This Information is not intended to diagnose health problems or to take the place of medical advice or care you receive from your physician or other health care professional. If you have persistent health problems, or if you have additional questions, please consult your doctor. If you have questions or need more information about your medication, please speak to your pharmacist. Kaiser Permanente does not endorse the medications or products mentioned. Any trade names listed are for easy identification only.
Congratulations ............................................................................................ 1 What Makes Quitting So Hard? ............................................................... 2 • Find out how much you depend on nictotine ....................................... 2
What Can Help Make Quitting Easier? .................................................. 3 • Knowing what to expect ........................................................................ 3 • Getting ready to quit can make a difference ...................................... 4 • Get support ............................................................................................... 4 • Prepare to quit .......................................................................................... 5 • Unlearn the Habit .................................................................................... 6 What about gaining weight? ................................................................... 7 • How can you avoid gaining weight? .......................................................... 7
• Snack Calorie Chart ................................................................................. 8 What Happens After You Quit Smoking? ............................................. 9 • Immediate rewards .................................................................................. 9 • Immediate effects .................................................................................. 10 • Long-range benefits .............................................................................. 10 Sticking With It: Quitting for Good - Congratulations! .................. 10 • Keeping your guard up ......................................................................... 11 • Withdrawal Symptoms and Activities That Might Help ....................12
• Fight the Urges ................................................................................................13
Not Smoking is Habit Forming .............................................................. 15 • Marking Progress ............................................................................................16
If You Do Smoke Again ............................................................................. 17 Common Rationalizations and Responses ........................................ 18 Resources...................................................................................................... 21Contract For Not Smoking ...................................................................... 25
Steps I’ll take before quitting: (e.g., get rid of ashtrays)
(e.g., get prescriptions for stop smoking medications from my
doctor)
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
How I’ll handle triggers:(e.g., plan non-smoking activities)
(e.g., practice deep breathing)
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
I,_______________ will quit smoking on ________________
I am doing this ______________________________ .your name date
your signature date
your buddy’s signature date
Contract For Not Smoking
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Congratulations on taking the first step to quitting smoking. You have just made one of the best decisions you could make for your health.
This booklet can help you move from just thinking about quitting smoking to actually doing it — and it can help guide you from the day you quit to quitting for good. It has tips on fighting temptation, what to do if you slip, and how to avoid gaining weight. (Check out the Snack Calorie Chart on page 8.) Knowing what to expect can help you navigate the day-by-day process of becoming a non-smoker.
Take a few moments to look at each suggestion carefully. Then pick those you feel comfortable with and decide today that you’re going to use them to quit. It may take a while for you to find the right combination. In fact, many people try to quit a number of times before they succeed. But chances are good that you can quit for good, even if you’ve tried before. What you have learned in the past can actually help you succeed.
It can help to remember that successful methods are as different as the people who use them. Quitting “cold turkey” may work for one person, while another may do better with the support of a program or counselor. The following approaches include suggestions that are the most popular with people who have quit smoking. What may seem silly to one person may, in fact, be just what you need to quit. To improve your chance of success, pick the suggestions that appeal to you, stay positive, and keep trying.
Roseville - Riverside 916-746-4513 Sacramento – Fair Oaks 916-480-6900 Sacramento – Point West 916-614-4035 San Francisco 415-833-3450 San Rafael 415-444-2173 Santa Clara – Homestead 408-851-3800
Santa Rosa 707-393-4167 San Jose 408-972-3340 Selma 559-898-6030 South Sacramento 916-688-2428 South San Francisco 650-742-2439 Stockton 209-476-3299 Tracy 209-839-6130 Union City 510-784-4531 Vacaville 707-624-2225 Vallejo 707-651-2692 Walnut Creek 925-295-4410
Kaiser Permanente Northern California Health Education Centers
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What Makes Quitting So Hard? Many people say that quitting smoking was the hardest thing they have ever done. Do you feel “hooked?” Feeling “hooked” probably means that you are addicted to nicotine. Nicotine is in all tobacco products. It makes you feel calm and satisfied and more alert and focused. The more you smoke, the more nicotine you need to feel good. Soon, you don’t feel “normal” without nicotine. Knowing that it will take time — and that it may take more than one try to quit for good — can help you avoid giving up too soon. Try to keep in mind that you will feel good again.
Quitting is also hard because smoking is, most likely, a big part of your life. Smoking can be a source of pleasure as you hold and puff on a cigarette. Smoking may be something you do when you are stressed, bored, or angry. After months and years of lighting up, smoking becomes a part of your daily routine. You may, in fact, light up without even thinking about it.
Find Out how much you depend on nicotine.Knowing how addicted you are to nicotine can help you quit. It can help you decide if you need extra help, such as medicine or a support program. Take this quiz* and find out how hooked you are. Check a box for every “yes” answer:
q Do you usually smoke within a half hour of waking?q Do you find it hard not to smoke where smoking isn’t
allowed (e.g. at the library, theater, or doctor’s office)?q Do you smoke 10 or more cigarettes a day?q Do you smoke more during the morning than during
the rest of the day?q Do you smoke even when you’re sick?
(*Modified from Fagerstrom KO, Schneider, NG. Measuring nicotine dependence: a review of the Fagerstrom Tolerance Questionnaire. Journal of Behavioral Medicine 1989, 12 (2): 159-182)
kp.org/tobaccomedications To learn more about which medication might be right for you, try our animated online program.
nicotine-anonymous.org Nicotine Anonymous is a non-profit 12-step program for people helping each other live nicotine-free lives.
becomeanex.org A free, online-based quit tobacco program based on personal experience from ex-smokers as well as scientific research.
smokefree.gov Created by the Tobacco Control Research Branch of the National Cancer Institute. Smokefree.gov allows you to choose the help that best fits your needs.
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How many boxes did you check? ________
The more boxes you checked, the more addicted you are. If you checked only one box or no boxes at all, you still may have to work hard to quit. But remember, no matter how hooked you are, you can stop smoking. The key is staying strong and sticking with it.You may be very addicted to nicotine if you checked more than three boxes. Medicine can help you quit. Some medications are available over-the-counter, while others require a prescription. For more information about which medications might be helpful to you, check with your doctor or contact your Kaiser Permanente Health Education Center for the handout, “Medications to Help You Quit Tobacco: What’s Best for You?”
What Can Help Make Quitting Easier?
Knowing what to expect and anticipating challenges can help you break free from nicotine.• Have realistic expectations. Quitting isn’t easy, but it’s not
impossible. Millions of Americans quit smoking every year.• Understand that withdrawal symptoms (see p. 12) are
temporary. They usually last only a few weeks.• Keep in mind that most relapses occur within the first week
after quitting when withdrawal symptoms are the strongest. This is the time to use all of your resources — willpower, support of family and friends, cessation medications, coping strategies, and the tips in this booklet — to get you through this critical period successfully.
• Remember that most other relapses occur in the first 3 months after quitting when situational triggers, such as a particularly stressful event, occur unexpectedly. These are the times when people reach for a cigarette automatically. It is important to
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COMMUNITY RESOURCES
Contact local chapters of the American Lung Association, American Cancer Society, or the American Heart Association. They all have written materials, self-help smoking cessation guides, ongoing classes, and helpful online programs.Call the California Smoker’s Helpline (a Kaiser Permanente approved smoking cessation program) at 1-800-NO- BUTTS. Various languages and hearing impaired help are also available.
BOOKS
Quit and Stay Quit, by T. Rustin, MD. Hazeldon Press, 1994.
Keep Quit, By T. Rustin, MD. Hazeldon Press, 1996.
How to Quit Smoking and Not Gain Weight Cookbook, by M Donkersloot, RD, and L. Hyder-Ferry, MD, MPH. Three Rivers Press, 1999
WEB SITES
My Doctor Online Go to kp.org/mydoctor. Visit “Staying Healthy” on your doctor’s home page to find out more about plan-ning and support information for quitting tobacco.
kp.org/quitsmoking Choose from proven quit tobacco programs to find one that best suits your schedule and per-sonality. kp.org/quitsmoking features:• An award-winning online program, HealthMedia
Breathe®, which can create a personalized quitting plan for you. (This program is for our members only.)
• Specifics about the tobacco cessation class-es at local Kaiser Permanente facilities.
• Links to a wealth of resources you can use to relax, maintain your weight, reduce your stress, and be as healthy as you can be.
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recognize that unanticipated events may happen so that when they do, you are prepared to try other ways to cope, rather than reaching for a cigarette.
Getting ready to quit can make a difference.• Decide that you want to quit. As simple as it seems, making the
decision and focusing on the positive benefits of quitting — rather than negative thoughts about how difficult it may be — can make a big difference.
• List all of the reasons why you want to quit. Carry them in your wallet. Include strong personal reasons in addition to your health and obligation to others. Every night before bed, repeat one of your reasons 10 times.
• Start noticing where you are and who you are with when you smoke. This will help you identify situations that may “trigger” your desire to smoke after you quit.
• Get your body ready. Begin a modest exercise program, drink more fluids, get plenty of rest, and avoid fatigue.
• Make a list of things you’d like to buy with the money you won’t be spending on cigarettes. This includes small rewards, like a DVD, and larger ones, like a vacation.
• Set a “Quit Date.” You may want to pick a special day, such as your birthday, anniversary, or the Great American Smokeout. If you smoke at work, pick a date during a vacation so that you are already committed to quitting when you return. Write your “Quit Date” in the contract at the end of this booklet.
Get support.• Tell your family, friends and co-workers that you’re quitting
and when. They can be an important source of support both before and after you quit.
•Ask your spouse or a friend to quit with you.
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RESOURCES
KAISER PERMANENTE PROGRAMS
Contact your local Health Education Center or Depart-ment or check online at kp.org/quitsmoking for more information about smoking cessation resources and classes. Tobacco cessation classes are available at no extra cost.
Ask your doctor about meeting individually with a Clinical Health Educator to help you develop a quitting plan. Your doctor can also prescribe smoking cessation medication that can help ease withdrawal symptoms.
Kaiser Permanente Wellness CoachingOur personal coaches can help you create – and stick with – a plan to help you quit tobacco. You and your coach talk one-to-one by phone at a time that’s convenient for you. Make the first move by calling 1-866-251-4514 (toll free), 6 a.m. to mid-night daily, to schedule your coaching appointment. Coach-ing sessions are offered without charge to Kaiser Permanente members and are available weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Quit Tobacco WorkshopThis one-session workshop is designed to help you develop your own quit plan. In a positive, no-pressure environment, learn about the nature of addiction, cessation strategies and medications, and ways to prevent relapse.
Freedom from Tobacco SeriesDeclare your freedom and join our tobacco cessation pro-gram. Learn about the nature of nicotine addiction, how to develop a personal quit plan that includes effective strategies and medications, and how to deal with withdrawal.
Prepare to quit.1. Just before you quit...
•Clean your clothes to get rid of the cigarette smell.
• Tell yourself you won’t smoke after your “Quit Date” — and then don’t.
• Don’t think of never smoking again. Think of quitting in terms of one day at a time.
2. Today’s the day: what to do on your “quit date.”
• Throw away all of your cigarettes, matches, lighters, and ashtrays.
• Visit the dentist and have your teeth cleaned to get rid of tobacco stains.
• Keep very busy on the big day. Go to the movies, exercise, take long walks, ride a bike.
• Keep low-calorie snacks like carrots, celery, or sugarless gum available. Try holding a toothpick or straw in your mouth to keep it occupied.
3. How can you help yourself immediately after quitting? (See pp 11-16 for more tips)
• Continue to break up your routine to avoid “trigger” situations that make you want to smoke.
• Instead of smoking after meals, get up from the table and brush your teeth or go for a walk.
•Get plenty of rest.
• Pay attention to cigarette ads to understand how they try to “sell” you on individual brands.
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Response
This is a common feeling, especially within the first 1-3 weeks. The longer you’re off cigarettes, the more your urges probably will come at times when you smoked before, such as when you’re drinking coffee or alcohol or are at a cocktail party where other peo ple are smoking. These are high-risk situations, and you can help yourself by avoiding them whenever possible. If you can’t avoid them, you can try to visu alize in advance how you’ll handle the desire for a cigarette if it arises in those situations.
Smoking one or a few cigarettes doesn’t mean you’ve “blown it.” It does mean that you have to strengthen your determination to quit and try again — harder. Don’t forget that you got through several days, perhaps even weeks or months, without a cigarette. This shows that you don’t need cigarettes and that you can be a successful quitter.
Rationalization
Sometimes I have an almost irre sistible urge to have a cigarette.
I blew it. I smoked a cigarette.
COMMON RATIONALIZATIONS
* Adapted from Clinical Opportunities for Smoking Intervention — A Guide for the Busy Physician.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. NIH Pub. No. 86-2178. August 1986.
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Unlearn the habit
• Make smoking inconvenient for yourself. Stop buying your cigarettes by the carton. Don’t carry your cigarettes with you at home or at work. Make them difficult to get.
• Change a few eating habits. Try drinking milk, for example, which many people find incompatible with smoking. Or try reaching for a glass of juice or water instead of a cigarette.
• Be mindful when you smoke. Try not to smoke “automatically.” Smoke only those cigarettes you really want. Catch yourself when you light up a cigarette out of pure habit. To break up the automatic reach, use the opposite hand to smoke or put your cigarettes in a different pocket. Try to look in a mirror each time you light up. You just may decide you don’t need it.
• Make smoking unpleasant. Switch to a brand you find distasteful. Smoke only under circumstances that aren’t especially pleasurable for you. If you normally smoke with a group, try only smoking alone. Collect all of your cigarette butts in a glass container as a visual reminder of the filth made by smoking.
• Schedule your smoking. Decide that you will only smoke during even or odd hours of the day. Or decide to only smoke between 4 and 8 pm. Practice being a non-smoker for a set period of time each day. Start thinking of yourself as a non-smoker.
• Use cessation medications. Smoking cessation medications double success rates in clinical trials. These medications help reduce physical withdrawal symptoms and allow you to focus on changing the behavioral habit of smoking. Common cessation medications include the nicotine patch, gum, or lozenge and bupropion SR ( Wellbutrin/Zyban). Talk with your doctor or other health care professional about what might be right for you.
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Response
Quitting and staying away from cigarettes is hard, but it’s not impossible. More than 3 million Americans quit every year. It’s important to remember that many people have had to try more than once, and try more than one method, before they become ex-smokers. They have done it, and so can you.
Most people who gain more than 5-10 pounds are eating more. Gaining weight isn’t inevitable. There are some things you can do to help keep your weight stable. (See “How can you avoid gaining weight?”on page 7.)
This is a common complaint. You can keep your hands busy in other ways; it’s just a matter of getting used to the change of not holding a cigarette. Try holding something else, such as a pen cil, paper clip, or marble. Practice simply keeping your hands clasped together. If you’re at home, think of all the things you wish you had time to do, make a list, and consult the list for alternatives to smoking whenever your hands feel restless.
Rationalization
It’s too hard to quit. I don’t have the willpower.
I’m worried about gaining weight.
I don’t know what to do with my hands.
COMMON RATIONALIZATIONS
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What about gaining weight?
You may be concerned about gaining weight if you give up smoking. When you quit smoking, your body uses food more slowly. If you are concerned about weight gain, keep these points in mind:• Not everyone gains weight after quitting. Most people gain
because they eat more. Finding habits and substitutes for smoking that don’t contain calories can keep you from gaining weight.
• The benefits of quitting smoking far outweigh the drawbacks of adding a few pounds.
How can you avoid gaining weight?
• Follow a well-balanced diet with the proper amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fat.
•Get active — take a walk instead of a cigarette break.• Try to choose a “Quit Date” that is not just before a holiday,
when the temptation of high-calorie food and drinks may be hard to resist.
•Drink a glass of water before each meal.•Chew sugarless gum when you want sweet foods.•Don’t try to lose weight. Just try to maintain your weight.• Have low calorie foods on hand for nibbling. Use the snack
calorie chart on page 8 to choose foods that are both nutritious and low in calories. Some good choices are fresh fruits and vegetables, lowfat cottage cheese, and air-popped popcorn without butter.
• Nicotine gum and bupropion SR have been shown to delay weight gain while you are quitting, so you can focus on becoming a non-smoker.
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Response
Your body is used to nicotine, so you naturally feel more relaxed when you give your body a substance upon which it has grown dependent. But nicotine really is a stimulant; it raises your heart rate, blood pressure, and adrenaline level. Most ex-smokers feel much less nervous just a few weeks after quitting.
Trouble concentrating can be a short-term symptom of quitting, but smoking actually deprives your brain of oxygen.
Cutting down is a good first step, but there’s a big difference in the benefits to you between smoking a little and not smoking at all. Besides, people who cut back often inhale more often and more deeply, negating many of the benefits of cutting back. After you’ve cut back to about seven cigarettes a day, it’s time to set a quit date.
These cigarettes still contain harmful substances, and many people who use them inhale more often and more deeply to maintain their nicotine intake. Also, carbon monoxide intake often increases with a switch to low-tar cigarettes.
Rationalization
I’m under a lot of stress and smoking relaxes me.
Smoking makes me more effective in my work.
I’ve already cut down to a safe level.
I smoke only safe, low-tar/low-nicotine cigarettes.
COMMON RATIONALIZATIONS
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If You Do Smoke Again
If you slip and smoke, don’t be discouraged. Many people try to stop several times before they succeed. Here are some tips for getting back on track:
• Recognize that you have had a slip. A slip means that you have had a small setback and smoked a cigarette or two. Remember that a small setback does not make you a smoker again.
• Don’t be too hard on yourself. One slip doesn’t mean you’re a failure or that you can’t be a non-smoker. But don’t be too easy on yourself either. It is important to get yourself back on the non-smoking track immediately.
• Identify the trigger. Exactly what was it that prompted you to smoke? Be aware of the trigger and decide how you will cope with it when it comes up again.
• Know and use your coping skills. People who know at least one coping skill are more likely to remain non-smokers than those who do not know any.
•Sign a contract with yourself to remain a non-smoker.• See your doctor. He or she can provide extra motivation
for you to stop smoking. Your doctor may also prescribe the nicotine patch or other smoking cessation aid to reduce the withdrawal symptoms while you quit. These medications have been proven to help people quit smoking. Talk with your doctor about how it is going and whether or not you think you need to adjust your dose.
• Congratulate yourself on the time you went without cigarettes and re-commit yourself to quitting.
Beverages
Milk
Candy
Chips, pretzels, etc.
Dairy products
Crackers
Fruits
Nuts
Vegetables
Snacks CaloriesCarbonated soda (per 12 ounce can) ................................... 140
Fruit drink (lemonade, grape drink, etc)... ................... 110-160
Juice (per 1/2 cup)
Apple, orange, pineapple,
grape, grapefruit juice ....................................................... 100-140
Prune juice ......................................................................................... 200
Vegetable juice (per cup) .......................................................40-50
What Happens After You Quit Smoking?Immediate rewardsWithin 12 hours after you have your last cigarette, your body will begin to heal itself. The levels of carbon monoxide and nicotine will drop rapidly, and your heart and lungs will be-gin to repair the damage caused by cigarette smoke.
Within a few days you will probably begin to notice some remarkable changes in your body. Your sense of smell and taste may improve. You will breathe easier and your smoker’s hack will begin to go away — although you may notice that you will continue to cough for a while. And you will be free of the mess, smell, inconvenience, expense, and dependence of cigarette smoking.
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If you follow the advice of this booklet and use at least one coping skill whenever you have an urge to smoke, you will have quit for good.
Marking Progress
• Each month, on the anniversary of your “Quit Date,” plan a special celebration.
• Periodically, write down new reasons that make you glad you quit smoking. Post these reasons where you will be sure to see them.
• Make up a calendar for the first 90 days. Cross off each day and indicate the money you saved by not smoking.
• Set up intermediate target dates and do something special with the money you saved.
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Immediate effectsAs your body begins to heal itself, instead of feeling better right away, you may feel worse for a while. Healing is a process. It begins immediately and will continue over time. These “withdrawal pangs” are really symptoms of the recovery process. See “Withdrawal Symptoms and Activities that Might Help” on page 12.
Immediately after quitting, some people experience slight weight gain (caused by fluid retention), irregularity, sore gums or tongue. You may feel edgy, hungry, more tired, or more short-tempered than usual. You may have trou-ble sleeping or notice that you are coughing a lot. These symptoms are the result of your body clearing itself of nicotine, a powerfully addictive chemical. Most nicotine is gone from the body within 2-3 days. However, it may take some time to recover from the other effects of smoking.
Long-range benefitsThe after-effects of quitting are temporary and signal the beginning of a healthier life. Now that you have quit, you’ve added a number of healthy, productive days to each year of your life. Most importantly, you’ve greatly improved your chances of a longer life. You have significantly reduced your risk of death from heart disease, stroke, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and several types of cancer.
Sticking With It: Quitting for Good — Congratulations!Now you are ready to develop a new habit — not smoking. Like any other habit, it takes time to become a part of you. Unlike most other habits, though, not smoking will take some conscious effort and practice. In this section, you will find many techniques to use for developing the nonsmoking habit and holding onto it.
5. Stay upbeat.
If self-defeating thoughts start to creep in, remind yourself again that you are a non-smoker, that you do not want to smoke, and that you have good reasons for quitting. Putting yourself down is not an effective coping skill. Mobilize the power of positive thinking.
6. Relax.
Breathing exercises help reduce tension. Instead of having a cigarette, take a long, deep breath, count to ten, and release it. Repeat this five times. Relax all of your muscles and picture a soothing and happy scene. Just get away from it all for a moment and think only of that peaceful image or take 10 deep breaths, and hold the last one while lighting a match. Exhale slowly and blow out the match.
7. Get support.
Getting support from other people can help. You can talk one-on-one with friends or family, or join a group for support. You can also chat with others who are quitting smoking on a quit smoking web site. Let your friends, family, and co-workers know that you are quitting smoking and ask for their support. Let those close to you know that you might be tense for a while, but that the longer you go without cigarettes, the sooner you’ll be your old self. Does someone close to you smoke? Ask them to quit with you, or at least not to smoke around you.
Not Smoking Is Habit FormingCongratulations. You have made a commitment not to smoke and, by using this booklet, you know what to do when temptation strikes. It is often difficult to stay a non-smoker once you have had a cigarette, so do everything possible to avoid it.
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By reading this section carefully and reviewing it often, you can become more aware of the places and situations that prompt your desire for a cigarette. You can also learn ways to cope with the urges and what to do in case you do slip and give in to the urge to smoke.
Keeping your guard upEven though you have made a commitment not to smoke, you will sometimes be tempted. One key to living as a non-smoker is to avoid letting your urges or cravings for a cigarette lead you to smoke.
When you get the urge, first, remind yourself that you have quit and you are a non-smoker. Then look closely at your urge and ask yourself:
•Where was I when I got the urge?•What was I doing at the time?•Who was with me?•What was I thinking about/feeling?
The urge to smoke after you’ve quit often hits at predictable times. The trick is to anticipate those times and find ways to cope with them — without smoking. It may not be easy at first. In fact, you may continue to want a cigarette at times. But remember, even if you slip, it doesn’t mean an end to the non-smoking you. Try to identify what triggered your slip and re-commit to quitting.
If you are like many new non-smokers, the most difficult place to resist the urge to smoke is the most familiar — home. The activities most closely associated with smoking are eating, partying, and drinking. And, not surprisingly, most urges occur when another smoker is present.
“People who smoke have a 70 percent higher rate of premature death than non-smokers.”
3. Anticipate triggers and prepare to avoid them.
By now you know which situations, people, and feelings are more likely to tempt you to smoke. Prepare to meet these triggers head-on and counteract them. Keep using the skills that helped you cope in cutting down and quitting.
• Remember that an urge usually lasts just a few minutes. You can wait it out.
• Keep your hands busy — doodle, knit, type a letter, garden or do chores.
•Spend more time with friends who don’t smoke.• Find activities that make smoking difficult. Exercise to help
knock out the smoking urge; it will help you feel and look good as well. It’s hard to smoke while swimming, jogging, or playing tennis.
• Put something other than a cigarette in your mouth. Chew sugarless gum or nibble a carrot, celery stick, or straw.
• Avoid places where smoking is permitted. Or, if necessary, avoid those who are smoking.
• Reduce your consumption of alcohol, which can stimulate the desire to smoke. Try not to have more than 1-2 drinks at a party.
• For at least the beginning, avoid situations you strongly associate with the pleasurable aspects of smoking: e.g. watching your favorite TV show, sitting in your favorite chair, etc.
4. Reward yourself for not smoking.
Congratulations are in order each time you get through a day without smoking. After a week, give yourself a pat on the back and a reward of some kind. Buy a new DVD. Treat yourself to a movie or concert. No matter how you do it, make sure you reward yourself in some way as a reminder that what you are doing is important.
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Fight the UrgesBelow are seven techniques for fighting the urge to smoke. These tips are designed for the new non-smoking you to nurture your new way of life.
1. Think about why you quit.
Go back to your list of reasons for quitting. Look at it sev-eral times a day, especially when you are hit with the urge to smoke. The best reasons you could have for quitting and staying a non-smoker are very personally yours.
2. Know when you are rationalizing.
It can be easy to rationalize yourself back into smoking. (See “Common Rationalizations”, p.18.) In a tense situation you might think that one cigarette will just calm you down. If so, stop and think again. Take a walk or do breathing exercises.
Concern about gaining weight may also lead to rationalizing your way back to smoking. Review the list of healthy, low-calorie snacks that you used when quitting (p. 8). Remember that slight weight gain is not likely to endanger your health the way smoking does. Counter thoughts such as “I’d rather be thin, even if it means smoking,” with the real facts, like
Look at the following list of typical triggers. Do many of them ring a bell with you? Check off those that might trigger an urge to smoke, and
add any others you can think of :
n Working under pressure n Driving your car
n Feeling blue n Finishing a meal
n Talking on the telephone n Playing cards
n Having a drink n Drinking coffee
n Watching television n Watching someone else smoke
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Activity
Sip ice-cold water or fruit juice, or chew gum.
Take a warm bath or shower. Try relaxation or
meditation techniques.
Don’t drink coffee, tea, or soda with caffeine
after 6:00 p.m. Again, try relaxation or
meditation techniques.
Add roughage to your diet, such as raw fruit,
vegetables, and whole-grain cereals. Drink 6-8
glasses of water a day.
Take a nap. Try not to push yourself during this time;
don’t expect too much of your body until it’s had a
chance to begin to heal itself over a couple of weeks.
Drink water or low-calorie liquids. Eat low-fat,
low-calorie snacks. (See “Approximate Snack Calorie Chart,”
page 8.)
Take a walk, soak in a hot bath, try relaxation
or meditation techniques.
Sip warm herbal tea. Suck on cough drops or
sugarless hard candy.
Symptom
dry mouth; sore
throat, gums, or
tongue
headaches
trouble sleeping
irregularity
fatigue
hunger
tenseness, irritability
cough
Withdrawal Symptoms and Activities That Might Help*
* Adapted from Quitting Times: A Magazine for Women Who Smoke, funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Health; prepared by Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia.
Medications can ease withdrawal symptoms for some people. Nicotine replacement (like the patch) and bupropion SR have been proven to help people quit smoking by minimizing withdrawal. Ask your doctor about which smoking cessation medication is right for you.
