TIPS FOR QUITTING SMOKING

Smoking is extremely bad for your health.  Most people who smoke think about quitting at one time or another.  Often, any attempt they make at quitting is unsuccessful because the withdrawal symptoms are too uncomfortable and overwhelming.  I had a long-time addiction to cigarettes but I finally conquered my addiction over three years ago.  I studied addictions counseling in college, so I can safely say that smoking is considered a full fledged drug addiction, not just a bad habit and it is incredibly hard to quit.  Nicotine is the drug that makes cigarettes so hard to quit and your brain becomes used to functioning with a nicotine "high".  When a smoker quits, his/her body goes through withdrawal (from lack of nicotine) and headaches, lack of concentration, tiredness, shakiness, crankiness, moodiness and extreme hunger are some of the things that the person experiences.  Here a few tips that were helpful to me when I finally decided that I had to quit smoking:

• Set a quit date and tell all of your family and friends that you are going to quit on that date - family and friends are usually very supportive and understanding because they want to see you quit
• When the quit date comes, throw ALL of your cigarettes and lighters and ashtrays out - do not keep an emergency cigarette "just in case"
• Cold turkey is the best way to go - it only takes 3 days for all of the nicotine to leave your system
• Eat lots of fruit and drink fruit juices - especially orange juice
• Cut down drastically on the caffeine and alcohol you consume - this may be hard, but it really helps in the long run
• Do not hang outside of buildings with your friends who still smoke - it may be too tempting
• If you normally go to bars, try to stay away from them for a few weeks until you get a better handle on your quit
• Do not substitute candy for cigarettes, you will gain weight - try sugar free gum instead
• Eat healthy, low calorie meals so you do not gain weight - weight gain is one of the reasons that some people go back to smoking but if you eat healthy you will not gain weight (I didn't)
• Chewing on cinnamon sticks are also helpful
• Remember that you are on your way to a healthier new life and take just one day at a time
• Take a brisk walk or start exercising, you will start to feel so much healthier

If you focus on NOT SMOKING EVER AGAIN FOR LIFE, it can be extremely overwhelming, but if you focus on NOT SMOKING TODAY, you will have a better chance of maintaing your quit just one day at a time.  Remember it only takes 3 days for the withdrawal symptoms to peak and subside, after that it WILL GET BETTER - I PROMISE!!!  Just hang on and you will find that after a while (say a month or two) you will begin to not think about wanting a cigarette, it just takes some time.  Once you see how good you start to feel, look and smell without cigarettes, you will be so proud of yourself and want everyone to know that you are an ex-smoker - GO FOR IT!!!