How to Quit smoking
Self-determination is the key to successful quitting of the smoking habit. A strong desire to quit, which is aided by appropriate support from family and friends can help one to overcome the habit completely. It has been noted that most of the smokers give up smoking on their own.2 So all set to quit? Here are some tips that can help in giving up smoking.
Simple steps:
Set a quit date: This is the first step towards quitting smoking. Set a date and be firm with that date. During the period before quitting some preliminary preparations are considered to be helpful in making the decision stronger.
Meet the physician: To know more about the harmful effects of smoking and the advantages of quitting.
Interaction with friends and relatives: Discuss about the decision of quitting smoking and request them to encourage in that aspect by not smoking in front of one who decided to quit smoking or leave cigarettes around him/her.
Make a list: Of the timings or events during the day or night when one feels like smoking regularly and plan for alternative activities that you can do when the urge of smoking is the most. For example, if one smokes while having tea, switch to drinking coffee at that times; go for a stroll, when he/she feels stressed; remove all things associated with smoking such as lighters, ashtrays from the room or car; take a different route to work if one tends to smoke on the way to the workplace. If smokes while having a alcoholic drink, then avoid drinking for at least a period of 3 months; instead drink a lot of water and other non-alcoholic drinks.
Start reducing: The number of cigarettes smoked everyday and also the strength of the cigarette. Throw all the cigarettes just before the quit date and clean out everything that smells of smoke such as clothes, curtains and other stuff.
D-day: Quit smoking completely. Avoid taking the usual routes to your workplace and have breakfast, lunch or dinner at a different place if one has the habit of smoking during these times. Think of the advantages of quitting. Drink plenty of water and fruit juices. Mark in the dairy or calendar the number of days one has succeeded in quitting. As the number of days increases the health status and confidence increases.
Figure 1. Self-motivation: Maintaining a calendar like this may be helpful.
Don’t Give up if One Fails to Quit after Setting the Date
Many individuals require 2–3 attempts before quitting smoking completely. Try and analyse where one went wrong and plan for corrective measures during the next attempt. Also enrol one-self in some self help groups that work towards this cause. Try exercising, taking a walk and avoid stressful situations.3
Still Not Able to Quit?
Some individuals tend to develop dependence to nicotine over a period of time of chronic smoking. The advice of a doctor is considered necessary in such cases. The doctors usually analyse the severity of dependence based on some questionnaires. Certain medications and medicated substances are available to help individuals to quit smoking.
The doctors usually advice nicotine-containing patches, chewing gums, lozenges, inhalers or nasal sprays to aid in this process. The doctors may also advise certain medications that belong to the group of bupropion, nortriptyline, clonidine or rimonabant either as a single tablet or in combination with other tablets or with nicotine replacements. These tablets are contraindicated under various circumstances and hence consulting a doctor is of utmost importance before consuming these. It is noted that most individuals who are unable to quit in case of nicotine dependence have been succeeded in complete cessation after these therapies4,5
Alternative therapies such as hypnotherapy, acupuncture, behaviour counselling and self- support groups have also been found to have an additive effect on the mode of quitting undertaken.1,5,6
Next page: Health hazards with smoking
Written by: Healthplus24 team
Date last updated: April 27, 2012