We all know cigarette/tobacco smoking is a very unhealthy
habit and addiction. We all know people who struggle to give up the habit and
addiction—some times succeeding, sometimes not.
We all know individuals who become defensive claming tobacco
smoking is unfairly maligned. They tell about Uncle Joe who smoked a pack a day
for 30 years and he’s still alive. They forget to mention Uncle Joe’s quality
of life. Uncle Joe could have one or more of the following diseases.
- Emphysema
- Bronchitis
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease
- Coronary artery disease
- Peripheral artery disease
- Colorectal cancer
- Liver cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Erectile dysfunction in men
- Stomach cancer
- Bladder and kidney cancer
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm
- Acute myeloid leukemia
- Cataracts
- Cervical cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Periodontitis
- Pneumonia
Economically, Uncle Joe set fire to his money. He never had
enough money to take a vacation let alone save enough money for a down payment
on a house. My bias against smoking is showing.
I like many others tried tobacco smoking when I was young.
We try smoking for a variety of reasons. It creates a sense of belonging with
the group, or a sense of adulthood and control over one’s own life. There is a
happy, euphoric hit of emotion. Some claim greater clarity of thinking, or a
sense of relaxation. And smoking seems to go really well with coffee, alcohol,
and socializing. These are the initial emotional roots of addiction.
Craig Nakken author of The Addictive
Personality: Understanding the Addictive Process and Compulsive Behavior,
tells us why, even after an addict has given up the object of addiction she/he
will never be done with recovery. He says addiction is a process of buying into
false and empty promises. There is a false promise of relief, the false promise
of emotional security, the false sense of fulfillment, and the false sense of
intimacy with the world.
Nakken says like any other major illness, addiction is an
experience that changes people in permanent ways. Recent research now shows
that the nicotine in the tobacco changes the biochemistry of the brain and
body. So the individual trying to give up smoking has undo the body’s
craving, as well, the emotional craving and the habit behavior. To succeed all
three areas must be addressed.
The 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimates
69.6 million Americans aged 12 or older reported current use of tobacco. This
confirms that tobacco is one of the most widely abused substances in the United
States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report there has been a
decline of almost 50 percent since 1965. Nada’s 2011 monitoring shows a
decrease in smoking trends among the Nation’s youth.
However, the rate of smoking of those suffering from
post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, major depression, and other
mental illnesses is two to four times greater than the general population.
Among those with schizophrenia smoking rates are as high as 90 percent.
More than $96 billion of total U.S. healthcare costs each
year are attributed directly to smoking. The total cost to society includes the
cost of burn care from smoking-related fires, prenatal care for low-birth
weight infants of mothers whom smoke, and costs associated with disease caused
by secondhand smoke. The economic costs of lost productivity due to smoking
effects are estimated at $97 billion per year. A conservative estimate of the
total economic burden of smoking is more than $193 billion per year.
There are more than 7,000 chemicals found in tobacco smoke.
Nicotine was first identified in the early 1800s and is the primary addictive
component. When inhaling tobacco smoke, the average smoker takes in 1–2
milligrams of nicotine per cigarette and nicotine rapidly reaches peak levels
in the bloodstream and enters the brain.
The typical smoker takes 10 puffs on a cigarette over a
period of 5 minutes. A person smoking about 1½ packs (30 cigarettes) daily gets
300 "hits" of nicotine to the brain each day. Nicotine is absorbed
through the mucosal membranes and reaches peak blood levels and the brain
immediately creating nicotine "kick." This kick is caused by the drug’s
stimulation of the adrenal glands and a discharge of adrenaline creating an
increase in blood pressure, respiration, and heart rate.
To master the smoking/nicotine addiction one must be
knowledge about the process of addiction, have an acceptance of the need to
change, and develop a commitment to work toward change.
Would-be non-smokers often receive less support and sympathy
compared to drug addicts or alcoholics, even though the mind and body effects
of nicotine dependency can be just as debilitating. Experts agree that a
combination of techniques is more powerful than just using one.
For many, kicking the habit can seem like an impossible
challenge. Winter is a good time to start giving up smoking when you find
yourself exiled to a frozen fire escape and forced out onto the icy streets to
sate your cravings.
Doireann
Maddock of the British Heart
Foundation tells us quitting smoking is a process. She does not
recommend quitting cold turkey. She believes success comes with preparation. 1)
Set a date to quit and make sure to pick a relatively stress-free time. 2)
Change behavior by voiding situations where you know you’ll be tempted, like
post-work drinks. 3) Plan what you’re going to do with all the money you save.
4) Tell yours friends and family that you’re quitting – to help your
focus.
For most smokers the phrase 'cold turkey' brings to mind
visions of suffering, anxiety, and crushing drudgery. But quitting by willpower
alone isn't impossible. According to a meta-analysis published by the American Public Health Association, cold turkey
was a successful method used by 85 per cent of successful long-term quitters.
It is a good idea to mix up your tactics. But remember that
no matter what technique you use, you will always need willpower. If you’re
serious about ending smoking, ask your GP for advice.
Strategies for Ending Smoking Behavior
Herbal supplements are a healthier alternative to
anti-smoking drugs. Valerian, motherwort and holy basil have been used for
centuries in folk medicine to combat stress, anxiety and depression the common
side effects of quitting nicotine. In a pilot study, a combination of St John’s
Wort with smoking cessation counseling boosted quit rates by 37.5 per cent.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, CBT, has been used to treat
everything from depression to stuttering, and has a strong track record in its
applications to conquer addictions. The process consists of working together
with a therapist to change deeply ingrained patterns of thought and behavior by
reprogramming the smoker’s mind away from nicotine. Professional therapies,
such as CBT, can double your chances of successfully quitting.
Robin Hayley, MD and therapist, states once smokers lose
their fear, it really is easy to stop smoking. Haley says the idea
that smoking provides any genuine pleasure or crutch is a delusion. Physically,
the stress that nicotine supposedly relieves is actually created by the
nicotine itself – it’s a bit like putting on a tight pair of shoes just for the
pleasure of taking them off again.
Hypnosis advocates claim that drugs and self help books only
affect the conscious mind, and as a result ignore the huge power of the
subconscious. By unlocking the power of mind, hypnosis can improve motivation,
focus of attention, positive visual imagery and freedom from anxiety and
tension. Hypnosis can break the subconscious association of smoking with
pleasure.
Gaylene Mooney, chair of the American Association for
Respiratory Care’s Subcommittee on Smoking and Tobacco says keep a list of when
you smoke for a week before quitting, note what you're doing at the time and
how bad the craving is to see if specific times of the day or activities
increase your cravings
Daniel Z. Lieberman, M.D., director of the Clinical
Psychiatric Research Center at George Washington University Medical Center
recommends 1) make an honest list of all the things you like about smoking 2)
draw a line down the center of a piece of paper and write them on one side 3)
on the other side make a list of all the things you dislike, it interferes with
health, work, family. 3) Review and Think about the list over time, and make
changes. 4) If you are brave enough seek feedback from family and friends about
things they don’t like about your use of cigarettes. 5) When the negative side
outweighs the positive side, you are ready to quit.
Lieberman says now make another list of why quitting won’t be
easy. He recommends be thorough even if the list gets long and
discouraging. He states here’s the important part anticipate the challenges to
quitting, and their solutions, this increases your chance of success.
Next to each entry list one or more alternatives for
overcoming that challenge, for example nicotine is an addictive drug---try a
nicotine replacement alternative. Or smoking helps me deal with stress---take
five-minute walks instead.
It is important to set a quit date. Consider the quit date a
contract and it should include your signature and that of a supportive witness.
Write all your reasons for quitting on an index card and
keep it with you.
Stop buying cartons of cigarettes, only buy a pack at a
time, and only carry two or three with you at a time. Eventually you’ll find
that when you want a smoke, you won’t have any immediately available. That will
slowly wean you down to fewer cigarettes.
Quit when you’re in a good mood. Studies show when
you’re depressed or under a great deal of stress it is more difficult to quit.
When your quit date arrives, throw away anything that
reminds you of smoking, leftover cigarettes, matches, lighters, ashtrays,
cigarette holders, even the lighter in your car.
Put all the money you save on cigarettes in a large glass
jar so you will physically see how much you’ve been spending.
Earmark that money for something you’ve always dreamed of
doing, but never thought you could afford---cruise to Alaska.
Switch to decaf coffee until you’ve been cigarette-free for
two months, too much caffeine while quitting can cause the jitters.
Think of the difficult things you have done in the past and
build on that persistence and success attitude.
Meditation is about mindfulness. Addiction studies show
awareness of the body, thoughts, and feelings in the present moment is more
effective when trying to change behavior rater than avoiding thoughts of
cravings. Meditation creates a method for self-acceptance of negative thoughts
and fears. Research shows that meditation has the ability to change thought
processes and brain activities that can affect the body’s chemistry.
Alternative behaviors to Smoking
Make copies of this list and keep one with you so when the craving
hits, you can whip out the list and find an alternative
- Take a walk,
- Drink a glass of water,
- Kiss your partner or child,
- Throw the ball for the dog,
- Play a game,
- Wash the car,
- Clean out a cupboard or closet,
- Have sex,
- Chew a piece of gum,
- Wash your face,
- Brush your teeth,
- Take a nap,
- Get a cup of coffee or tea,
- Practice your deep breathing,
- Light a candle.
- Carry cinnamon-flavored toothpicks and suck on one whenever a cig craving hits.
- Find a healthy snack food you can carry with you, try sunflower seeds, sugar-free lollipops, or gum, or carrot or celery sticks if you're concerned about weight gain.
- Switch your cigarette habit for a nut habit for the same physical and oral sensations you get from smoking.
- Switch to a cup of herbal tea whenever you usually have a cigarette.
- The act of brewing the tea and slowing sipping it as it cools will provide the same stress relief as a hit of nicotine.
- Instead of a cigarette break at work, play a game of solitaire on your computer, a phone call, a stroll, or eating a piece of fruit outdoors
- Avoid places where smokers congregate.
- Picture yourself playing tennis, or go play tennis--British researchers found volunteers trying to quit smoking were better able to ignore their urges to smoke when they were told to visualize a tennis match.
- Create a smoke-free zone.
- Don’t allow anyone to use tobacco in your home, car, or even while sitting next to you in a restaurant.
- Make actual “No Smoking” signs and hang them around your house and in your car.
- To minimize cravings, change your routine--sit in a different chair at breakfast or take a different route to work.
- Try Avena sativa (oat) extract--one study found that, taken at 1 milliliters four times daily, habitual tobacco smokers significantly decrease the number of cigarettes they smoked.
- Don't bottle up your emotions if something makes you angry, express it instead of smothering it with cigarette smoke, bored, admit and find something energetic to do
- Make an appointment with an acupuncturist.
- If you relapse, just start again. You haven’t failed. Some people have to quit as many as eight times before they are successful.
- Avoid triggers--urges for tobacco are likely to be strongest in situations where you smoked often, identify your trigger situations and have a plan in place to avoid them entirely or get through them without using tobacco.
- Don't set yourself up for a smoking relapse; if you usually smoked while you talked on the phone keep a pen and paper nearby to occupy yourself with doodling rather than smoking.
- Delay, if you feel like you're going to give in to your tobacco craving, tell yourself that you must first wait 10 more minutes and then do something to distract yourself for that period of time.
- Give your mouth something to do to fight a tobacco craving. Chew on sugarless gum or hard candy, or munch on raw carrots, celery, nuts or sunflower seeds — something crunchy and satisfying.
- Don't have just one, don't fool yourself into believing that you can stop at just one. Physical activity can help distract you from tobacco cravings and reduce the intensity of cravings.
- Practice relaxation techniques, these include deep-breathing exercises, muscle relaxation, yoga, visualization, hypnosis and massage.
- Call for reinforcements; touch base with a family member, friend or support group to resist a tobacco craving.
- Join an online stop-smoking program, or read a quitter's blog and post encouraging thoughts for someone else who might be struggling with tobacco cravings.
If you stumble Don't give up. Revise your plan. Be sure your plan addresses physical needs, emotional needs and habitual behaviors. Visualize your healthy, smoke free life. It never hurts to ask a Higher Power for strength.
