Quit Smoking Tips
Want to kick the habit? Check out some of the following websites and read below for further tips and suggestions.
Health Canada: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/tobac-tabac/quit-cesser/index_e.html
Smoke Free Living (Toronto): http://www.toronto.ca/health/quit_smoking.htm
Smoke Free Reality: http://www.smokefreereality.com/
Tobacco.org: http://www.tobacco.org/resources/health/quittips.html
20 Quick Tips: http://www.quitsmoking.com/info/articles/20tips.htm
American Cancer Society: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/ped_10_3.asp
Pacific Wellness Institute: http://www.pacificwellness.ca/smoke.html
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Wonder why I ever stuck one of those things in my mouth in the first place!!! Breathing easier ... exercising better... starting to taste food again!!!
Thanks for your support... No looking back now!!
Paul Innes Flight Centre Limited
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After exhaustive research Healthwise has put together the latest available information to help you ‘kick the habit’. No one is going to tell you that the process is easy but we will hopefully inspire you to quit and provide you with information that will lead you to a successful outcome that will improve your overall health and well-being
Reasons To Quit:
As we know every person will have started smoking for different reasons and will also have different reasons for giving up. It is important to know your reasons so that when faced with temptation you have a strong focus on what is important to you. Using the information below as a guide we recommend that you list the reasons that are most important to you in giving up. Don’t just use the list below make sure you add any additional reasons that may be important to you. Keep this list with you at all times in your pocket, wallet or purse. When you are faced with the temptation to light up then read your list and it will help strengthen your resolve.
Health/Physical Reasons:
- Increase life expectancy
- Decreased risk of cancer
- Decreased risk of cardiovascular desease
- Increased fitness
- Better skin complexion
Logical Reasons
- Pregnancy
Emotional Reasons
- A friend recently died from lung cancer
- Increased self confidence
Financial Reasons
- 20 per day can cost $4,000 per year
- I want to do more travel with the money
- less sick equals increased productivity
Break The Habit - Healthwise Tips:
Once you know your reasons for giving up and you have noted them down in a prominent place then it is time to break the habit. Below are a list of tips that have proved hugely successful with a number of people in the past:
Choose a date when you plan to quit and stick to it.
Tell your family and friends – that way you will stick to the date.
Find someone who you know will support you. Family, friend, doctor and/or Healthwise Consultant. Also, get the support of your team at work – explain why it is important to you. Why not put your list of reasons to quit up in the office?
When the day arrives take positive action – throw out all cigarettes, ashtrays, lighters and matches. Then spoil yourself by doing an activity such as going shopping or to the cinema. If you refrain from throwing all these articles out then you are not fully committing to your goal and are therefore preparing to fail.
Plan in advance the activities that you will do at the times when you would normally have a cigarette:
- Read a book - Chew some gum
- Have a shower - Take a walk
- Call a friend - Brush your teeth
Break routines that involved you having a cigarette. This may include coffee and alcohol. It would be worth avoiding any such habits for a set period in order to break the routine that initiates any cravings.
Do not associate smoking as a method of stress relief. The reality is smoking contributes to stress. Picture a smoker and non-smoker in a long meeting. Who would be longing to get out of the meeting the most, contributing to their stress levels? If you do feel stressed, instead use the following methods of relief:
- Light exercise (if at work go for a brisk walk)
- Have a bath
- Burn aromatherapy oils
- Discuss the stressful situation with a friend or colleague
What Should I Expect When I Give Up?
Soon after smoking a cigarette the body and brain will begin to want more nicotine and many people will feel increasingly uncomfortable until they have another cigarette, it is a vicious cycle. Smoking may feel pleasurable, however, much of the pleasure when having a cigarette is a relief of the withdrawal from nicotine. Nicotine withdrawal may make you feel:
Restless
Tired
Irritable/aggressive
Reduced concentration
Frustrated
Accident prone
Depressed
If you stick with it by using all of the tips mentioned above and using all of the resources available to you then you will quickly begin to feel the benefits.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
These resources can be used in conjunction with the above advice. They have proved very successful for a number of people. Try one or all of the options and see which works best for you.
Revolutionary international bestseller that has had outstanding success – Allen Carr’s Easy Way To Stop Smoking.
Nicotine replacement therapies such as chewing gum, skin patches and inhaler. Such resources are designed to reduce the dose of nicotine in the body helping to overcome withdrawal symptoms such as those mentioned above.
Antioxidants help you r body to recover and repair quicker.
For further advice and information call 131 848
Steps to consider when giving up the smoking habit!!
Step 1: Before you attempt any type of behaviour change, it is important to do a "motivation check". Why are you making the change - for yourself or for others? If you do not truly want to make the change for yourself, your chances of success are diminished. In order to build your motivation, do the following exercise. In one column, write down all the benefits you currently gain from smoking and in a second column, write down all the benefits that you anticipate achieving when you give up. Which column means more to you? When you want two things equally that are not compatible, you have to make a conscious decision.....which one do you want more? If your motivation level is not where it should be, it's a good idea to wait to attempt the behavior change at a later date. Spend this time thinking about your priorities and the benefits of quiting. You will have a better chance of succeeding if your motivation level is such that you are truly convinced of the benefits of the new behavior, and really feel you want to make the change.
Step 2: While we're checking on things, let's do an attitudinal check. Research has shown that people who have made successful behavior changes have certain characteristics in common. That shouldn't surprise you, but what may is that the common characteristics had nothing do with age, gender, sex, will power, or fancy tricks. They were all centered around the person's belief system: they believed that they were susceptible to emotional or physical health problems if they didn't change; they believed in the severity of the consequences of that problem; and they believed in the benefits that the change would bring. If you're unsure about any of these, please make an appointment with me and I will be happy to explain all the consequences smoking can have. If you are at this step try writing down all the health risks associated with smoking on the hand you smoke with. This way you will be less likely to dismiss or forget the importance of quiting. Or if your still not convinced how about this 87% of lung cancers are attributable to smoking. A two-pack-a-day smoker's about twenty times more likely than a nonsmoker to contract lung cancer!!
Step 3: There's one more CRITICAL step before you begin. You need to either (a) identify cues that trigger your unwanted behaviors, or (b) identify barriers to your change - situations, people, or emotions that will make your change difficult.
In order to identify the cues keep a diary or log for a week or two. Whenever you smoke too much jot down the circumstances, who you were with, where you were, how you were feeling. After 2 weeks of doing this assess your notes for patterns. As you are now aware of the health risks associated with smoking you will do your utmost to avoid or control your influence on these situations.
Step 4: Now it's time to actually make up your plan of action and start. Some of this advice may seem like unnecessary work; however, remember that it's important to construct a framework that will help guide you to success. A behavior contract seems to help many people clarify exactly what it is they want to accomplish. Strange as it might seem, investigators have found that when people simply write down what they want to achieve, they have a better chance of achieving it. This contract will also encourage you be concrete and realistic about your goals and your timeframe. A behavior contract should state:
- what it is you want to accomplish overall, (stop smoking!!);
- the benefits to you in achieving this goal (increase d life expectancy!!);
- the barriers or cues that you have identified;
- a specific plan of action that takes into account these barriers or cues; and
an actual reward that you will give yourself when you are successful (visit to a health farm!!).
Sometimes a deadline is motivating, and for others it is too much pressure; however, if you decide to use a "due date" you should be ready to change it if necessary to reflect setbacks. Get a supportive friend or family member to witness and sign the contract, this will help support you throughout your quest.
Some other little tidbits of advice concerning your plan of action:
Step 5: With the implementation of steps 1 - 4, change can occur. But there is one more condition that is necessary for lasting change - a "refreezing" period, where new attitudes and skills are practiced and adopted to maintain the new behaviors. Here is where Step 5 comes in. You need a “refreezing” period. This is the amount of time that it takes for your new change to become a habit; to become second nature to you - like crossing your arms a certain way. This “refreezing” period takes time, effort, and energy; but it's worth it! Your new attitude towards smoking needs to be learned or practiced in order to maintain your change. For example, if you lose weight, you need to learn how to eat healthily on a regular basis without feeling you are being deprived; the same as when you give up smoking you must learn new coping skills and to think of yourself as a non-smoker.
Other Tips:
Identify and use a role model. Find someone who has given up. Talk to him/her and find out what worked for them and what they learned through their trials and efforts. Borrow what seems to fit your situation and lifestyle.
Find a buddy if other people help motivate you. Recruit someone who also wants to quit. A buddy can provide on-going encouragement, support, motivations, sympathy, and information.
Don't tell too many people about what you're trying to accomplish. Unfortunately, some people will be threatened by your proposed change and they may consciously or unconsciously try to sabotage your efforts. Pick a few close, supportive friends or family members and share your plan with them.
Use your support system. Don't be afraid to share your frustrations, fears, and need for reassurance. Change is stressful; make sure that you convey this to people around you so they will be more sympathetic during "off" moments.
Expect success. Change your ideas about yourself as you change your behavior. Your expectations and attitudes can have a powerful effect on your program. Be careful about having too high expectations though; plateaus, setbacks, and slip-ups are normal and expected. Success should be measured by the learning that takes place from your mistakes, along with your progress towards change.
Forgive and forget. Slip-ups aren't disasters - they're simply problems to be solved. Investigate what triggered the setback and decide how you'll deal with it next time. Learn from your experience. Be careful to ward against "all-or-nothing" thinking. One cigarette doesn't mean you will never reach your goal. One week of being a couch potato does not mean you should abandon your exercise / activity for the season. What actually counts is what we do consistently, more often than not, over a long period of time.
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