by admin on November 29, 2009
Smokers who have been smoking for quite some time will know what they will naturally develop a psychological dependence on cigarettes. Even if the body is not cravings for cigarettes at a point in time, the mind may.
Slowly but surely, you will turn to smoking as a friend. Through challenges, stress and even good times, you’ll find yourself smoking more and more.
In fact, any time you are facing any emotions at all, you think that smoking can help. This becomes your psychological support which just comes with detrimental effects, both physically and psychologically.
Plus, the false effect of nicotine that helps you to ‘relax’ only further gives you the illusion and further reason to turn to cigarettes for comfort.
In Order To Beat Cravings Better
Thus, your challenge is not only to deal with the withdrawal symptoms of quitting but also to deal and handle the way you deal with emotions. In order to beat cravings, you must first think of ways to handle your negative emotions and stress without cigarettes first.
When you do that, you are in a better position to quit smoking because you will be able to focus on just battling the physical aspect of quitting smoking.
Realize that you are not the only one that is going through this challenge, though it may seem overwhelming at first.
Millions of ex-smokers around the world have also battled and emerge victorious from the battle you are about to step into.
Now it’s time to collect some data of yourself on your own. This will help you to get an objective account of your situation.
1. How many cigarettes do you smoke a day?
2. Which time of the day do you smoke the most?
3. How many cigarettes do you smoke are a result of habit?
4. When you are alone, how many cigarettes do you smoke?
5. How do you feel each time before you smoke?
6. Which activity and which time of the day you find it most difficult to quit?
Please answer the questions above honestly, this will help you to really understand better about your own situation and to why you smoke. It will also help you to understand better what it takes to help you to quit.
by admin on November 23, 2009
When it comes to addiction, some people may naturally think that it only applies to drugs such as heroin or cocaine. It wouldn’t be surprising if you hear some people actually saying that they are not addicted to cigarettes at all and as if they can quit at will.
Unfortunately, the reality is that as much as some would not want to admit that they are addicted to cigarettes, studies have shown that nicotine is indeed more addictive than heroin.
Nicotine is the main substance in cigarettes that makes you addicted that wanting to smoke more and more. Even in small substantial amounts, nicotine can be lethal. Just a drop of pure nicotine on your skin could end up killing you.
When you start smoking a cigarette, it will only take seven seconds for the nicotine to reach your brain. What you may not know is that is actually faster than nicotine being injected into your veins.
The fact that nicotine can reach your brain cells so quickly is what also makes it so addictive. Did you also know that millions of dollars have been spent on research to ensure cigarettes are design in a way to most effectively deliver nicotine to your body?
Once nicotine is in your brain, it will make you ‘feel’ good by stimulating certain parts of your brain cells. The more you feed your brain to nicotine, the more your brain will be used to it. The sudden lack of nicotine fed to your brain will make your brain crave for it, and hence the whole feeling of addiction.
The relaxation effect comes from satisfying your addiction rather than actually relaxing it, giving the false feeling that cigarettes actually help you to reduce stress! The truth is it certainly doesn’t!
What’s more dangerous is that your brain will get more used and used to it, resulting in even greater feeding nicotine and you ending up smoking more and more! That’s why most smokers who start with few cigarettes a day can end up with more than 2 packs a day.
by admin on November 23, 2009
Quitting smoking can be one the biggest challenges in life that you may have to face once you decide to quit smoking. But the great thing is that once you are able to do this, you’ve programmed your mind to be able to do greater things in life. There are a few stages of quitting smoking.
By looking at these stages, it’ll help you figure whether you’re ready to quit smoking or not. Basically, there are 6 stages of quitting smoking. People who want to quit will have to go through these six stages.
Stage 1: Pre-Contemplation
During this first stage, the smoker has no desire or whatsoever to quit smoking. There is not even an inch of thought of giving up cigarettes. The only thing that matters is to enjoy cigarette smoking. Well, what may be surprising is that only a small fraction of people feel this way and I’m sure you don’t. If not, you won’t be reading this at all.
Stage 2: Contemplation
During this second stage, the person is actually thinking about quitting smoking. Though the person may not be entirely prepared, but he or she may be considering even the effects of smoking or what how will it feel to be smoke-free. At least all smokers will come to this stage.
Stage 3: Preparation
Now, the person is starting to take action to do something rather than just thinking about it. He or she may start with just cutting down the number of cigarettes or just switching brand or type of cigarettes to lighter ones. There is a motivation and desire to stick to quitting and also some plan to stop.
Stage 4: Action
During stage 4, the individual is trying very hard not to smoke. There is a strong conscience and motivated and purpose for not smoking. With that in mind, the individual also is dealing the problem, withdrawal symptoms both physically and psychologically. This may be a challenge and serious help is needed for much better chances of quitting.
Stage 5: Maintenance
During maintenance, the individual has succeeded in not smoking for a brief period of time approximately 6 months of more. The person will become more and more relaxed and used to not smoking. Though there will be some challenges, this will put the person’s determination to the test.
Stage 6: Relapse
During this stage, the person has gone back to smoking after awhile can this can be extremely dangerous for some people because this can be very damaging to the willpower. The individual may feel that they have failed and they can’t quit smoking. The truth of that matter is that this is a very common thing that most smokers face and it may take several successful tries to quit smoking for good.
by admin on November 19, 2009
Perhaps you may know that quitting smoking brings great benefits but you may be not be aware how much it brings much benefit and greatly improve your life and health despite the amount of years you’ve been smoking.
So it doesn’t matter whether you’ve been smoking for 1, 3, 10, or 30 years. Your body will experience healing as soon as you cease to smoke. In facts your body will start to heal by itself as soon as you stop smoking for the last 20 minutes.
Below is the breakdown of the benefits that you will experience after you’ve stop smoking.
Time after You’ve Stopped Smoking and Benefits Your Body Will Experience
20 Minutes – Pulse rate and blood pressure returns to normal.
8 Hours – The level of carbon monoxide in your body drops and the level of oxygen in your blood increases.
24 Hours – Chance of heart attack reduces.
48 Hours – Nerve endings regenerates and food smells and tastes better.
72 Hours – Breathing becomes easier as bronchial tubes relax.
2 Weeks to 3 Months – Decrease of tiredness, shortness of breath, coughing, congestion, energy increases and walking and exercising becomes easier.
1 Month to 9 Months – Cilia in the lungs regenerates. Reduction in the shortness of breath.
1 Year – Risk of heart disease decrease by 50% compared to a smoker.
5 Years – Risk of lung cancer decrease by 50%.
10 Years to 15 Years – Regeneration and replacement of pre-cancerous cells. Same health risks of a non-smoker.
Other Benefits of Quit Smoking
More than just health, quitting smoking includes other benefits as well. I’d say that regaining control of your life would be the main one. On top of that you’ll definitely save a bulk of cash and setting a better example to your family and your community.
Ask any ex-smoker about their journey and their benefits and it’s not surprising that you may them say they have a sense of pride and accomplishment, being more positive and productive at work, improved appetite, having better relationships with people, increased energy levels, better appearance, better attraction and the list goes on.
Here’s what you can do, come up with a list of reasons to quit smoking. Think for a moment. What are all the possible benefits, including short term and long term benefits you will experience when you decide to quit smoking.
The more detailed and specific, the better. Include how you feel about yourself and how you will feel if you’ve succeeded to quit smoking. The clearer you are about your reason, the more focus you will be about quitting.
by admin on November 18, 2009
The simple fact is that you know smoking is not good for you. In fact, nobody has to tell you to quit; you know you ought to quit. The irony is that when more people tell you to quit, you naturally want to quit less.
The truth is that nobody can force you, make you quit and chances are you have already tried more than once to quit. Let me guess, did you smoke the ‘just one’ cigarette?
Before you knew it, you probably started at ground zero again. This cycle can go on and on and many smokers would give up or at least, for a period of time.
Now, if you’re thinking about quitting again. You have definitely made the right choice by not giving up. Besides, did you know that most ex-smokers tried to quit an average for five times before they truly give up the habit?
Tobacco and Its Health Effects
The reason why people who care about you ask you to quit smoking is because they know smoking is bad for your health. Thought it may be irritating at times, you know that they have a point.
I mean of course sure, being pestered all the time is not healthy either but, cigarettes is the number most preventable cause of death in the world and is also the leading cause of illness and death in many other countries.
Emphysema – an abnormal accumulation of air in tissues can damage the air sacs in your lungs, which is difficult for oxygen to be released into the bloodstream from the lungs. On the other hand, chronic bronchitis causes inflammation and irritation to the air ways of your lungs due to cigarette smoking.
Affecting Others with Your Smoking
It’s also not news that people around smokers suffers detrimental effects of smoking from inhaling your smoke.
Secondhand smoke causes many illnesses such as chronic bronchitis, heart disease, asthma and cancer. More than 100,000 people die worldwide because of secondhand smoke.
What’s surprising is that smoke of those who smokes questions whether secondhand smoke brings illness and it may be a lies by public groups who are anti-smokers.
However, many evidence and facts have proofed that secondhand smoke does kills. So make the right choice today by deciding to quit for once and for all.
