tips for stopping from smoking
Facts about smoking tobacco
Smoking Kills. There is positive, undeniable
evidence of this and yet a few people still cling to stories that
help them to 'prove' the opposite. You know the sort of thing, 'my
Aunt Masie smoked 50 a day, lived until she was 92 and never had
a day of illness'. Back on earth - in the United States, an estimated
25.5 million men (24.1 percent) and 21.5 million women (19.2 percent)
are smokers. At a conservative estimate 300,000 people in the USA
and 120,000 people in the UK die of smoking related illnesses.
Giving up smoking is one of the most effective
ways of prolonging your life and improving its quality. Remember making
the decision to quit is important. Even if you have tried and failed
before does not mean you will fail again.
Be clear about why you want to quit smoking
Health concerns are usually the most important
consideration but smoking is also expensive and anti-social. It has
a negative effect on the way you look (after a couple of years your
skin tone and color can change, a blue purple tint is not attractive),
it can make you look older and smokers are more likely to have gum
disease.
Top tips to stop smoking
Plan to give up smoking
Decide on a date to give up. That can be today
but if you work towards a date it gives you time to think and plan
strategies to be cigarette free. In the few days until your Quit Day
you can, if you think it will help, start to reduce your intake.
Break your smoking routine
Stop having a cigarette at times you normally
do. Most cigarette intake has a pattern for that individual. Look at
your pattern. Is it always after meals, after job completion, at times
of stress? Find things to do instead of smoking. Maybe go to the window
and take a breath of fresh air (it can remind you of how good it is
to breath in without it being filled with nicotine).
Write down your reasons for quitting smoking
Write down your reasons about why you want
to quit smoking. You can use your list to keep you focused when your
will power feels as if it is slipping.
Getting support and treatment to quit smoking
There are many ways to get support to give
up smoking:
•
Smoking cessation clinics.
•
Nicotine replacement patches, lozenges, gums.
Nicotine replacement therapy has been shown to be effective and will
double your chances of giving up smoking
•
Zyban. A stop smoking medication also increases
your chances of stopping smoking by up to 30%
•
Getting the support of your partner, family,
friends and work mates can give you a tremendous boost
•
Web based support networks can offer you advice,
contact with others who are giving up. The About.com Smoking Cessation
site can provide you with such help
Avoid social events and smoking temptation
In the early days avoid social events where
you know you may be tempted to smoke, this is especially important
where alcohol is involved. Self discipline, temptation and alcohol
do not go well together when you first stop.
Reward your quit smoking behavior
Reward your good behavior can boost your self
discipline. Give yourself some presents with all the money you are
saving. Avoid eating more food when you give up. Weight gain can be
too good an excuse to start again.
Staying focused when you quit smoking
Stay focused. Take one day at a time and congratulate
yourself each day. It is never too late to give up smoking there are
always health benefits. If you give up smoking before the age of 35-40
your life expectancy is very similar to those who have never smoked.
It is great to be smoke free!
Statistical source information
National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), 2003,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health
Statistics
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