Quit Smoking Tips

Each year the push and desire for people to quit smoking is on the increase. There is an undeniable awareness now that cigarette smoking is hazardous to your health with a high likelihood of developing nasty conditions and diseases leading to premature and often unpleasant death.

Self preservation is not the only motivation for individuals to quit smoking, but also an understanding that those around them are also put at risk, including their children. Add to this the pressure from friends and family who see it as your responsibility to stay healthy for those who rely on and love you.

Smoking puts great pressure on federal health systems, costing governments billions of dollars annually. This encourages the funding of quite smoking campaigns.

Why is Smoking Addictive?

The ingredient contained in cigarettes that is addictive is nicotine.

Being informed, educated and recognizing the need to quite smoking is often not enough, as this highly addictive habit is extremely difficult to shake. Once the body becomes accustomed to nicotine, and it doesn’t take long, we integrate nicotine into the normal workings of the body meaning that the body is thrown into disarray when nicotine consumption ceases.

Why Smoking is bad for you?

In addition to the nicotine, cigarettes are filled with 100’s of other nasty chemicals. Carbon monoxide enters the bloodstream rapidly and impairs our breathing. Tar is made up chemicals, some which are carcinogenic, 70% of the tar ending up in the lungs of the smoker.

There are many other dangerous chemicals found in cigarettes which deteriorate our vital organs. 

Why Do People Have Cravings for Cigarettes?

If quitting smoking is not hard enough, there are a good portion of people who cannot justify reasons to even try.  Now we will take a look at some of the reasons why people smoke cigarettes and the facts which surround these reasons.

• Smoking makes you calm – Smokers may often feel that smoking helps them to calm them down during times of stress. The need to satisfy nicotine cravings actually adds to feelings of anxiety.
• Smoking for weight loss – Cigarettes are known to curb the appetite and therefore actually seen as a weight maintenance technique. This may be true by a few kilograms in the short term, but cigarette smoking is by far worse for our health then the small and short term weight gain.
• Withdrawal symptoms - On top of these reasons as to why we smoke are the withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting, which further fuel the desire to continue smoking.

Withdrawal Symptoms

The withdrawal symptoms from quitting smoking can be quite extreme on an emotional and physical level. Not only are you reacting to the deprivation of nicotine that your body has become so accustomed to, but the 100’s of other chemicals contained in each cigarette.

Withdrawal symptoms from quitting smoking can last anywhere from a couple of days to a few weeks, this is normal. They may include some of the following symptoms

Physical

• Increased appetite
• Sleeping disorders/insomnia
• Sweating
• Headache
• Bowel and stomach upsets
• Coughing and dry throat
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Chest tightening

Emotional

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Anger
• Irritation
• Mood swings
• Lack of concentration
• Slight claustrophobic
• Restlessness 

Quit Smoking Benefits

When you quite smoking, you will not only be healthier, but you will feel tangible benefits. Depending on how heavy a smoker you are, different benefits of quitting smoking will occur at different times from the moment you cease smoking to years later.

Here is a timeline of the benefits you will experience once you quite smoking:

20 minutes

• Your blood pressure begins to fall

A few hours

• The level of carbon monoxide in your blood will reduce

8 hours

• Oxygen levels of your blood return to normal
• Carbon Monoxide levels of your blood will return to normal

24 hours

• Chances of heart attack decrease

48 hours

• Sense of smell and taste will make a significant increase towards returning to normal

A few days

• Breathing will be enhanced and easier
• Increased energy levels

1 month

• Reduced blood pressure and pulse rate
• Strengthened immune system with more resistance to sickness

2 months

• Elimination of excess mucus in lungs. Even better breathing.

3 months

• Lung functions improved by 30%

More Reasons to Quit Smoking

Do not lose sight of the reasons as to why you should quit smoking

• Passive smoking, endangering those around us, including our children
• General  health
• Lack of energy, depression and anxiety
• Decrease lung capacity
• Avoid unpleasant diseases and premature death
• After government taxes, cigarettes are expensive. Stop smoking, save some money.

Ways to Quit

Quit smoking hypnosis

Some people report some success from quitting smoking through hypnosis which taps into the subconscious to alter the thought process. From these people are reports that hypnosis helped to enhance their will power and find inner calm during the withdrawal period. 

However, on the downside:

• Hypnosis is expensive
• Hypnosis is not effective enough on most people for the purpose of quitting smoking. Some people are more susceptible to hypnosis then others 

Zyban

It’s interesting the way Zyban became a prescribed method of quitting smoking. Originally, Zyban (bupropion hydrochloride), was used as an antidepressant\anxiety medicine and then it was observed that smokers who were on the drug stopped smoking without even planning to.

As such, Zyban has a reputation for effectively removing the need for a smoker to exhibit much will power.

However, on the downside:

• Zyban is a prescription drug and as such must be used as a last resort to other methods of quitting smoking. Doctors may be reluctant to prescribe Zyban before being convinced that all other methods have been exhausted
• Bupropion hydrochloride (Zyban) is a strong drug that is likely to exhibit common side effects including
  > Insomnia
  > Appetite changes
  > Agitation
  > Headaches
  > Dry mouth
  > Runny nose
  > Dizziness
  > Nausea
• Some of the other side effects of Zyban which have driven people to cease use include
  > Skin rash/hives
  > Trembles
  > Seizures (you should not take Zyban if you are prone to seizures)

Lozenges

Quite Smoking lozenges are a form of nicotine replacement therapy taken in the form of a lolly.

Quite smoking lozenges work in 2 main ways.

• They release a controlled amount of nicotine into the system to help reduce cravings
• They give the smoker an oral distraction from the mouth to hand habit of smoking a cigarette

However, on the downside:

• Lozenges are expensive
• The lozenges need to be taken for months for long term effectiveness
• Though there is the oral distraction, it is still not the same as the hand to mouth action of a cigarette
• Side effects of quite smoking lozenges include
• Sleeping problems / insomnia
  > Nausea
  > Headache
  > Coughing
  > Heart burn 

Champix

Champix is a relatively new player to the quit smoking scene compared to the other methods we have covered. It works by shutting down the nerve receptors in the brain that respond to nicotine. These receptors when activated cause a release in dopamine. Dopamine is the chemical in the brain that results in a feeling of well being and satisfaction.  By shutting down the receptors and the consequent release of dopamine, the cravings are almost reduced and the need to have a cigarette to be satisfied is removed.

However, on the downside:

• Champix is expensive
• Like Zyban, Champix is a drug that requires prescription.  It is subject to wide range of side effects such as
  > Lowering of sex drive
  > Depression
  > Anxiety
  > Nausea
  > Constipation
  > Gas
  > Vomiting
  > Dreaming issues
  > Chest pain
  > Hypertension
  > Emotional disorders
• There was some controversy surrounding the use of Champix when it was blamed for suicides resulting from depression and other psychological problems

Quit Smoking Tips

• Drink plenty of water
• Get fresh air through walks or exercise
• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables to help feed your increased appetite, manage your weight loss and flush toxins from your system
• Distraction from smoking is often key
  > An enjoyable form of exercise will not only help to distract you, but help you to feel healthier, another motivation not to put a cigarette in your mouth
  > Call/visit a friend or family member, especially good if they are supportive of you quitting smoking
  > Make a nice meal and enjoy it slowly
  > Go see a movie
  > Play a compute game, there are many things that are better then smoking…
• Place the money that you would spend on quitting smoking in a jar or spend it on a treat instead.