Posts Tagged ‘smoking’
In my job, I’ve helped a lot of people quit smoking. And I’ve heard a lot of reasons why smoking is a good thing.
I’ve been told smoking sharpens your mind, relaxes you, calms you, keeps you from yelling at the kids (or spouse), tastes good with coffee, tastes better after a meal. In short, makes you feel “better”. (I always ask “better than what”?)
You don’t believe these reasons. Not really. If you did, you wouldn’t also want to quit smoking. Right? Actually you CAN have it both ways. You can believe your reasons to smoke at the same time you don’t believe them. It is the difference between ‘knowing’ something and ‘feeling’ something.
A part of you MUST believe your reasons or you would have quit smoking by now. Now may be a good time to know there are no laws that say your reason to keep smoking has to make sense. They rarely do.
In fact, 99% of the reasons you continue can easily be proven incorrect. Maybe smoking keeps you from blowing up and yelling at your spouse because you’re mouth is full of smoke, or even better, you have to go outside to smoke.
Even when you know the reason doesn’t make sense, that knowledge doesn’t always help you stop. It might just add to your frustration in the struggle to stop. Just one more reason to stop that doesn’t out-weigh the craving to continue.
It’s basically about two things. The motivation that smoking will make you feel better and the feeling that you’re trying to feel better than. That is all.
If you’re too hot, you look for ways to cool off. If you’re leg hurts you look for pain relief. If you feel bad (tired, stressed, overwhelmed, angry, lonely, whatever…) you look to feel good. If you have held the belief that smoking makes you feel good, that’s where your mind takes you.
This feeling to do something is what you probably call a craving. Many smokers have more than one type of craving going on. The ‘after you wake up’ craving might feel different than the ‘after a meal’ craving. The same principles apply.
SO, how do you change these things? I can write on and on about this (and I have on my web site) It will come down to changing the feelings, motivations and beliefs involved.
First, feeling bad needs to be looked at and helped. If it’s stress, get it managed, if it’s a bad situation, do what you can to fix it or get help.
Second, you belief that smoking helps you feel good (it’s probably the innocent mistake that smoking equals being an adult, in control, strong, capable, etc…) In truth, a cigarette is a plant leaf and chemicals wrapped in paper. The good feeling you’re anticipating from smoking is created by your mind. YOU make yourself feel better when you smoke. So it only makes sense that you can make yourself feel good by doing something that is healthy. If, your mind believes it makes you feel good.
And that’s the bottom line. The bulk of the quit smoking issue is about behavior modification – changing the way you feel. That’s why the success rate of most prescription medication and nicotine replacement (like the patch and nicotine gum) alone is so low. The only current exception is Chantix and even Pfizer, the makers of Chantix, recommend behavior modification go along with the medication.
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There is a brand new invention that everyone who smokes should know about. It’s called the electronic cigarette, also known as a smokeless cigarette or e-cigarette, and it is changing the legal landscape for cigarette smokers around the world.
The patented Electronic Cigarette offers to effectively simulate the experience of smoking an actual cigarette, without any of the health or legal issues surrounding traditional cigarettes.
Now in a fourth generation, electronic cigarettes have become much more user friendly than earlier versions which perhaps were a little too large to encourage a mass market appeal. The “mini” is the most realistic e cigarette to date with its length of 100mm being the same as a conventional cigarette.
In addition to being healthier than traditional cigarettes, and perhaps most importantly of all, is the fact that electronic cigarettes are completely legal. Because Electronic cigarettes do not involve tobacco, you can legally smoke them anywhere that traditional cigarettes are prohibited such as bars, restaurants, the work place, even on airplanes. Furthermore, electronic cigarettes allow you to smoke with no fears of inflicting harm on others due to nasty second hand smoke.
The main advantages electronic cigarettes have over nicotine patches or gum is firstly, users have the nicotine hit much quicker and secondly, because a big reason why smokers fail to quit suing patches and gum is because they still miss the act of inhaling smoke from a cylindrical object. The electronic cigarette emulates that even down to the smoke.
The nice thing about electronic cigarettes as apposed to say, nicotine patches, is that e-cigarettes produce the same tactile sensation and oral fixation that smokers desire, while satisfying ones tobacco cravings as well.
As with many popular products, there have been a great number of cheap Chinese imitations flooding the market. They are usually half the price of a branded electronic cigarette and look like the real thing as well. It is inadvisable to use these because they have not been subject to the same rigorous testing the official electronic cigarettes have and can potentially be highly damaging to the user’s health.
While electronic cigarettes have been around for a while in various incarnations, it has been recent advances in the technology as well as ever increasing restrictions against smoking that have propelled the e-cigarette into a new found popularity. If you are interested in a healthier alternative to smoking, or if you simply want to have the freedom to smoke wherever and whenever you want, an electronic cigarette might be the solution you’ve been looking for.
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Everyone wants to quit smoking but only a few are determined to actually do something serious about it. The ability to cease your nicotine addiction is directly reflected in your laziness and ambitions. In order to stop smoking cigarettes you have to make a commitment; you have to put an end to your old way of life and start another, a tobacco free and healthy existence.
So how is it possible to quit smoking today? Most people that you might ask about this will definitely say that you are crazy and that something like this is not possible. Nevertheless, your never-ending attempts to cease the tobacco addiction aren’t going to lead to anything good. Trying doesn’t necessary mean succeeding.
Cigarettes are producing a lot of harm to your health. The negative effects of smoking are only noticed in the long run and this is why those people that are not informed about the real secondary effects of smoking tobacco are so ignorant when you try to explain why they should quit smoking. It is a pity that people continue to die because of smoking related diseases like cancer.
So while we focus on the first step that is absolutely necessary when trying to sculpt the proper attitude that is going to be the foundation in your quit smoking plan, it is also necessary to mention that for some people quitting smoking is a matter of days and even hours, if they get the main idea. In order to quit smoking you have to change your way of life by changing the way you think. You have to start living differently and you have to start promoting different values.
Quitting smoking is not that complicated if you know what you are doing. A good start is to wake up in the morning, throw all your cigarettes away, go and take a cold shower, look attentively into the mirror and say to yourself that from that moment on you are a free person and you no longer belong to cigarette addiction. Make that commitment once and for all. Think about your health and also consider your family. If you have kids, remember that they need a parent.
Smoking is horrible. It is one of those so called pleasures that actually kills without looking back, without making the difference between good and bad people. Cancer, as probably most of you people know, is the most wide spread manifestation of smoking related diseases. The famous Im sorry phrase that doctors tell you when they spot this infection in your body is the beginning of the end. You dont want that to happen. Well, for that not becoming a reality you have to work on your attitude. You have to take action.
People cant live without air, water and food but definitely can exist without tobacco! So why do people still smoke these days? Do they think this is so cool? Arent teenagers told about the secondary effects of smoking in schools, colleges and universities? Well, something odd is going on and we think its all about human ignorance and stupidity.
If you want to get rid of smoking you have to take action. If you want to be healthy you have to think about your health. If you want to succeed in life you have to work hard. Basically, you have to pay for everything you do. Miracles happen, but dont live with the illusion to run upon them at each corner. Be more realistic. If you are not going to quit smoking today you risk losing the potential to have kids. Dont let that happen. Think about your future. Quit smoking now!
Feelings of fatigue, irritability and an extremely persistent headache are all side effects of nicotine withdrawal and are all perfectly normal. Why? Simply because it is in the first 72 hours which nicotine purges itself from your system – regardless of the stop smoking method you have chosen to use.
Preparation is the key. By knowing what you are in for, you can make plans to deal with the feelings and symptoms and not have to hide away where you won’t bother anyone. However it is also a good idea to inform your family and friends (but only if they are supportive) of your goals. This also gives them the opportunity to stay clear if they think you might be a little bit cranky!
Also keep in mind that you will be going through these trying times and have plans to work through them, should they arise. It can really nip withdrawal symptoms in the bud. It is helpful to have made a list of what you feel you may experience for symptoms of withdrawal. Some of the things that you may want to include on your list are:
Agitated or angry: Find something to do to take your mind off things. In solitude is probably best.
Feeling overly emotional or sensitive: Seek out somewhere you can be alone until the feelings subside.
Feeling tired: I will allow myself to take a nap or lounge around for the day.
Feeling nauseated: I will eat an apple or ginger (helps with nausea).
After I eat I will: Find something to do so I don’t crave the ‘after-dinner’ cigarette.
A really good way to help your body get rid of the nicotine within it is to drink lots of liquids. The more you drink, the faster your body will metabolize the stored nicotine within your system and the only side effect of this is a slouchy stomach and maybe a few more trips to the bathroom. The faster you can get the nicotine flushed out of your system, the sooner the withdrawal symptoms will be over, at least the physical ones.
There are a lot of theories as to what makes withdrawal symptoms worse or better. Some say that you should also give up caffeine when you stop smoking and there are others who found that it makes no difference in their case. If drinking beverages with caffeine in them makes you suddenly crave a cigarette, it is probably better to not to have any, or at the very least cut back.
However, giving up multiple vices at once can also be very stressful. So be wary and maybe just cut back on the caffeine to start. But be sure to use plenty of water, juices and even milkshakes to kick start your system and get those withdrawal symptoms out of the way.
Sleep, or the lack of it, is another common side effect of stopping smoking. It doesn’t seem to matter how tired you are during the day, a good sound sleep can be elusive as your mind doesn’t seem to want to shut down, nor can you find a comfortable position in which to rest.
To help alleviate this, I recommend a hot shower before heading off to bed to help you relax. Usually the sleep deprivation only lasts for a night or two. However if it persists, I would suggest a visit to the pharmacy to pick up a sleeping aid until the restlessness passes. It won’t last forever.
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It is a good idea to know how quitting smoking will benefit you. This can help keep you encouraged by knowing what you will gain from breaking your smoking habit. It also serves as a reminder as to why you decided to quit smoking in the first place. Knowing your benefits will serve as a huge advantage to improving your lifestyle.
Your health is probably the greatest benefit from quitting smoking. Health problems such as lung cancer, heart disease, heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure risks are decreased. It will take some time before the risk goes down which will vary person to person but your health should show signs of improvement. You will be in better physical health and be able to breathe better.
Money is a great benefit to quitting smoking. Did you know that the average smoker spends over $1800 a year on cigarettes? By not spending the money for smoking, you have inceased your budget. Maybe you would like to spend the money on a sports car, new furniture, or pay off old debts. Investing the money in mutual funds or in a savings account will maximize your benefits.
Other benefits can include being able to keep your house, car and clothes smelling better. Everyone knows that cigarettes have a bad smell, and those who do not smoke can really pick up the smell. As your desire to smoke goes away, your desire to smell good will increase. This can lead to a complete top to bottom cleaning that will put you in a great mood. If you quit in the spring you could just consider it your yearly spring cleaning spurt. You will definitely love the increased sense of smell though, after all those gorgeous flowers in the yard will now have a reason to exist beyond just looking pretty.
Your expected life span increases when you quit smoking. This is by far, the ultimate benefit. Ever heard of the fountain of youth? Smoking ages your body on the inside and outside so by quitting smoking, you will age slower. By quitting smoking, you could add up to 10 years more to your life. Not only can you live longer but you will be healthier too. All of this just by not smoking.
Discovering the added time on your life span is usually a shock to most. When you get older, you will appreciate the effort you made while younger to quit smoking and gain those extra years. Always live life to the fullest and by quitting smoking you are well on your way to new activities with plenty of energy to enjoy for numerous years.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for checking out my site dedicated to health, weight loss and muscle building. I created this site to document my progress and to tell you what has worked best for me.