Stop Smoking

Question

Dr.Braccio:  My husband and silifke escort numaraları I are heavy smokers. We have been for over fifteen years. We actually met at work outside smoking. We both have enjoyed smoking but feel for the sake of our two young children that we should stop.  We’ve each tried to quit various times separately and together. But we keep smoking. We both seem to need to smoke in spite of how bad we know it is for us and our children. Can you give us ideas on how we can do it? It’s tough for us to quit and it shouldn’t be so hard.

Answer

For one who has seen dear friends and clients die difficult and undignified deaths, who himself smoked for twenty-seven years, and has tried to help persons stop smoking for the past twenty-five years, the power of nicotine addiction and the havoc it and related chemicals cause on the human body are tragically very clear. Included would be: Nicotine, Arsenic, Ammonia, lead and carbon monoxide.

Even though millions of people have quit smoking on sheer determination, most failed at least a few times and many needed some type of a program or plan to quit. Regardless of what motivates you to quit, the key is a firm belief that you can quit and an iron desire to stop. Success will not happen if either is lacking.

The dangers of smoking are so obvious and harsh that you need to face them closely as you continue to smoke. The American Lung Association says there are approximately 430,700 deaths per year in the United States resulting from smoking related illness. Yearly costs in the United States due to smoking are $97.2 billion dollars in lost productivity and health care costs. Smoking is responsible directly for 87% of lung cancer and most cases of emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Second hand smoke is dangerous for everyone. Your children will have a greater tendency to colds, bronchitis, asthma and inflammatory bowel disease. The toll for smoking is deadly and horrific for the smoker and those who inhale second hand smoke.

Why quit: American Cancer Society: Second hand smoke, smoking by pregnant women, diseases.  Based on what I have read and seen work over the years, the following are suggestions that could help you. You can pick and choose what would be helpful to you. Remember that the journey to stop smoking is very individual. Many just say enough is enough and “stop cold turkey” while others need a more involved program or planning process.

• Determine why you do smoke and why you feel it would be good to stop smoking.
• Make a decision to quit smoking.
• Write down the reasons you desire to stop smoking and keep it with you at all times. Try to have at least five: Health, cost, worries for hurting others, dirty clothes. Pull it out and look at it each time you are going to smoke and then when temptation occurs after you have stopped smoking. This is something very important to have and use.
• Pick a quit date and clear your house , work , car and any other places where you have smoked before of cigarettes, ashtrays and anything you associate with smoking. It is best the quit date be on a calm and peaceful day. (Just like eating).
• Find a support person or team you can talk to when tempted or you need to talk. You can also use each other.
• Recognize you cannot have another cigarette and say to yourself, “One cigarette is too many and thousands and thousands would not be enough”.
• Stay away from persons and environments that trigger smoking. This often includes drinking alcohol and eating out.
• Even if prescriptions may not be necessary from your physician, to meet with your family physician about using nicotine replacement products is a good idea. If you use the non- nicotine medication Zyband/Welbutrin, you need a doctor’s prescription.. Even if many persons choose not to replace nicotine with nicotine, they are helpful to some on their own or in connection with some of these suggestions. Nicotine replacement has been helpful with heavy smokers. It also is true that nicotine is only one of over 4,000 components in cigarettes, including arsenic, carbon monoxide and other deadly chemicals.
• Use the Trance Hypnosis Deep Relaxation tape to help you stop smoking before you quit and use it at least once daily. Two or more times is better. Hypnosis works for some if they feel it can be helpful as part of the overall process of stopping smoking. As with most strategies, belief in the process has much to do with the success of the person stopping smoking.
• Take deep breathing breaks in place of smoking breaks to help you relax and curtail smoking craving by mimicking the inhaling of cigarettes.
• Acupuncture is another strategy used to help stop smoking.
• Immediately after you quit smoking, drink a lot of water to help flush the nicotine out of your body as well as satisfying any oral cravings you may have.
• Deep breathing.
• Do something different and get out of the situation. Physical Activity, visit the dentist to clean your teeth. Change habits to make smoking more difficult like tennis, jogging, walking, biking, etc
• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables to both eat healthy and help you resist any weight gain.
• Weight control. Do regular exercising to keep healthy, maintain your weight, keep your mind off smoking and get pleasure and relaxation while ridding your body of nicotine and nicotine cravings.
• If you need an oral replacement, you can use cinnamon sticks, straws, celery, strawberries, carrots, mints, etc.
• Use a squeeze ball, worry beads, a pencil or something else to keep your hands busy to drop part of the smoking habit.
• Recognize the first few days will be very difficult and not smoking the first three weeks is critical. Be prepared for the internal statements as the addictive “Mr. or Ms. Nicotine” says, “Go ahead and have just one.” Relapse can never occur without taking “just one”.
• Constantly applaud yourself for being a non-smoker and being aware you will never smoke again.
• What to expect: Depression, anger/irritability, headache, restless insomnia trouble confrontation, frustration. Withdrawal is tough. Will begin within a few hours and peak two or three days later. Symptoms can last a few days to a few weeks.
• Recognize that to stop smoking must be irreversible to you as choices to marry and have children.
• Set a goal of what to do special with money saved from smoking. If the two of you smoke one pack of cigarettes each day, and as heavy smokers you probably smoke more, the cost is $3,285.00 a year at $4.50 a pack. A family trip to Florida or California would be a wonderful reward and you could go in style!
• Go to a cemetery to quietly and solemnly think how many people are there long before their time due to smoking. It is a sobering experience.
• Think regularly of the sad waste of a life of someone you knew who died early because of smoking.
• If you relapse, recognize failure is giving up. At least is set back and nothing more. Start his program over.

Helpful information on the dangers and effects of smoking and how to stop can be found on the internet sites of the American Lung Society, American Heart Association, and The American Cancer Society.  Even though there is much help out there, nicotine addiction through smoking is very powerful; however, if you have the heart and will and use the resources that fit your individual journey to stop smoking, you will succeed. I have confidence in you. Say after me: “I’m Free From Smoking”.