Tips To Help You Stop Smoking
There are many reasons people choose to start smoking. Some give in to stress, peer pressures, financial difficulties or even because they want to be accepted by a particular group. Whatever the reason you started smoking now is the best time to stop.
Diseases
Attributed to Smoking
Diseases that are attributed to smoking include, respiratory diseases such as emphysema, asthma, heart disease, lung cancer, stomach cancer, cervical cancer, kidney and bladder cancers, cancer of the esophagus and other types .The cost of caring for these tobacco related diseases is about 60% of our direct health care costs each year. In fact, smoking is responsible for a significant increase in our health care costs.
You are at Risk for a Smoking Related Disease?
• If a family member suffered from a smoking related illness you are at a significantly higher rate of risk.
• If you live or work in an industrial area you may be exposed to chemicals, carcinogens, dusts and other substances that raise your risk.
• If you already have a condition such as cancer, smoking can cause further damage.
• If you are on certain types of medications smoking can interfere with their ability to work properly. Always let your doctor know if you smoke.
• The more you smoke the more your chances increase for developing tobacco related diseases.
• The longer you have been smoking, the more likely the complications.
What Are The Benefits If I Quit Smoking?
Quitting smoking decreases your overall risk of death by 50% in 15 years as compared to people who continue to smoke. Your risk for heart disease is actually cut in half within 24 hours of putting down that cigarette for good. Your risk of stroke decreases by 30-50% The risk of lung cancer is decreased by 80-90 after a good 15 years without smoking. These are some very real statistics to get excited about!
So now that we know why we should quit smoking, here are some great tips to get you on your way! Remember, if you feel you need to seek treatment you are not alone. Smoking is an addiction and there are many treatment programs available to you.
Tips To Help You Stop Smoking
• Get help with a hynotherapist or counselor. Too
expensive? Go to your local bookstore and pick up a hypnosis
tape.
• Avoid situations that you might be tempted to
light up in.
• In stead of lighting up, next time try some relaxation
techniques. Deep breathing and yoga are excellent stress
removers.
• Do you work in an environment where everyone lights
up? Chances are you will too!
• Work on improving your coping skills. Stay away
from situations and people that increase your stress.
• Develop a plan. Give yourself small rewards each
day with steady increases.
• Don’t be too hard on yourself. Forgive yourself
if you start smoking again. Tomorrow is a new day filled
with possibilities.
• Develop a support system. Ask a non-smoker to
be your buddy. This is someone you
can call when you are tempted to light up.
• Try what they call relapse prevention. Identify
your triggers and high-risk situations then develop effective
ways of dealing with them.
• Replace your old habit with a new one that’s
healthier. Try taking up a sport or joining a gym.
• Try over the counter products such as the patch.
These products can be successful when combined with therapy
and/or other methods.
• The first few days, drink plenty of water to flush
out toxins.
• Stay away from alcohol, sugar and coffee. These
increase your desire for nicotine.
• If you are worried about weight gain, try eating
some healthy snacks. Have a few celery sticks instead
of lighting up.
• Replace your after dinner cigarette with a treat.
Remember the longer you go without smoking, the more the
urge will lessen.
If you have tried several of these techniques and you still are having trouble quitting smoking, keep in mind that most people fail several times before they succeed at kicking an addiction. Pick yourself up and try again! If you are still having problems then get yourself into a good stop smoking treatment program. Your doctor should be able to refer you.
Let us look at a few statistics surrounding the history of smoking. In 1964 over 44% of the population were smokers. Whatever the reason, smoking was made popular and cool and remained so until the seventies. In 1974 smoking dropped to 26% of the population followed by a steady increase to 27% in 1991.
So why the decrease? Well it isn;t due to less people starting. Statistics show it is due to more people quitting. The reason more people are getting help for their nicotine addiction is simply because we have more information out there than we ever had before. Tobacco kills more Americans each year than alcohol, cocaine, crack, heroin ,homicide, suicide, fires, aids and car accidents combined! That means about 20% of all US deaths each year are attributed to smoking.
You might not think 20% is that high, but think of it another way, 20% means one in five. One in five deaths each years is directly connected to smoking tobacco.
