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Conquering The Smoking Habit
Most smokers sincerely want to quit. They know cigarettes threaten
their health, set a bad example for their children, annoy their acquaintances and cost an
inordinate amount of money.
Nobody can force a smoker to quit. It's something each person has to
decide for himself, and will require a personal commitment by the smoker. What kind of
smoker are you? What do you get out of smoking? What does it do for you? It is important
to identify what you use smoking for and what kind of satisfaction you feel that you are
getting from smoking.
Many smokers use the cigarette as a kind of crutch in moments of stress
or discomfort, and on occasion it may work; the cigarette is sometimes used as a
tranquilizer. But the heavy smoker, the person who tries to handle severe personal
problems by smoking heavily all day long, is apt to discover that cigarettes do not help
him deal with his problems effectively.
When it comes to quitting, this kind of smoker may find it easy to stop
when everything is going well, but may be tempted to start again in a time of crisis.
Physical exertion, eating, drinking, or social activity in moderation may serve as useful
substitutes for cigarettes, even in times of tension. The choice of a substitute depends
on what will achieve the same effects without having any appreciable risk.
Once a smoker understands his own smoking behavior, he will be able to
cope more successfully and select the best quitting approaches for himself and the type of
life-style he leads.
Because smoking is a form of addiction, 80 percent of smoker who quit
usually experience some withdrawal symptoms. These may include headache, light-headedness,
nausea, diarrhea, and chest pains. Psychological symptoms, such as anxiety, short-term
depression, and inability to concentrate, may also appear. The main psychological symptom
is increased irritability. People become so irritable, in fact, that they say they feel
"like killing somebody." Yet there is no evidence that quitting smoking leads to
physical violence.
Some people seem to lose all their energy and drive, wanting only to
sleep. Others react in exactly the opposite way, becoming so over energized they can't
find enough activity to burn off their excess energy. For instance, one woman said she
cleaned out all her closets completely and was ready to go next door to start on her
neighbor’s. Both these extremes, however, eventually level off. The symptoms may be
intense for two or three days, but within 10 to 14 days after quitting, most subside. The
truth is that after people quit smoking, they have more energy, they generally will need
less sleep, and feel better about themselves.
Quitting smoking not only extends the ex-smoker's life, but adds new
happiness and meaning to one's current life. Most smokers state that immediately after
they quit smoking, they start noticing dramatic differences in their overall health and
vitality.
Quitting is beneficial at any age, no matter how long a person has been
smoking. The mortality ratio of ex-smoker decreases after quitting. If the patient quits
before a serious disease has developed, his body may eventually be able to restore itself
almost completely.
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