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Stop Smoking for a Healthier Life
Looking for reasons to quit smoking? Here's four reasons that top
our list:
- The number one reason to quit smoking is to reduce the risk
of dying early. Smoking causes one in five deaths (430,000) in
the United States every year. The death rate from cancer is two
times higher in smokers than non-smokers. Heavy smokers, who smoke
40 cigarettes or more per day, have 4 times the risk of cancer.
- Smokers have higher rates of lung and heart problems. They are
also at greater risk for developing ulcers, cataracts and osteoporosis.
Pregnant women who smoke have greater risks of problems, such
as low birth rates, early deliveries and infant death.
- Nicotine is a drug in cigarettes that changes the way your
body uses many other drugs. Each cigarette you smoke has 4,000
chemicals and 43 carcinogens. Carcinogens are materials that cause
cancer and illness.
- Cigarettes cost a great deal of money. You will spend $6,000
or more in your lifetime for medical costs and illness than a
non-smoker.
How Do I Quit?
First, talk to your caregiver about how to stop smoking. There
are many ways to quit, but what seems to work best is using the
following three together:
- Get support and encouragement.
- Learn how to deal with your stress.
- Use medicines. There are nicotine patches, gum, nasal spray,
and pills. Your caregiver can help you decide what combinations
of medicines are right for you.
Remember, you have the right to help plan your care. To help
with this plan you must learn about how smoking effects your health
and how to stop. You can then discuss treatment options with your
caregivers. Work with them to decide what care will be used to treat
you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.
Second, set a date to quit and stick to it. Choose a day that you
will remember so you can celebrate it every year after you quit.
Next, use the following activities to help you get ready to quit
and write them on a calendar:
- Cut down to only half a cigarette each time you smoke, or only
smoke during the even hours of the day.
- Clean out things that smell like smoke, such as ashtrays, drapes,
the car, or your office.
- Get a friend or spouse to quit with you. Talk about it with
them and plan on how you will give each other support.
- Try to be aware of why you smoked each cigarette. Then practice
avoiding the things that cause you to smoke.
- Understand that quitting is not easy. Most people try several
times before they succeed. But, it is possible and 3 million people
quit successfully each year.
- Write down a list of reasons why you want to quit. Review one
or more every night before you go to bed.
- On the day you quit, change what you do during the day.
- Throw your cigarettes away.
- If you drink coffee, try changing to tea. Hold your cup in the
other hand.
- Sit in a different place at the table during meals.
- Ask for help from family and friends. The first couple of days
and weeks will be rough, but the support will help.
- Make big plans for this day and keep very busy. Treat yourself
to something special to celebrate stopping smoking.
Coping with withdrawal symptoms
Withdrawal symptoms are the side effects that occur when your body
no longer has the drug, nicotine in it. Having withdrawal symptoms
is actually good. It means your body is getting rid of bad tobacco
chemicals. But coping with withdrawal is hard.
Usually withdrawal only lasts a few days to a couple of weeks.
Exercise and relaxation can help with many of them. Few people have
all of the following symptoms, but some may occur:
- Anger or unfriendliness.
- Anxiety or edginess. Activities, such as talking a walk, help
lessen anxiety or edginess.
- Coughing. Sip warm tea or suck on cough drops or sugarless
candy to soothe your throat.
- Constipation. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains
to increase your fiber intake.
- Decreased heart rate.
- Difficulty focusing on your thoughts.
- Dry or sore gums. Drink cold water or fruit juices, or chew
gum.
- Feeling unhappy or depressed. Talk to someone close to you
for support.
- Headaches. Try a shower or a warm bath. Learn new ways to relax,
like deep breathing, relaxing muscles, music, meditations, or
biofeedback.
- Increased hunger or weight gain. Try eating healthier foods
and exercising.
- Restlessness and a short temper.
- Trouble sleeping or tiredness. Try not drinking coffee, tea,
or sodas with caffeine after 6pm.
Dealing with Cravings
After you've quit, you will have many times when you want to smoke,
or think that you need to smoke. These are called cravings or urges.
Even though cravings do not last long, the four “D's”
can help you get through them.
- Delay. Do not act on the urge to smoke. It
will pass in a few minutes. Do not give in.
- Deep Breathing. Take deep breaths. Breathe
in slowly and deeply, and then breathe out slowly. Keep breathing
until you relax and forget about the urge to smoke.
- Drink Water. Drink the water slowly and hold
it in your mouth a little while before swallowing.
- Distract. Take your mind off smoking. Think
about something else or focus on the things that you are doing.
Get up and move around. Anything that will take you away from
thoughts of smoking will help.
Get support and do things to help you stay a non-smoker.
- Do things with your hands such as, knitting, cross- word puzzles,
writing letters, gardening or washing the car. Playing with things
like pencils, marbles, and squeeze toys will also help.
- Keep cigarette substitutes around like carrots, celery sticks,
pickles, sunflower seeds, apples, raisins, sugarless gum, or candy.
Use them as needed.
- Start saving the cash that you would have spent on cigarettes.
Pick a gift for yourself or someone special.
When you do give in and smoke, DO NOT give up because you feel
you have “blown it”. Think of how many hours, days,
or weeks you have already gotten through. You just need to strengthen
your will to continue being a non-smoker. Try to identify what caused
you to smoke. Add it to your list of things to avoid. Or, you can
practice how you will deal with the next urge.
Coping With Stress
Learn how to handle stress and urges to smoke. The biggest help
is to avoid things that cause you to want to smoke, such as:
- arguments or disagreements,
- drinking alcohol,
- other smokers,
- places where smoking is allowed,
- skipping meals,
- time pressure or deadlines, and
- things that will make you feel sad or frustrated.
Take one day at a time. In any way you can, focus on getting through
the day without any cigarettes. Say, “I will not smoke today”.
Weight Management
You may gain 3 to 5 pounds after you've quit smoking. That is normal,
but not everyone gains weight. Remember, putting on weight for a
while is not nearly as bad as smoking.
The following are some ways you can avoid weight gain:
- Brush your teeth or use mouthwash often. Keep your mouth feeling
fresh.
- Eat normal, well-balanced meals, but decrease the amount you
eat. Drink water before meals.
- If you get hungry between meals, eat sugarless sweets, low-calorie
snacks and fruits.
- Take a walk or exercise daily to burn calories. It will also
help reduce your stress.
More Information
For more information on how to quit smoking, visit the following
websites:
For further details on South Coast Medical Center or any of its
programs, call (949) 499-7202.
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