Info about Quit Smoking
Quitting Smoking
Aside from alcohol, smoking is the number one legal addiction in the United States. Every year an estimated 390,000 Americans die from a cigarette smoking related disease.
Researchers have proven that smoking is a big contributor to cardiovascular disease, and as many as 80 percent of the people who have a lung disease are smokers. Smoking is simply unhealthy.
Many programs exist to help people kick the cigarette habit, but the most important element in any program is the smoker. Here are some suggestions on how to help yourself stop smoking forever.
• Before Quitting...
The first step in a successful attempt to stop smoking is to set a date for the puffing to end. Pick a date three weeks from today and honor your promise to stop when that dale arrives. This gives you a chance to mentally prepare for quitting. It also lets you start cutting back on number of cigarettes smoked.
Write down any reasons you have for quitting on a small card that you can refer to when the urge hits you to smoke. Make sure your reasons are positive ones, like the need to feel better or the desire to save money.
Tell the people around you the reasons why you plan to quit and ask your friends and co-workers not to smoke around you. At the same time, start cutting back on your own cigarette consumption and make it harder to smoke by putting your cigarettes in an inconvenient place while putting your matches or lighter in a room separate from your cigarettes.
Start an exercise program immediately. Exercise can give you something to do when the urge to smoke strikes. It can also help fight any weight gain you might have after quitting.
Besides an exercise program, think of other alternative plans to help quiet smoking urges. They might include chewing a piece of gum, taking a quick walk, or phoning a friend for support.
• After Quitting...
For the first few days, try to avoid stressful activities which will make the urge to smoke even stronger. Also, avoid caffeine consumption, because nicotine (the addictive drug in cigarettes) slows down caffeine absorption. After the nicotine leaves your system in a couple of days, you may end up with a bad case of caffeine jitters.
The urge to eat will be strong as your body begins to feel better and the smoke no longer has a deadening effect on your taste buds. Rather than reaching for a cupcake, keep plenty of nutritious, low tat snacks around, such as apple wedges, carrot and celery sticks, and even a pack of your favorite sugar-free gum.
Take all the money you usually spend on cigarettes and put it in a bank account. As you successfully fight off your urges, treat yourself to something nice with the money.
• Cold Turkey Can Be Hard
If you find quitting cold turkey too hard by yourself, you have options. Many people have had success quitting smoking by obtaining prescriptions for nicotine gum or nicotine patches from their doctors. Both replace the act of smoking without actually lighting up, and they can help quiet your cravings for nicotine.
Another option is to join a support group like the Smokeless Program. This group provides negative reinforcement for smoking by making smoking as uncomfortable as possible.