should NOT give up yet (sure, after reading this till the end, feel free to try giving up quitting). For now, please read on...
I, like you, was once a heavy smoker, 3-4 packs a day depending on my savings.I craved the taste in my mouth so badly that I just had to have that next puff. I smoked before going to sleep, straight away after waking up and even when wanting to visit the loo! I couldn't function without it.
It was back in late 2003 after breaking up with my girlfriend at the time I decided once and for all to quit smoking. I had had enough. And so started a long and expensive personal journey. I researched and bought everything: pills, patches, gums, self-help books, heck I even tried meditation.
It all added up to nothing! I maxed out on my credit card on junk, paid the bills and down the drain went my morale along with the money.
I felt at the time that I was beyond rehabilitation: that I was hooked for life. I was seriously stressed and really demoralized at the time.
That is, until I came across this life-saving program
To read more about what saved me from my addiction then click on the link in the resource box.
Both Frank Andrews & Iman Bahrani are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Frank Andrews has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, Finances. Frank Andrews is the author of two self-help books and has developed a blog website to help smokers quit smoking. These sources of help information developed as the result of being a student of personal development for over 25 years. He has successfully w. Frank Andrews's top article generates over 4400 views. to your Favourites.
Iman Bahrani has sinced written about articles on various topics from VOIP. Iman BahraniBlogger's Guide To . Iman Bahrani's top article generates over 2400 views. to your Favourites.
