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Best Kept Secrets of Smokers Who Quits
1.
If you've tried to quit smoking, chewing or dipping before and failed,
your chances of success are better . . .not worse!
Most
tobacco users who succeed at quitting don't strike pay dirt on their
first try. With each attempt to quit, you learn something new. The
accumulation of these learning attempts prepare you for the final drive
to success.
2.
An idle mind is the playground of the devil.
Successful quitters recognize one important fact. As they begin to slow
down their rate of tobacco use, they have more time to fill. If they fill
their minds with nothing, the ugly prospect of relapse looms high. That's
why successful quitters get busy with hobbies, sports and other
activities. When the "tobacco" man calls, leave an assertive message . .
I'm out having a ball. Can't see you today!
3.
Take a short ride on the wagon.
Successful quitters tell us that restricting alcohol for 4 to 8 weeks
after their quit date helps tremendously. There is a strong association
between tobacco use and alcohol use. Alcohol affects the part of the
brain that is responsible for planning and controlling your behavior. A
couple of drinks weaken your resolve to avoid tobacco use. Restricting
alcohol and caffeinated beverages during the critical 1 to 2 months after
your quit day reduces your chances for a potential relapse.
4.
Have a "Quit Buddy."
It's
better to talk with someone who's experiencing the same set of emotions
as you are. We suggest you get one of your friends to quit with you. In
addition, the IHC Quit Smoking Program® includes a support telephone
line to trained counselors who are ready to listen and talk with you as
you go through the program or communicating through email.
5.
Why does your own personal plan of quitting usually fail?
It sounds
a little harsh to say that any plan of quitting you come up with yourself
is doomed to failure. But this isn't a self-serving statement for the
companies that market smoking cessation programs. Maybe you've heard
tobacco users say they cut down on their own but just couldn't get beyond
a certain point. There actually is a very logical reason why "home-grown"
quit programs fail. You see, when you start to cut back, which smokes,
dips or chews do you eliminate, the ones you enjoy the most? No. You
subconsciously cut out the least enjoyable cigarette, dip or chew. And,
in this subtle way you actually reinforce your habit. What is needed is a
systematic plan such as IHC Quit Smoking Program® that gradually
eliminates tobacco across the board.
6.
Be realistic. Quitting smoking, dipping or chewing is not easy.
If you've
been taken in by the occasional tobacco user who tells you it was a piece
of cake to quit, remember you're listening to the exception not the rule.
Listen to those that have struggled, learned and won. A good dose of
realistic thinking will prepare you to succeed better than anything else.
7.
Smoke, dip or chew at times you DON'T want to.
Even
though you've heard that nicotine is one of the strongest addictive
drugs, there is hope. There are two sides to your addiction. . . physical
dependence on nicotine and habit. Once you recognize and change those
habitual times that you use tobacco you begin to weaken the chains that
bind you. This is something the IHC Quit Smoking Program® program does
automatically. You can do it on your own and hasten the day when your
habits of smoking are broken.
8.
Adopt a specific quit program. . . and stick to it.
Once
you've made that all important decision, don't allow yourself to waiver.
. . to make exceptions and stir away from the program.
9.
Tell the world you're quitting.
Closet
quitters aren't successful. Keeping quiet about quitting almost ensures
failure. . . because no one is pulling for you in the biggest challenge
of your life. Hold yourself accountable for your commitment by announcing
it to your friends, to family, and to associates. Some even go as far as
to make a bet with someone that they can quit. Going public like this
gets people to join your team. . . to provide you with the moral support
you need.
10.
Start thinking like a non-smoker or chewer.
If
inwardly you say you're a tobacco user and always will be, you'll find
the thought of quitting a strange one. That's why its effective start
rearranging your personal view of yourself. There are some simple things
you can do to reverse the process. For example, sit in the non-smoking
section of a restaurant and visualize yourself as a non-smoker. These
techniques will not automatically convert you from a tobacco user, but
they will cultivate a changed internal view of yourself.
11.
Don't be taken in by the "cravings for the rest of your life" trick.
Some
tobacco users fear that the strong urges they currently have to smoke or
chew will persist for their entire lifetime. Anyone who seriously
believes this will hardly want to swim upstream where those strong
currents of the urge will push you under. Here's where the application of
a simple truth will help. It's the urge, when successfully handled, that
makes it easier to cope with the next craving. In short, one success
makes the next successful resistance that much easier.
12.
Weight gain is not inevitable.
It is
true that there is a 30% change in metabolism when the artificial
stimulus of nicotine is removed. However, you can counteract this change
and actually lose weight. Just as an athlete overcomes injury by
over-compensating, tobacco users should take similar steps to overcome
weight gain. Avoid sweets, eat non-caloric health snacks, and begin an
exercise program.
13.
Measure your progress against realistic short-term goals.
Imagine a
mountain climber who after his first day's effort to climb Mt. Everest
despairs. . . because he didn't reach the peak. This sounds ridiculous,
but some smokers fall into a similar trap. Establish short term goals
along the way and reward yourself for successful achievements of each
phase.
14.
Write down all the reasons you want to quit.
Those who
succeed at quitting get specific. And nothing helps so much in this
regard as committing your reasons to writing. You might even summarize
those reasons on a small card and carry it with you throughout the day.
15.
Testing yourself with the just one cigarette or chew is risky.
Successful quitters tell us something worth noting. Once they quit, they
cut loose from any attempt to test themselves to see if they really quit.
Keeping a pack of cigarettes and a lighter or a can of snuff on hand
"just in case" is dangerous.
16.
Don't fall for the "just one cigarette" or "just one dip" myth.
Research
shows that most of the people who smoke or chew "just one more" start
again. There's only one safe thing to do, when "just one more" sounds
possible, think to yourself: "It's a myth." Play it safe, if you've been
successful. . . stick to it and let your success be as long as your life.
17.
Avoid high risk situations.
Right now
make a list of your most common smoking or chewing situation. Then figure
out your own plan on how you will avoid these situations. Avoid people
who smoke heavily or sit in the non-smoking section of restaurants.
Confirm your good habits by avoiding high-risk smoking or chewing
situations.
18.
Take non-cigarette breaks.
What was
so pleasant about your former cigarette breaks. Smoking was part of it,
but there are other trappings of the breaks that you don't have to give
up. Enjoy the change of scenery. Talk with others. Just because you are
not smoking doesn't mean you can't enjoy the activities associated with
the old breaks.
19.
Physical withdrawal symptoms are good!
Sure the
withdrawal symptoms are not fun, but look at it this way. These physical
manifestations are a sign that your body is beginning to heal itself. As
the healing process completes, the pain will go away.
20.
Exercise works like
magic.
There is
a simple way to ease stress, lose weight and help you to cope with urges.
Exercise. You don't need to run a marathon, or go to aerobics class 5
nights a week. Recent evidence indicates that even moderate exercise can
be beneficial such as a 10 minute walk three times a week.
Becoming a
Non-Smoker
The first step in
becoming a non-smoker is to plan ahead and keep an action plan handy that
includes your
(1.)
personal reasons for quitting
(2.)
list of your most common triggers
(3.)
coping techniques that work best for you.
Then when things
get tough, you will be able to reinforce your decision to quit smoking
and “take charge” of the situation.
Using Medication
Products
You may have chosen
to use a nicotine replacement product to help cope with the physical
addiction to nicotine. There are several FDA approved (USA)
nicotine products available: nicotine gum
and nicotine patches,
available over-the-counter, and a
nicotine nasal spray and a
nicotine inhaler, currently available only by prescription
from a doctor.
Caution:
You must quit smoking completely before using these products.
A non-nicotine pill
under the trade name, Zyban,
is also available by prescription. It acts with the brain chemistry to
bring about some of the effects that nicotine has when people smoke.
Caution:
It must be started at least one week before you quit.
Check with your
doctor or pharmacist to find out which product might be right for you and
to discuss any potential risks in using these products. In order for
medications to work successfully, you must be committed to your action
plan as discussed above, and you must make a serious effort to overcome
habits associated with smoking.
Congratulation! Your
reading is very encouraging.
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