Strategies and Skills for Quitting: Step 5

Be prepared for relapse ~
But don't plan for them -- plan against them!

Most people are not successful the first few times they try to quit smoking. (I've failed many times before but am really enjoying my success now.)

Don't beat yourself up. Make a list of things you learned, and think about when you want to try again, such as next week, next month, or next spring.

You might try something new next time, such as a new medicine or program or hypnosis like I did the last time. You might try combining tools, such as counseling and medicine. Keep trying, and don't be fooled by light cigarettes, or reducing your smoking. Neither one appears to make smoking safer.

Quitting tobacco use when you have other medical conditions.

If you have depression, anxiety, or similar problems, or if you have had an alcohol or drug use problem, try to care for that problem before you try to stop smoking.

Some people who have had one of these medical problems find that the problem returns when they try to quit smoking. If you have any of these problems, talk to your doctor before you quit.

After you quit, seek help right away if you see signs that the problem is returning.

Smoking can also affect the level of several medicines in your blood. If you take medicines for a health problem, talk with your doctor before you quit smoking to see whether you should alter the dose.

There you have it -- Five Steps to becoming Tobacco Free!

Keep Logging on for other helpful hints in our countdown to a

Smoke Free 2010!

Strategies and Skills for Quitting: Step 4

Get and use medication ~

I'm a huge proponent of this.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved several medications to help people quit smoking.

You will double your chances of quitting even if medication is the only treatment you use to quit, but your odds get even better when you combine medication and other quit strategies, such as counseling or, as I did, Hypnosis.

These medications also may help you if you use chewing tobacco, snuff, pipes, or cigars every day.

If you are trying to quit try one or more of these medications. Using medications along with learning new behaviors like exercise further increases your likelihood of success.

Nicotine replacement products include nicotine gum, patches, lozenges, and inhalers. You can buy gum, patches, and lozenges without a prescription.

If you've been reading along for a while you know I am an advocate for Welbutrin -- originally marketed as an anti-depressant but was found to have excellent smoking cessation attributes.
(As an anti-depressant it will also help with then anxiety new non smokers feel).

Your doctor can prescribe something suited for you and explain how to use it. It's very important to take the medicines for a long-enough time. (Probably at least 3 months).

Remember, taking medicines and using counseling or a cessation program at the same time greatly increases your chances of success.

Strategies and Skills for Quitting: Step 3

Learn new skills and behaviors~

Since you won't be using tobacco, decide what you are going to do instead. Make a plan to:

Identify and think about ways you can avoid those things that make you reach for a cigarette (Combating Those Nasty Triggers ~ ), or change your smoking habits and rituals. Think about situations in which you will be at greatest risk for smoking. Make a plan for how you will deal with each situation.

Change your daily routine. Take a different route to work or eat a meal in a different place. Every day, do something that you enjoy.

Cut down on stress. Calm yourself or release tension by reading a book, taking a hot bath, or digging in your garden. See the topic Exercise Shown To Powerfully Decrease Cigarette Cravings for ways to reduce stress in your life.

Hang around nonsmokers and people who have stopped smoking.

Go back and read Preparing To Quit: on this blog for additional pre-quiting help and then log back on again tomorrow for more helpful prequel hints.

Strategies and Skills for Quitting: Step 2

Get help ~
You will have a better chance of quitting successfully if you have help and support from your doctor, family, friends, and coworkers. Use some of the suggestions from yesterday when you call your MD.

A doctor, nurse, or mental health professional can help you tailor an approach to quitting smoking that best suits your needs. These people are also good sources of motivation and support during the quitting process.

Tell your friends that you are quitting, and talk to ex-smokers about their experiences during and after quitting. Have a friend or ex-smoker check in with you once in a while to ask how you are coping.

If you live with someone who smokes, let that person know how he or she can support you. Be specific. Talk with him or her about not smoking in front of you. Better yet, ask that person to quit smoking with you. That way you can support each other through the quitting process. Also, family and friends can support and encourage you while you are quitting.

Join a support group for people trying to quit smoking. People who have quit smoking may be particularly helpful, because they know what you are going through.

Get counseling (telephone, individual, or group). The more counseling you get, the better your chances of quitting. Counseling may help you learn to recognize and cope with situations that tempt you to smoke. Counseling sessions can also offer comfort if you have a relapse.

You may want to attend a program to help you quit smoking. When choosing a smoking cesation program, look for one that has proven success. Ask your doctor for ideas. You can also check with your local health department or call the national quit line at 1-800-QUITNOW for help.

Use the Internet. The Internet allows round-the-clock access to information about quitting smoking and to chat rooms that can provide support. These programs are good for people who can't get to a stop-smoking meeting. They also work well for people who don't like group meetings.

Learn new skills tomorrow.

Strategies and Skills for Quitting: Step 1

Get ready ~
Here we are, It's Monday, the start of a new work week and the first full week in the last month of the year. It's a good time to start to prepare to quit smoking and it's never too early for that. So let's 'have at it'.

First things first; Contact your doctor or local health department to find out the kinds of medicines and help available in your area for people who want to quit smoking. Telephone help lines operated by your state can also help you find information and support for quitting tobacco use.

Check with your insurance provider to find out if medicines or counseling are covered under your plan.

Prepare your body and mind for the stress that comes with quitting. Things you can do or begin to do starting today are:

Set a quit date and stick to it. (1/1/10 sounds like a great date too)! This is an important step toward becoming tobacco-free. This is what I did and has been proven to greatly improve chances for success.

Make some changes. Get rid of all ashtrays and lighters after your last cigarette. Throw away pipes or cans of snuff. Also, get rid of the smell of smoke and other reminders of smoking by cleaning your clothes and your house, including draperies, upholstery, and walls. Don't let people smoke in your home. Take the lighter out of your car. You can also begin now creating a smoking journal detailing the 'triggers' that may make you desire a cigarette the most. This could come in quite handy on your official 'quit day'.

If you have tried to quit in the past, review those past attempts. Think of the things that helped in those attempts, and plan to use those strategies again this time. Think of things that hindered your success, and plan ways to deal with or avoid them.

Once you quit, don't even take a puff. Start preparing for this now; after your quit date, don't smoke at all—not even a puff.

Two things I also highly recommend: When you call your doctor ask him or her about Welbutrin and start taking this at two weeks prior to your quit day. (As you know I am a HUGE believer in this!) Also: I used Hypnotherapy my last time around and I really believe it has helped. I encourage you to give this some thought.

Meet me back here tomorrow for Step 2.

~Strategies and Skills for Quitting~

I have been Smoke Free for Exactly 5 months!
If you're envious of my success thus far give this some thought:

In less than one month it will be another New Year ~ Traditionally this has been a time to make resolutions to improve one's life in some way.

One of the most popular New Year's resolution is, of course, to Quit Smoking.

In an effort to help anyone who has a desire to conquer their smoking demon this New Year I am going to dedicate the month of December to the preparations a smoker may want to take prior to quitting.

When you plan a strategy for quitting tobacco, one I like to recommend is the U.S. Surgeon General's five keys to quitting: get ready, get support, learn new skills and behaviors, get and use medicine, and be prepared for relapse.

I will outline each of these steps next week beginning on Monday 12/7 and running through Friday.

I guess it is important to add the disclaimer that I am not a doctor, I've researched this subject, however nothing I write should be intended to replace advice from your own doctor or qualified professional.

(And if you read past post you know I highly recommend the use of prescribed drugs in your quit smoking endeavor).

Stay tuned and I hope to see you Monday... FJW

Exercise Shown To Powerfully Decrease Cigarette Cravings

Reproduced without permission from:
NaturalNews.com
Originally published April 4 2007
by David Gutierrez, staff writer

Even mild exercise can help stave off cigarette cravings and withdrawal symptoms as well as decrease a smoker's chance of reaching for a cigarette, according to a study published in the journal "Addiction." Researchers from the University of Exeter and the University of Toronto reviewed 14 previously published studies and compared the results.

What you need to know - Conventional View

• Twelve of the studies reviewed demonstrated that a bout of exercise caused a rapid decrease in cigarette cravings, withdrawal symptoms and other negative effects of cigarette addiction.

• As little as five minutes of simple exercises such as walking, isometrics, or muscle flexing proved as effective as a nicotine patch in decreasing an immediate craving.

• A high-intensity bout of exercise decreased cravings for 30 to 40 minutes, whereas a light bout decreased them for 15 minutes.

• The majority of studies that looked at withdrawal symptoms found that exercise caused a significant decrease in at least two of six symptoms: anxiety, irritability, restlessness, stress, tension and poor concentration.

• The researchers noted that further studies are needed to discover the mechanisms by which exercise affects the body's response to addiction.

• Quote: "Relatively small doses of exercise should be recommended as an aid to managing cigarette cravings and withdrawal symptoms." - study authors Adrian H. Taylor, Michael H. Ussher and Guy Faulkner

Bottom line:
• Exercise can be used to stave off cigarette cravings.

Preparing To Quit:

Overview of the Basic Steps ~
In keeping with my 'quitting soon' theme;
here's a shorter version of the ~ 11 Steps ~

Remember, just thinking about quitting may make you anxious.
But your chances will be better if you get ready first.
Quitting works best when you're prepared.

**Note:I shamelessly copied these from

http://www.smokefree.gov/quit-smoking/index.html --

** Let's never mind the fact for now that our Government continues to profit excessively off tobacco products -- for our purposes here we'll just concentrate on our shared goal of becoming Smoke Free!

~ Before you quit ~

START by taking these five important steps:

S = Set a quit date.
T = Tell family, friends, and coworkers that you plan to quit.
A = Anticipate and plan for the challenges you'll face while quitting.
R = Remove cigarettes & other tobacco products from your home.
T = Talk to your doctor about getting help to quit.
(I highly recommend this one --
as you may know because I've written it multiple times.)

~ 11 Steps ~

Misery LOVES Company!

That's why I started this blog ... I didn't' want to suffer alone!

Good News, however ... Normally there are 12 steps to recovery for addicts and their addictions, from alcohol & Drugs, to eating & shopping, even to sex (if you can imagine that one) ... Did you know there are even 12 step programs for people addicted to 12 step programs??

I'm happy to report I've found a helpful program for us struggling with our addiction to nicotine that is only ELEVEN steps ... Saving us one whole step of misery!

Here I am, heading into my third week (Not quite as miserable today as I was one week ago)...

I wish I would have found this video prior to quiting but still find it helpful.

Watch the video, it's short ... I wrote notes below ... Still wishing all of you contemplating a 'target' date and those of you going through the struggle now much success ...

~~ The Eleven Steps ~~

1). Set a Target Date … This is what I did when I scheduled my hypnosis session.

2). Recognize your ‘Triggers’… Such as the ones I listed in the Smoothie post below.

3). List All Health Risks … After 30 years and the bad breathing I’ve developed , this wasn’t hard.

4). Tell Everyone You Know … I have actually been a closet smoker for the past 2 years, trying to hide it from everyone I know. So I had to share it with my new on-line support group!

5). Call Stop Smoking Hot-Line… Find your States non-smoking hot-line, many hospitals have support groups, or join a good on-line support group, LIKE THIS ONE!

6). Use Candy or Another Diversion to Combat Cravings …Like Ronald Reagan when he ‘kicked the habit’, I like Jelly-Bellies. I also eat A LOT of popcicles.

7). ‘Replacement Therapy’ to Occupy Time and Mind … I try to walk at least twice a day. Also do a lot of deep breathing. And of course, I blog about my experience!

8). Keep Going! One day at a Time … Or, as in AA, if one day is too much (as it was for me the first few days) you may have to take it one hour at a time.

9). Don’t Let ‘Temporary Relapse’ Derail the Whole Plan … This has always been my down fall often in the past. I may have the just one and let it grow until I just think I will stop again ‘in the future’. Stop Again, NOW!

10). Drugs! Call your Doctor if you Need … I DID! & I think it helps. (See my ‘Cold Turkey’ Post). Also Try a Hypnotist.

11). Success … Follow These Steps to Reach Your Goal! So far, so good for me … I hope you find Success here too!