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FAMILY WELL-BEING:
HOW TO HELP A FRIEND QUIT SMOKING |
L. E. Russ Gallup,
NM
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I tried everything to get my sister to stop smoking. When i say everything, I mean EVERYTHING! Finally, the only thing that worked was to total up all the money she spent on her cigarettes for one year. It came to more than $500. When I told her she was in shock. I put it to her another way. Ten pairs of new shoes. She got the point and told me that she would cut back. I told her that cutting back meant that she could only leave five pairs of shoes in the store. Two weeks later my sister proudly announced she had quit. I promptly told her to give me the money she would spend on cigarettes and each month we would go on a shoe shopping spree. She did and we did. Oh what fun! |
FEEDBACK: This is the wackiest thing I ever heard. Smoking is an addiction. But so are shoes. i tried it on my wife and it worked. D.S. Decater, Ill.
Everybody knows that each smoker that quits does so for their own reasons. Motivation is the most important part of the act of quitting. Although this is a bizarre motive to quit, I can certainly see how the economic impact and State taxation campaigns have had a significant effect on this dreaded killer. E.J. LaSalle, KS
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T. Ahmed
London,
UK
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For most people the first three days after quitting are the most difficult to live with when you are trying to help someone you care about stop smoking. My boyfriend is a good case in point.
When he was quitting smoking his first three days were spent going through nicotine withdrawal. I tried my best to keep the words of support as
positive as possible. I suggested that he think about his experiences of nicotine withdrawal in a
positive way by calling them "recovery symptoms"and worked hard to keep him thinking about the improvements to his health.
Even though his ‘craving’ for nicotine may have lasted only a few minutes as a person who had just quit he felt a lot more tired and anxious than usual. If you are going to take this on it's important that you remember that this is an important time to listen carefully and provide realistic support, such as telling them to take it one craving at a time, one day at a time. |
FEEDBACK: If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Remember that many people make several quitting attempts before they are successful at kicking the habit. With each attempt the person you are trying to help learns more about how their body reacts to going without the nicotine in cigarettes and adjusting to the social side of becoming a brand new non-smoker. Don't quit 'til they do. R.G. Nashville, TN
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I. J. Malher
Newark,
NJ
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For people who are trying to get other folks to quit smoking it’s a good idea to convince them to avoid drinking cocktails or any form of alcohol during the first two weeks. This is because, alcohol tends to lower the person's inhibitions, which will make it more difficult to maintain the determination not to smoke. Another reason is that it is a common habit to combine a drink and a smoke, so having a drink with friends who smoke may trigger a relapse.
Instead of meeting for drinks, I would suggest
alternatives like going to a movie or meeting at
a smoke-free restaurant,theatre, or bowling alley. |
FEEDBACK: I learned that as the body removes nicotine it absorbs more caffeine. So it’s probably a good idea to reduce the amount of tea,
coffee and cola drinks as much as possible. Also I read that an increase in caffeine levels for someone who has just quit smoking may lead to
feelings of restlessness or insomnia.. -D.N.. Minniapolis, MN |
D.P. Glenn
Dearborn,
MI
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There are many reasons why people smoke. Nicotine is the source of addiction to tobacco, and the experts claim that
cigarettes are as addictive as heroin or cocaine.
Some people associate the craving for a cigarette with a particular behaviour, such as consuming alcohol, food or coffee. Others crave a cigarette when certain feelings arise, such as boredom or anxiety.
Some people smoke because it can be social, or they may like the taste or the actions of smoking a cigarette.
Whatever the reason it is important to remember that smokers see the cigarette as an important part of their persona. Getting them to quit is like getting them to give up an arm or a leg. Don't even think about helping a friend quit unless you are in it to win it. |
| FEEDBACK: Amen brother. Don't even think of helping someone to quit smoking unless they are dead serious and you are prepared to play hard ball to see them through it. A.J. Long Beach, CA |
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EXPERT OPINIONS |
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After inhaling tobacco smoke the nicotine reaches |
the brain in about ten seconds. Once the nicotine has attached itself to special sites in the brain, relaxing chemicals are released. But this effect only
lasts for a short time and then the nicotine needs
to be topped up. One of the reasons people continue
to smoke is because they enjoy the temporary
feeling of the relaxing chemicals. To help a person quit, you will have to put your friendship in the breach once occupied by the drug. Not an easy place to be.
Dr. Simon Gadsen
Cardiologist
Dearborn, MI |
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There are many reasons why people smoke.
Nicotine |
is the source of addiction to tobacco, and
cigarettes are fully as addictive as heroin or cocaine. Some people associate the craving for a cigarette
with a particular behaviour, such as consuming
alcohol, food or coffee to diminish it's addictive nature. Others crave a cigarette when
certain feelings arise, such as boredom or anxiety. Make no mistake. It is an addictive drug and should be regarded as such.
Robin Withers
Tissue Analyst
Bellview, WA
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Quitting smoking helps your circulation, your stamina |
your skin, and your general health. Your risk for coronary heart disease, the most common cause of death in the U.S., is cut in half after only a year without smoking. Quitting smoking also reduces the likelihood of having breathing problems and lung and other cancers. Studies have shown that smoking affects others as well as yourself. Children of parents who smoke around the house are more likely to get respiratory infections than children from nonsmoking homes. Smoking is an addictive habit. Quitting smoking is not easy but it can be done. Most former smokers made several attempts to quit before they are finally successful. So, never say, "I can't." Just keep trying!
Dr. Grant Dempsey
Onocologist
Boston, MA
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The first step to quit smoking is to set a quit date. Setting a quit date |
is one of the most important steps in being successful with your quit plan. Pick a date when you will stop smoking as soon as possible and mark it on your calendar. Throw away all your lighters, ashtrays and cigarettes. If you keep cigarettes around, sooner or later you'll break down and smoke one. Make it less easy to start again. Tell your family and friends you plan to quit, and ask for their support and encouragement. Ask them not to offer you cigarettes.
The first 10 days you may feel tired, irritable, and develop headaches or a cough. You may also have problems concentrating as your body goes through nicotine withdrawal. These symptoms last usually only one to two weeks. And your done.
David Schwartz, MD
Internist
Detroit, MI |
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Withdrawel symptoms are the toughest part of parting |
with cigarettes. To help alleviate withdrawal symptoms, drink plenty of water and eat at least three meals per day, exercise, avoid alcohol and get plenty of rest as nicotine goes out of your system. Try chewing gum, pretzel sticks, raw fruit or raw vegetables as a substitute for cigarettes. Take deep breaths, keep busy and reward yourself for not smoking. These techniques will help you handle cravings to smoke
Hudson Reilly
Lab Technician
Los Angeles, CA
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Think of yourself and identify your self as a ex-smoker (forexample, |
in restaurants). Stay away from "smoker's havens," such as bars. Avoid spending time with smokers, at least for the first few weeks of quitting. You cannot tell others not to smoke, but you do not have to sit with them while they do. Old habits die hard and one of your old smoking buddies is sure to offer you a cigarette. Plan to walk away from cigarette smoke.
Marsha Williams
Nurse Practitioner
Chicago, IL
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Rodney Smith ,
Production Artist
Fantazzzmia |
| Keep your hands busy. You may find you don't know what to do with your hands for a while. Pick up a book or a magazine. Try knitting, drawing, making a plastic model, or doing a jigsaw puzzle. Join special interest groups that keep you involved in your hobby. Take on new activities. Take on new activities that don't include smoking. Join an exercise group and work out regularly. Sign up for an evening class or join a study group. Go on more outings with your family or friends. Go see a movie. |
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Nancy Joya,
Secretary
Fantazzzmia |
Consider using nicotine gum, patches, spray or other pharmacologic therapies. Nicotine is the drug that is in tobacco. You can use nicotine patches, lozenges or gum, available without a prescription at your local pharmacy, to quit smoking. It is a two-step process. First, you learn to live without smoking, but not without nicotine. On your quit day, you discontinue smoking and start using the patches or gum. Then you slowly cut back on the nicotine over 6 - 8 weeks.
Zyban and Chantix are prescription medications that can be used to help you quit smoking. Both medications should be started about 7 - 10 days before your quit date. Ask your primary care physician about using either of these medications to help you with quitting.. |
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Dave Winchell ,
Billing Clerk
Fantazzzmia |
| You may prefer to be involved in an organized quit-smoking program while you are using the patches, gum, Zyban, or Chantix. None of the nicotine replacement products, Zyban, or Chantix are a miracle cure. You still need to learn to live without cigarettes in your daily life. Your personal decision to quit smoking combined with learning the skills to be smoke-free can help you be successful. Some people do better in a formal class with a set of instructions to follow. Group support is another reason to consider a formal quit smoking program. Others quitting at the same time provide support and encouragement for each other. Remember, the aim is to quit smoking. It does not matter how you do it. Quit smoking programs that are available include: |
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