There's no smoke without fear. (Giving Up Smoking in General)

Member Name: jaybee

Product:	Giving Up Smoking in General
Date:	06/03/01 (80 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Keeps you healthier -saves you money

Disadvantages: heart disease, lung cancer, bronchitis -you get the picture

Having smoked for over fifteen years and having smoked heavily (around 40+ a day) for more than half that time, I feel I can comment on this subject as someone who knows a bit about it.

Like most smokers, I tried to stop on a number of occasions over the years. I always had the best intentions and was convinced that I could stop if I wanted too, but when I did try to stop I found it really difficult and although I managed to stop for a few weeks – I think the longest I ever went was about three months – I always ended up smoking again.

I believe the main reason for this was the fact that I didn’t really want to stop smoking. Like most smokers I was well aware of the damage cigarettes could do to my health, not only the fact that I was greatly increasing the risk of cancer, but also the other related diseases like Emphysema, bronchitis etc, which the inhalation of smoke can cause.

So why didn’t I stop?

Well when I was younger there is definitely a tendency to think ‘It won’t happen to me, It’s old people who get things like cancer’ I’ll be okay and anyway I’ll be able to stop when I like. The other reason was I actually enjoyed smoking (No I didn’t have a death wish –though on reflection it might seem that way) it was a very sociable experience, most of my friends smoked. If I went to the pub for a few beers I would smoke loads. I was convinced that smoking helped me relax in stressful situations, or after a hard days work. I know realise that some of the stress I experienced was actually my addiction to nicotine, and the craving that I had.

As I got older I began to realise that smoking wasn’t a very good idea, that I wasn’t immortal and I should be taking care of my health and not abusing it.

The turning point for me was when I became a father. I wanted my children to grow up in a non-smoking environment (they didn’t choo
se to smoke, so why should I inflict it on them.) I also wanted to enjoy watching them grow up and be fit enough to join in the fun.

The way I actually gave up was to just decide that was it, I’m not going to smoke again. Now I know that’s a lot easier said than done, what a lot of people forget (especially non-smokers) is that nicotine is a highly addictive drug and you need a lot of encouragement and support to give up. In the USA nicotine is classified as a controlled drug by the FDA (federal Drug Agency) it is in the same classification group as drugs like heroin, because it is so addictive. So it’s no wonder many people find it so difficult to quit.

To make it easier for you to stop there are a lot of things that can help.
Firstly set a day in your mind when you are going to stop, then tell as many people as possible that you will stop smoking on this day. It’s a good idea to do this, as you will need a lot of encouragement and support (especially in the first couple of weeks) also it helps encourage you, as you don’t want to fail after only a day or two and then have to tell all these people that you have no willpower. It’s amazing how the feeling of embarrassment can spur you on.

I personally didn’t use any of the smoking aids that are on the market but a lot of people find these helpful. Nicotine patches are one of the most popular aids. They release a measured amount of nicotine into the body over a period of time, and help in reducing the craving and withdrawal from the nicotine. Nicotine chewing gum is also used by a lot of people, I’ve tried this before and to be honest I found the taste disgusting. It’s what I imagine eating an ashtray full of cigarette ends (with a hint of mint) would taste like. Although I know a few people who have used this method and been successful.

Some people try to wean themselves off cigarettes by changing to herbal cigarettes. I per
sonally wouldn’t recommend this, as although these cigarettes don’t contain nicotine they aren’t a safe alternative, as you still inhale the smoke and it’s the smoke that causes diseases like lung cancer, and respertory diseases. not the addictive nicotine.

There is another method available, that is the drug Zyban, this drug is available on the NHS from your doctor. This is the first recognised smoking aid that doesn’t contain nicotine. The drug was actually first used as an anti-depressant, before it’s properties in helping people kick the habit were discovered. The drug works by blocking receptors in the brain, which give you the craving for nicotine. It has a very high success rate, around 70 percent I believe.

Other methods to consider are acupuncture I have a friend who used this method and hasn’t smoked for over two years now. Hypnotism also works for some people, these methods can be a bit expensive, as you may need more than one session of treatment, but if they work then it’s worth it, as you can’t put a price on your health.

The most vital aid however is you. You must want to give up. You must have willingness and a desire to stop. I’ve not smoked now in over four years, but believe it or not I sometimes get a craving for a cigarette.
I reckon you will from time to time. It’s at times this where my greatest motivation now comes into play, that motivation is FEAR. I fear picking up a cigarette and starting again.

It’s hard enough to stay healthy these days without doing your body any more unnecessary harm. Isn’t it?

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