The stigma tied to cigarettes and the growing list of conditions caused by smoking continues to grow, with known links to most types of cancer, high blood pressure and heart disease. Healthcare and indirect social costs from tobacco use are estimated to exceed $150 billion a year [Source: Med Page Today]. The National Institutes of Health list tobacco as the leading preventable cause of death in the United States [Source: NIH].
It seems logical that an educated society would cease this activity immediately, or better yet, never start. Unfortunately, as any current smoker will tell you, tobacco is more than a habit, it’s an addiction. Armed with information about the detrimental side of smoking, you might be motivated to quit, but giving up for good is a different battle.
Smoking cessation (Sharecare.com) is an extremely difficult task with a high rate of failure. Many smokers may attempt to stop eight or nine times before they’re successful. To increase your success rate, draw up a game plan. Each person has different needs and no one method works for the masses. You have to understand the options. Most importantly, you must make the decision to quit…and it isn’t a light one.
Once you are determined to stop, it’s time to choose a “quit day”, the exact day you plan to inhale your last drag. This helps keep the mind focused on a goal. Consider the best day to quit. For example, times of high stress, such as a death in the family, divorce or job transition, can lower success and might not be ideal.
Before we get to options, there are two essential habits you should incorporate into your routine during the quitting process. First, learn techniques to manage stress. Many ex-smokers transition back to smoking during times of anxiety. Be prepared for these weak moments with stress management techniques. Breathing exercises, journaling or relaxing exercise like yoga are great tools. Begin practicing these strategies today and fine tune your skills so you’re ready when stress strikes.
Second, adopt healthy lifestyle habits. Begin by eating better. Work on moving more toward whole, natural foods, leaving the packaged and processed foods behind. Develop an exercise routine, even if you start with ten minutes a day. The more you improve your health habits, the more you are likely to abandon unhealthy habits, permanently.
There are several options for smoking cessation. No one method is better than another, and selection should be based on what best suits your needs. For example, some people prefer to chew gum while quitting, often starting with nicotine gum. Others may want something to do with their hands, and fair better with the nicotine inhaler. Other options include acupuncture and hypnosis. Acupuncture has the potential to help with cravings, and can produce quick results.
Prescription medications are also available to assist in smoking cessation. Zyban is actually the popular depression pill Wellbutrin. The product was given a new name for marketing specifically to those trying to quit smoking. It’s thought that Zyban can help with the anxiety associated with nicotine withdrawal. Patients start the medication 4-6 weeks prior to quitting and continue for several months. It does not appear to be any more effective than other methods, and side effects can be an issue as with any antidepressant. Common complaints include GI upset, palpitations, dizziness and insomnia.
Currently, Chantix is most prescribed in traditional medicine. It works by binding nicotine receptors in the body to limit withdrawal symptoms. Patients begin taking Chantix seven days prior to their quit day and continue for up to six months. Nausea is a common side effect, as is abnormal dreams, with reports of suicidal and abnormal psychiatric behavior occurring in some. Chantix can be an effective method permitting side effects are monitored closely. Patients should not expect a miracle cure. The body still needs stress and nutrition management, just as with other strategies. Barring an unforeseen change, it is fair to predict a decreased success of this medication over the long-term as most rely strictly on the medication and do not improve other aspects of health.
Many patients will do great with one method and poorly with another, while some try a couple of methods at a time. Go through trial and error to find what works.
Nutritional supplementation may also help lessen cravings and help the body deal with the stress of withdrawal. Nutritional recommendations are fairly simple. Start with a high potency multivitamin. Typically, this means a multivitamin that you take more than once a day. B-complex vitamins are also useful to aid the body during times of stress, and can be very helpful during the first two months of quitting, when cravings can be at their worst. B vitamins are water soluble, which means the body uses what it needs and then eliminates the rest through urine. They have a very high safety record, and can be taken 2-3 times a day. Nutritional supplementation for a month prior to the quit date is recommended for patients who have had significant withdrawal cravings when they have tried to quit before.
Given the intensity of this addiction, it is often easy to lose sight of the benefits that come once the body is tobacco-free. With cigarette prices at $20-$50 a week, equaling thousands of dollars a year, an immediate benefit to quitting is financial gain. For additional motivation, smokers may want to add up the money they would have spent on cigarettes and reward themselves once they have quit for six months, and again on the anniversary.
You can make the decision to quit, today. Choose your method. Get empowered. And beat the addiction.
