|
You know you need to quit. You really want to quit. But smoking has become such a huge part of your life that you can't imagine waking up in the morning without reaching for a cigarette, finishing a meal without lighting up or hanging out with your friends, all of whom are smokers, without smoking yourself...
You know you need to quit. You really want to quit. But smoking has become such a huge part of your life that you can't imagine waking up in the morning without reaching for a cigarette, finishing a meal without lighting up or hanging out with your friends, all of whom are smokers, without smoking yourself. How do you go about kicking the habit for good? An effective strategy and arming yourself with a little knowledge can improve your odds of success significantly. Quitting as a new year’s resolution is tough. Typically there’s so much alcohol consumed around this time of the year and alcohol and smoking go hand in hand. Choosing a quitting date and sticking to it is an important part of the process of breaking the habit. One of the biggest mistakes smokers make when attempting to quit is that they give up the fight too soon if their initial efforts don't work. Research indicates that over half of all adult smokers do manage to quit for good, however majority aren’t successful the first time around. In fact, most make several attempts before they are able to quit for good. Quitting is a process of unlearning a habit of dependency which is both psychological and physical. SOME SUGGESTIONS - Write it down. Write down your reasons for quitting on 3 X 5-inch index cards so you can refer to whenever you’re tempted to smoke.
- What are your motives? Keep a diary before trying to quit and document your feelings about the habit. Include detailed accounts about where you smoke, when you smoke, with whom and why. Review your diary after a few days and identify trends, feelings and circumstances that trigger your cravings for nicotine.
- Modify your behaviour. Write down your "triggers" on the left-hand side of a piece of paper and on the right, jot down how you plan to avoid/cope with these triggers that have you reaching for nicotine.
- Make smoking less pleasurable. Most smokers have a favourite brand of cigarettes. In the week or so leading up to your quit date, ditch your favourites for less-appealing alternatives. For example, if you don’t normally smoke menthols start smoking them. Buy light versions of your favourite brand or try new brand altogether.
- Build a support group. Tell friends, family and work colleagues that you're quitting and develop a network who can support your efforts.
- Get rid of smoking paraphernalia. Throw out all of your ashtrays, matches and lighters.
- Go cold turkey. Despite an urge to gradually cut back, stopping completely on your chosen quit date is the best approach to kicking the habit in the long term.
- Reward yourself. For example, a week after you quit, go to the movies. A month after quitting, go out for a nice meal and buy some new clothing. A year after you quit go on a nice holiday with the money you’ve saved by no longer smoking.
- If you relapse, don't panic. Identify what triggered your desire to smoke again and come up with a way to cope with the trigger. The urge to smoke, no matter how compelling, will pass after a few minutes. The question is whether or not you’ll give into it!
- Find Substitutes. When you get the urge to smoke try doing some physical exercise, or cooking or ironing. Any activities that require most of your attention.
- Seek help. If you aren't able to quit on your own, try using aids such as nicotine gum or patch. If you still aren't able to quit, see your doctor about other options. You may also want to join a support group. Whatever you do, don't give up trying, give up smoking!
|
Health Resources 
