Most people who smoke/use nicotine products want to quit. I would say around 99.9%. And of those who try the success rate is pretty low. If we did it right, people would go into treatment for 30 days to work on their smoking habit but because it is such a slow drawn out death and not a quick one, it’s not seen as a priority to treat. The fear of quitting is as powerful as any drug addict’s. But its difference is what makes it so hard to quit. Because it is legal and doesn’t cause the smoker to do any dangerous activities (outside of destroying their own health) makes it the hardest struggle to quit, and clinically it is harder to quit than other drugs.
Around this time of year many people decide that January 1 is a good time to quit smoking. Now I’m not here to say that it’s a bad time, but just coming off the holidays and the stress they bring I think there’s a less stressful time to quit. But if you are dead set on quitting January 1 then go for it! Many people quit multiple times before they’re successful so it helps to view the quitting tobacco journey as a process rather than pass-fail.
Because smoking has been a constant with people throughout most of their lifetimes and
since most people usually start smoking when they are a peer-pressure-susceptible teenager, it has been there to support the ups and downs. A person can come to believe that smoking got them through difficult times. Not true.
Some suggestions to help you get through the process:
1. I always suggest that someone pick a quick date as far out as possible. There’s something to be said for giving yourself time to emotionally prepare for quitting.
2. Tell a few important people in your life that you’re quitting on that date. Ask them to be your support team. Let them know what to say if you call and say you want to smoke.
3. Think about if you want to do nicotine replacement, like the patch, gum, or losenge. Keeping in mind that switching to vaping just prolongs the experience of quitting. Vaping is just as hard to quit. Most of the time people get stuck vaping because they can rationalize vaping better than the other tobacco products. Vaping is not safe.
4. If you were going to go cold turkey, make sure you allow for the first three days to be a little grouchy, spacey, mostly out of it. You do not want to be operating any heavy equipment or driving long distances. Rest and distract yourself.
5. When you do get to the point of reducing the nicotine in your body make sure you’re drinking lots of water, it’ll help in the process. There are many vitamins and supplements which will assist in the process also.
6. Stock up on hard candies, gum, fruits and vegetables.
7. Many people gain weight when they quit smoking. It is part of the process caused by the slowing of your metabolism. And because you have quit smoking you’ve given yourself more time to lose the extra 10 or so pounds you put on. Your health really should come first.
8. Take note of what circumstances you connect tobacco products with. For most people it is after a meal, in the car, on the phone etc. these are going to be your hardest times. Draw up a game plan for how you’re going to do these differently. Just for a few months until you get this quitting smoking/tobacco thing down.
9. The night before you quit get rid of any thing tobacco related. Remove ashtrays from the house or backyard, destroy any tobacco products.
Many people have a high emotional attachment to tobacco, which makes the process much harder. I can help you with this whole process as I am a certified tobacco addiction specialist. Please call me. I can help.
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