Smoking is often an ingrained part of your daily activities. You may light up with friends, while drinking coffee or alcohol, when bored and lonely, or when stressed.
Smoking is also a physical addiction to nicotine. When the body becomes dependent on the chemical and then is deprived of it, the person will develop cravings for nicotine that are often difficult to overcome. With the proper attitude and the right support, however, quitting is possible.
Important Health Benefits of Quitting
According to the CDC, twenty minutes after you quit, your heart rate drops. Twelve hours after you quit, the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal. Within three months, your risk of a heart attack drops dramatically and your lung functions will improve. Within nine months, coughing and shortness of breath will decrease.
One year after quitting, your risk of coronary heart disease is already half of what it used to be when you were a smoker. Five years after quitting, your stroke risk is the same as a non-smoker’s. Ten years after quitting, your chances of getting lung cancer is reduced to half of what it was when you were a smoker, and by the time fifteen years have passed, your risk of heart disease is back to that of a non-smoker’s.
Additional Reasons to Quit
- You will not potentially carry a baby that will be plagued with low birth weight and chronic health problems after birth
- You will stop non-smokers from breathing secondhand smoke, which can cause them numerous health conditions such as asthma, ear infections, and pneumonia
- You will feel more energetic and fit
- Whiter teeth and nails
- You will breathe more easily
- You will be proud of yourself and make everyone in your life proud
- You will be a better role model for your children
- You will no longer smell like an ashtray and be more desirable to friends and lovers
- Extra spending money
- Overall lifetime lower healthcare costs
Tips for Quitting Smoking
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention offers a comprehensive list of resources for smokers desiring to quit. Also, consider the following tips:
- Use the CDC’s START program: Set a quit date, Tell everyone you are planning to quit, Anticipate and plan for challenges that will arise, Remove cigarettes and their smell from your work and home environments, and Talk to your doctor about getting help.
- Write down the reasons that you want to quit and keep copies of it everywhere, so that each time you are tempted to smoke you are reminded of the reasons why you are quitting.
- Use Nicotine Replacement Therapy products such as gum, lozenges or a patch to provide lessening amounts of nicotine to wean yourself from the chemical.
- Ask your doctor for a prescription medication to help aid your quest to stop smoking.
- Get counseling and support in a group setting to help identify your triggers and have a healthy method of emotional release.
- Use a Hotline specifically for quitting smoking such as the National Cancer Institute at 1-877-44U-QUIT (1-877-448-7848) or the National Quitline at 1-800-QUITNOW (1-800-784-8669).
- Find non-smoking places to relax, such as the library, mall, museum, church, temple, or gym.
- Know the places you smoke the most often and avoid them, or bring backups to keep your mouth busy, such as lollipops or gum.
- Keep your hands busy as well. Keep a pen or pencil nearby to journal or doodle with, or learn to knit, sew, or throw a punch in the boxing ring.
- Keep a journal to write down daily ups and downs and to document cravings so that you can avoid them.
- Keep your body healthy by eating and drinking well, and exercise frequently.
- Reward yourself with a splurge or a new item you’ve always wanted after you have made it through a certain number of days.
- Don’t be too hard on yourself if you relapse – just learn from the experience and move forward.
Withdrawal Symptoms
Many smokers attempting to quit have withdrawal symptoms, which can dampen their efforts. Symptoms include depression, anxiety, irritability, restlessness, fatigue, excess hunger, weight gain, and the inability to stay focused. This is why utilizing many of the above tips can be so essential.
Clearly, the decision to quit smoking must come from you and you alone. There are many important reasons to stop smoking that can be your motivation during this difficult time. Do not feel alone – many people quit each year, and many more are on hand to help you through this period.
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