Your Step by Step Guide to Quit Smoking

Your Step by Step Guide to Quit Smoking Believing you have the ability to do something can change your behaviour in profound ways. Many people who wa...
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Your Step by Step Guide to Quit Smoking

Believing you have the ability to do something can change your behaviour in profound ways. Many people who want to stop smoking don't have a belief that they can succeed. This step by step guide aims to help you rediscover your belief that you can quit. Belief that you can quit is a result of your understanding of the problems of quitting and their solutions, then realising that you have the capability to take each step and be finally free of the addiction.

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Step 1. Decide to Quit & Make it a Priority Make a decision to stop smoking and make the decision now! While this sounds simple enough, it requires more than just having the intention to quit some time in the future. A good intention alone could mean continuing to smoke for many weeks, months, or even years to come. Making a decision now, means: • Quitting is a priority in your life • Learning about the problems & solutions of quitting • Taking action until you quit The first step is to DECIDE to quit, and to decide NOW.

Step 2. Understand the Problem It makes sense that in order to solve a problem, the problem must first be understood. Unfortunately, much of what we hear about the problem of quitting is misguided because the problems of quitting are poorly understood. Many of the advertised "solutions" (e.g. Patches) are based upon a flawed understanding of the problem. Common misconceptions are that it is either the "triggers" (events or reminders) that are the problem, the "habit", or "stress" that is the problem. Many smokers even blame themselves for being the problem saying, "I'm too weak and don't have enough willpower." or "I just enjoy smoking". Actually, the problems of quitting can be simplified down to just two: 1. Mental Cravings, and 2. Physical Cravings For a more detailed explanation visit www.truequit.com and click on

Learn About Quitting

Step 3. Research Solutions Now that you understand the two problems to be solved in order to stop smoking, you will be able to look for solutions to these problems. The following table provides a summary of the common solutions available on the market.

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Table 1. A Comparison of Quit Smoking Methods Method

Ends Physical Cravings

Ends Mental Cravings

Complete Solution to Quitting

No

No

No

Cold Turkey (willpower)

Strengths & Weaknesses

The strength of the cold turkey or will power method is that you stop putting nicotine into your body immediately so your body filters out the nicotine within 14 days. If you last the first 14 days you will have filtered out all the nicotine and will not experience physical cravings any more. The weakness is that most people find that willpower is not enough to withstand the cravings and therefore fail to quit. Often, even if you are able to last the first few weeks, the mental cravings often continue for many months and years, which you will have to continue to resist with willpower every time. You have to be careful of very stressful or dramatic events, as these can be a great danger in overwhelming your willpower and getting you addicted again even after years of not smoking.  Therefore, this method does not provide an adequate solution to all the problems of quitting.

Nicotine Replacement (Patches, Inhalers, Gum)

No

No

No

The strength of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) is that you stop smoking cigarettes immediately. Even though you are still putting nicotine into your body, you are changing the physical habit of smoking the cigarette.  The aim is to cut down the nicotine intake gradually in the hope that you can reduce this to zero intake without experiencing dramatic cravings. The weakness is that Nicotine replacement is the least effective method to quit because you keep putting nicotine in your body, even though you are not inhaling it via cigarettes. There will come a time when you reduce this nicotine intake and your body will have to go through the same readjustment process as if you were going cold turkey.  Many people experience cravings at this time and end up smoking because they have no way to deal with the physical and mental cravings.  Therefore, this method does not provide an adequate solution to all the problems of quitting

Pharmaceuticals (Zhyban, Champix)

Yes

No

No

The strength of pharmaceuticals, such as Champix and Zhyban, is that they can reduce the cravings during the initial period when you stop smoking and while your body filters out the nicotine. The weakness is that pharmaceuticals do not reduce the mental cravings after you stop the medication.  Also, many people experience very disturbing mental and emotional side effects while on the medication.  Therefore, this method does not provide an adequate solution to all the problems of quitting.

Acupuncture & Laser Therapy

Yes

No

No

The strength of acupuncture, both traditional and laser, can reduce cravings in the initial phase. In my experience laser acupuncture is more effective in achieving this.  The weakness is that these methods do not reduce the mental cravings.  Therefore, this method does not provide an adequate solution to all the problems of quitting.

Hypnosis

Yes

?

No

The strength of this method is that it can immediately reduce the physical and mental cravings.   There are two main weaknesses with the hypnosis method.  Firstly, not everyone can be hypnotised. Secondly, if you are able to be hypnotised and last for 14 days so all the nicotine is filtered out of the body and have no more physical cravings, you will have no way to deal with mental cravings if the hypnosis is broken.  Often when a very stressful or shocking event occurs a mental urge will be strong enough to overwhelm the hypnosis. Once broken, you will have no way to combat further mental urges.  In addition I have often had clients who have said that subsequent attempts at hypnosis were not nearly as effective as the first time.  Therefore, this method does not provide an adequate solution to all the problems of quitting

Counseling

No

No

No

The strength of counselling is that it provides support and motivation to deal with the cravings. The weakness is that it does not reduce the physical and mental cravings, so is really a supported will power method.  Therefore, this method does not provide an adequate solution to all the problems of quitting.

Educational Course (Books and Seminars)

No

No

No

The strength of an educational course is that it provides support and motivation to make the attempt to quit and withstand the cravings. The weakness is that it does not reduce the physical and mental cravings or assist with the emotional symptoms and so is really a supported will power method. Therefore, this method does not provide an adequate solution to all the problems of quitting.

The True Quit Method

Yes

Yes

Yes

The strength of The True Quit Method is that it provides a complete solution to all the main problems of quitting.  It reduces the physical cravings during the first 14 days, so the body can filter out all the nicotine, so physical cravings are permanently eliminated.   The True Quit Method also provides a solution to the mental cravings. It teaches a very simple skill that enables you to eliminate the mental urge each time it occurs. This is a simple skill that you can continue to use even years after the physical cravings have been eliminated.

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Step 4. Choose Your Solution Now that you have made the decision to quit and understood the problem of quitting, as well as researched the various methods of quitting, choosing your solution is the next step. From our understanding of the problems of quitting, we know we must choose a method that has a solution to both problems: 1. Mental Cravings, 2. Physical Cravings Based on a comparison of the various methods available on the market, we can see that while each method has strengths and weaknesses, most methods either don't directly deal with these two problems or focus on only one of the problems of quitting. The True Quit Method is an obvious choice as it provides a solution to both the physical and mental cravings. Before you make any final decision about your solution, make sure that you check that it provides you with a back-up plan.

Step 5. Have a Back-Up Plan We can walk the same path, but each person takes their own individual steps. As with most new skills or life changes, the experience is not exactly the same for each person. One person may reach their goal easily and another person may need more support and take longer to reach their goal. While we may plan on a smooth journey to becoming a non-smoker, it is safer to be fully prepared and make sure that we have a back-up plan in case we need extra support. For example, it may be a telephone support service, online help, or the option to have a repeat service at a reasonable rate.

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Step 6. Set a Quit Date Now that you have decided to quit as a priority in your life, and you have chosen your solution to quitting, the next step is to set a date to quit. Setting a date to quit will give you time to prepare yourself and get anything ready that your solution requires you do before the big day. As this will be a change in life, it is a good idea to set the date on a day that you know will give you the time to focus on the things that your quitting solution requires.

Step 7. Quitting Your experience of quitting will depend on your individual circumstances and the solution that you have chosen to use. Whatever solution that you choose to help you stop smoking, you will inevitably be faced with the two problems of quitting; physical cravings and mental cravings. Once the nicotine has been filtered out of the body and the body has readjusted to not needing nicotine, no further physical cravings are possible. Once all nicotine intake is stopped (e.g. no patches, gum, or inhaler) then 80% of the nicotine is filtered out in 3 days and the rest by day 10. Certainly after 14 days of no nicotine intake, you are unlikely to have any more physical cravings. How easily you reach this point will depend on how strong the physical cravings are during this filtering process. If you are using the will-power method, physical cravings are strongest during the first week and last about 5 minutes, on average. Your passage through this phase will be easier if your quit smoking method has a way of reducing the physical cravings. Mental cravings are often present for many months and years after all physical cravings have stopped. Most quit smoking methods do not provide a solution to the mental cravings, leaving only the option of using will-power to resist these cravings. You will easily recognise this type of ex-smoker when they remark that they "could easily kill for a cigarette," even though it has been years since their last cigarette. Mental cravings generally reduce in intensity and frequency the longer you have not smoked. However, periods of strong emotion, even years after quitting smoking, can suddenly generate a surprisingly strong mental craving that can catch an ex-smoker off guard and lead to further addiction. Your experience will be easier if your quit smoking method has a way of dealing with mental cravings, such as the True Quit Method that teaches a technique to eliminate mental cravings every time they occur. Once you have reached the stage where all the nicotine has flushed out of your body, you will be free of physical cravings. As the mental links between routine events and the thought of smoking are no longer reinforced by smoking, mental cravings will gradually www.truequit.com

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become less frequent and less intense. Then one day you will realise that you have not had a craving for a what seems like a long time, and you realise that you are now a nonsmoker. Congratulations!

Step 8. Life as a Non-Smoker There are so many everyday experiences that you have most likely forgotten, that await you as a non-smoker. Your sense of taste and smell improve, and you will be shocked how strong other smokers smell. Breathing is easier, and that familiar smokers cough can disappear sooner than you think. You have more energy. Your skin improves and often you will feel more rested in the morning. These are normal experiences that the average non-smoker takes for granted. There are also other health benefits that continue to improve over time. Some of these are the following: Within 20 minutes

Your body begins a series of changes that continues for years. Your heart rate reduces.

12 hours

The carbon monoxide level in your blood reduces dramatically.

2-12 weeks

Your heart attack risk begins to reduce. Circulation improves. Exercise is easier. Lung function improves.

1-9 months

Coughing and shortness of breath decrease.

1 year

Your risk of coronary heart disease is halved compared to a continuing smoker.

5 years

Your risk of cancer of the mouth, throat and oesophagus decreases and your risk of stroke is dramatically reduced.

10 years

Your risk of lung cancer falls to about half that of a smoker and your risk of cancers of the bladder, kidney and pancreas also decreases.

15 years

Your risk of coronary heart disease fall to about the same as someone who has never smoked

Benefits for all ages Are you under 35? If you quit before age 35, then your life expectancy is similar to someone who has never smoked. Are you under 50? If you quit before age 50, then your risk of dying in the next 15 years is reduced by half when compared to people who continue to smoke.

By quitting smoking you will reduce your chance of having: - cancer of the lungs, throat, mouth, lips, gums, kidneys and bladder - heart disease and hardening of the arteries - a stroke - emphysema and other lung diseases

For people of all ages Best of all – quitting at any age doesn’t just increase life expectancy – it also improves quality of life!

- gangrene and other circulation problems.

(References below)

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Step 9. Celebrate When you reach this stage, you will have achieved something that you perhaps thought was impossible. You made a decision to quit, you did your research, chose your solution, set your quit date, and kept going until you succeeded. You will most likely feel a deep sense of pride and satisfaction. This is a special time that you will remember this for the rest of your life. Mark the occasion by doing something special to celebrate your success. Feel the sweet sensation of victory over an addiction that was controlling your life for so long. You deserve it... Congratulations! ...Imagine what else you can achieve, things that you have not yet dared to think possible

References 1 US Department Of Health And Human Services 1990, Surgeon General Report: The Health Benefits of Smoking Cessation, Center for Health Promotion and Education Center for Disease Control, Office on Smoking and Health, Rockville, Maryland 20857. 2 US Department of Health and Human Services 2004, The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General, US Department of Health and Human Services, Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2004

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