If you have tried to quit smoking, you know how hard it can be. It is hard because nicotine is a very addictive drug. For some people, it can be as addictive as heroin or cocaine.

 

Quitting is hard. Usually people make 2 or 3 tries, or more, before finally being able to quit. Each time you try to quit, you can learn about what helps and what hurts.

 

 

Good Reasons For Quitting

 

Quitting smoking is one of the most important things you will ever do:

• You will live longer and live better
• Quitting will lower your chance of having a heart attack, stroke or cancer
• If you are pregnant, quitting smoking will improve your chances of having a healthy baby.
• The people you live with, especially your children, will be healthier
• You will have extra money to spend on things other than cigarettes

 

Five Keys for Quitting

 

Studies have shown that these five steps will help you quit and quit for good. You have the best chances of quitting if you use them together.

1. Get ready
2. Get support
3. Learn new skills and behaviors
4. Get medication and use it correctly
5. Be prepared for relapse or difficult situations

 

1. Get Ready

• Set a quit date
• Change your environment
• Get rid of ALL cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car and place of work
• Don’t let people smoke in your home
• Review your past attempts to quit. Think about what worked and what did not
• Once you quit, don’t smoke – NOT EVEN A PUFF

 

2. Get Support and encouragement

 

Studies have shown that you have a better chance of being successful if you have help. You can get support in many ways.

• Tell your family, friends, and co workers that you are going to quit and you want their support. Ask them not to smoke around you or leave cigarettes out
• Talk to your health care provider
• Get individual, group or telephone counseling. The more counseling you have, the better your chances are of quitting.

 

3. Learn New Skills and Behaviors

• Try to distract yourself from urges to smoke. Talk to someone, go for a walk, or get busy with a task.
• When you first to try to quit, change your routine. Use a different route to work. Drink tea instead of coffee
• Eat breakfast in a different place
• Do something to reduce your stress. Take a hot bath, exercise, or read a book
• Plan something enjoyable to do every day
• Drink lots of water and other fluids.

 

4. Get Medication and Use It Correctly

 

Medications can help you stop smoking and lessen the urge to smoke

• The U.S. Food and Drug administration (FDA) has approved five medications to help you quit smoking:
• Bupropion SR – available by prescription
• Nicotine gum - available by prescription
• Nicotine nasal spray - available over-the-counter
• Nicotine patch - available by prescription and over-the-counter
• Ask your health care provider for advice and carefully read the information on the package
• All of these medications will more or less double your chances of quitting and quitting for good
• Everyone who is trying to quit may benefit from using a medication. If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, nursing, under age 18, smoking fewer than 10 cigarettes per day, or have a medical condition, talk to y our doctor or other health care provider before taking medications.

 

5. Be Prepared for Relapse or Difficult Situations

 

Most relapses occur within the first 3 months after quitting. Don’t be discouraged if you start smoking again. Remember, most people try several times before they finally quit. Here are some difficult situations to watch for:

• Alcohol. Avoid drinking alcohol. Drinking lowers your chances of success
• Other smokers. Being around smoking can make you want to smoke
• Weight gain. Many smokers will gain weight when they quit, usually less than 10 pounds. Eat a healthy diet and stay active. Don’t let weight gain distract you from your main goal – quitting smoking. Some quit-smoking medications may help delay weight gain.
• Bad mood or depression. There are a lot of ways to improve your mood other than smoking

 If you are having problems with any of these situation, talk to your doctor or other health care provider.

 

 

Special Situation or Conditions

 

Studies suggest that everyone can quit smoking. Your situation or condition can give you a special reason to quit.

• Pregnant women/new mothers: by quitting, you protect y our baby’s health and your own
• Hospitalized patients: by quitting, you reduce health problems and help healing
• Heart attack patients: by quitting, you reduce your risk of a second heart attack
• Lund, head and neck cancer patient: by quitting, you reduce you chance of a second cancer
• Parents of children and adolescents: by quitting, you protect your children and adolescents from illnesses caused by second-hand smoke

 

Facts:

• A smoker’s chances of getting lung cancer are 10 times greater than a nonsmoker
• A smoker is twice as likely to have a heart attack
• Cigarette smoking is strongly linked with emphysema and chronic bronchitis
• Cigarette smoke contains about 4,000 chemicals. Many are poisonous and over 40 of them are linked to cancer
• Cigarette smoke is harmful to everyone who inhales it, including those who do not smoke themselves
• Two of every five smoking related deaths are from cardiovascular disease
• Overall mortality is two times higher in cigarette smokers compared to nonsmokers
• Lung cancer risk in smokers is more than 20 times higher in men and 12 times higher in women
• Ischemic stroke is two to five times more common in smokers
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) mortality rates among smokers is 10 times higher than nonsmokers

 

Additional Resources

 

    American Heart Association - 1-800-242-8721

 

    American Cancer Society - 404-320-3333

 

    American Lung Association - 212-315-8700

 

    National Cancer Institure - 1-800-422-6237