Deciding to Quit
Most smokers (about 70 percent) say they want to quit smoking completely, and more than half of these try each year. While it may not be easy, you can stop. Currently more than 44 million Americans have stopped smoking. And since they did it, you can too.
Most people who have stopped completely have tried several times before being successful. If you didn't make it on your last try, don't get discouraged. The next time may be your successful attempt. The good news is there are now more effective treatments available that can more than double your chances of quitting successfully.
If you are ready to stop smoking, review the proven sucessful guidelines listed below: "10 Steps to Help You Succeed in Quitting." Discuss these guidelines with your physician and ask for additional help and guidance. If you are not ready to stop at this time, consider the brief Benefits of Quitting summary listed below.
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Facts About Smoking and Health
- About 21 percent of adults in the United States, 44.5 million people, smoke cigarettes today.
- Lifelong smokers have one chance in two of dying from a smoking related disease. In these cases, the average loss in life expectancy is more than 13 years.
- Smoking increases the risk of lung cancer by over 20 times, the risk of emphysema by 10 times, and the risk of heart disease by three times.
- The American Cancer society estimates that smoking claims more than 440,000 lives in the U.S. each year.
- More than 22 percent of high school students currently smoke.
- Smokers who quit before age 50 have half the risk of dying in the next 15 years as those persons who continue to smoke.
- Nearly one in two smokers (41 percent) try to quit each year. About 21 percent of U.S. adults are ex-smokers (25 million men and 19 million women).
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Benefits of Quitting?
If you are not ready to quit right away, at least begin thinking about the advantages of quitting.
- Less cancer. Smoking is strongly related to cancer of the lungs, mouth, bladder, kidney, and pancreas. Smoking is responsible for nearly one-third of all cancer deaths.
- Less heart disease and stroke. As soon as you quit smoking your HDL cholesterol levels improve, blood pressure goes down, and there is less damage to the artery walls from carbon monoxide in the blood.
- Fewer wrinkles. Smoking is a major cause of wrinkles in later life.
- Sexier. Your breath is fresher, teeth are not stained, and you smell better. In men, smoking increases risk of impotence.
- Financially better off. It's not only the money you'll save from not buying cigarettes (figure it out: the number of packs per day times 365 days a year) but also higher medical expenses. The government estimates that for every pack of cigarettes smoked it costs nearly $4 for additional medical expenses caused from smoking. Surely there are more enjoyable ways to spend your money than giving it to the tobacco companies.
- Live years longer to enjoy your grandchildren. A recent study shows that for every cigarette smoked you loss 11 minutes of life expectancy. How many fun things could you do each day with 11 minutes times the number of cigarettes smoked daily?
- Have fewer colds. Be sick less often, enjoy better health, and be more fit.
- Stronger bones. Smoking increases the risk of osteoporosis.
- Happier. Smokers experience more depression then nonsmokers.
- Reduce fire danger. Each year smoking causes 200,000 fires resulting in $300,000,000 in property damage and killing more than 1,000 people.
- Be in control of your life instead of letting tobacco control you.
- Not harm the health of others. Nonsmoking spouses who live with smokers have a 30 percent increased risk of lung cancer compared to spouses living with nonsmokers. Smoking also causes increased health hazards for unborn children, sudden death in infants, and allergy and respiratory infections in young children living with smokers.
- Be a positive role model. With kids, as with most adults, what you do speaks louder than what you say. Each day 3,000 children become addicted to cigarette smoking. Set a good example for your kids and grandkids as a nonsmoker.
10 Steps to Help You Succeed in Quitting
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| 1. Get help and support from your doctor. Your doctor can advise you on medicines and/or nicotine replacement therapies that can make your plan to quit much more likely to succeed. Your physician can give you further advice and recommendations if you need additional help. |
| 2. Set a quit date. Ideally, this should be within two weeks of the time you visit your doctor. Tell your family, friends, and coworkers your plans and your quit date and ask for their understanding and support. Try to keep major deadlines and pressures at a minimum the first week or two when you are quitting. Anticipate challenges to quitting, especially the first few days and weeks. Some, such as nicotine withdrawal, can be reduced by taking a nicotine replacement therapy until you are over the hump. |
| To get ready, remove all tobacco products from your home and work environment. Prior to quitting, make a definite attempt to avoid smoking in places where you spend a lot of time (your office, your home, or car) It's important to begin breaking the habit of wanting to smoke when you have certain experiences such as when you sit in a specific chair or when driving home after work. |
| Write out your reasons for wanting to quit (such as health concerns, family, and improved fitness). Review these reasons daily when first quitting. Schedule an appointment with your dental hygienist to have your teeth cleaned the week you stop. |
| 3. On your quit date, STOP! It's best to quit entirely, not even one puff after the quit date. Even one puff will increase urges to smoke and make it more difficult. Should you slip and smoke one cigarette, however, don't give up. You can make the next day a smoke free day. |
| Since alcohol reduces your resolve to quit, it's best to avoid all alcohol when trying to quit. Quitting is also more difficult if there are other smokers in the house. If you can, quit together. If not, ask any other smokers in your house and office not to smoke in your presence. If you think you need to smoke every time you have a cup of coffee, you may want to avoid coffee or try another hot drink. |
| Anticipate roadblocks ahead of time and plan how to handle these situations, such as how to cope with withdrawal symptoms (e.g. using nicotine replacement therapy), and fear of weight gain (replace smoking with an active lifestyle and eating more healthfully). Talk to your friends who have quit and how they handled these situations. Ask your doctor or smoking counselor for tips and suggestions. |
| Guard against excessive stress, pressures, and deadlines the week you quit. Get extra rest. Eat simply and healthfully (lots of fruits, vegetables, and water) but avoid dieting while stopping. Take lots of walks in the open air. Physical activity has been found to be especially helpful for women who are stopping smoking. Keep busy in the evenings and weekend with activities you enjoy. |
| 4. Make a "survival kit" to keep near you the first few days. Oral satisfaction can be derived from chewing on gum (sugarless if concerned about your teeth), holding a tooth pick in your mouth, munching on carrot sticks and celery, or sucking on a mint or red-hot candy. Keep you fingers busy with a pencil, rubber bands, or a rubber squeeze ball. Review your list of reasons why you are quitting regularly. Consciously say to yourself that you choose to quit smoking. Use the power of the mind to resist old habits and establish new. |
| 5. Start a list of personal benefits you receive from stopping (feel better, food tastes better, you're less winded when exercising, feel better about yourself). Make this an ongoing list. Include benefits others may suggest to you as well (you look better or smell better). |
| 6. Get social support. If you can join a stop smoking class or group, the instruction and support can be very helpful. Being able to talk to a smoking cessation counselor or an understanding friend who has quit can also be helpful. |
| Find someone you can call and talk to when smoking urges get really strong. Check in with your support person regularly. Reporting to someone helps your resolve. Discuss smoking "triggers" (those things that make you want to smoke) and how to handle them. |
| 7. Use of approved pharmacotherapy. There are several products that have been shown to be effective in reducing withdrawal symptoms and increasing success in quitting. Discuss the use of these therapies with your doctor. The medications include: sustained-release bupropion hydrochloride, nicotine gum, nicotine inhaler, nicotine nasal spray, and nicotine patch. Some of these are available over-the-counter at your pharmacy. |
| 8. Reward your progress. Set short-term goals and rewards as well as longer term goals and rewards. For example, if you remain stopped for a week, buy a new outfit or other item you would love to have. When you've remained stopped for six months, take a special vacation to a favorite location. Have something special you can look forward to enjoying. You can pay for it with the money you saved by not buying cigarettes. |
| 9. Follow-up contact with doctor. It's recommended that you visit your doctor again within a week of your stop date and then again at least a month after stopping. Discuss your progress. Talk over any difficulties you are having. Should you have a relapse, you can use it as a learning experience. What was the reason you went back to smoking? What can you do differently now? Identify problems early and plan preventive actions. If necessary, explore more intensive treatment programs with your doctor. |
| 10. Guard against discouragement. Many people go back to smoking during a personal crisis or time of discouragement. Plan ahead what you would do if you have a crisis in your life. Social support and help from your doctor in a crisis can be very helpful. Remember, you are only one cigarette away from becoming a smoker again. Don't tempt yourself. Plan for long-term success. Replace smoking with other fun and healthy activities. Continue your study and commitment to a healthier you. Begin telling others about the benefits of quitting. Help students in your local school or church see the dangers of smoking and great benefits of never starting. By encouraging others, you enhance your own resolve. |
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