Archive for the ‘stop smoking’ Category
So you want to stop smoking
Maybe you’re stressed, or bored, or lonely. But it’s OK, your friend is there. He’s always been there for you. He distracts you if you get bored. He fixes you a nice relaxing cocktail if you feel stressed or tense.
But now you suspect he’s slipping poison into your cocktail, and he’s slipping money out of your wallet. The fact is he’s been feeding you a pack of lies.
Saying goodbye to friends can be difficult, even friends who are trying to kill you and rob you. But it is possible. Millions of people just like you have done it, have stopped smoking, and you can too.
Following these 10 easy tips to assist you in becoming a healthy non-smoker for life!
Tip 1: Take a moment, breath deeply in, and out, and ask yourself why you want to stop smoking
For some people it is health risks of smoking. After all smoking is not only a proven killer, it is also able to kill in many varied ways: lung cancer, stomach cancer, mouth or throat cancer, emphysema. You name it and there’s a good chance cigarettes can give it to you.
For some people it is the risk to your children or other loved ones. By smoking, you are not just poisoning yourself, you are sharing your second hand poison with them also. Second hand smoke can be as deadly as first hand smoke.
For some it is the effect on your breath of stale cigarette smoke, for others the aging effect on your skin.
For some it is the stench of smoke on their clothes. Perhaps they see people wrinkle their nose as they walk past.
It may be the effect on your breathing.
Everyone has different reasons to stop smoking. What are yours? Think about it and write them down.
Tip 2: Ask yourself why you want to stop smoking NOW
So you want to stop smoking. Why do you want to stop smoking now? Has there been some event in your life? Maybe a health scare?
Tip 3: Make a decision to quit.
You know why you are becoming a non-smoker, and you know the time is right to become a non-smoker now.
Make a decision: from now on you are a healthy non-smoker for life!
Tip 4: Share the good news
Congratulations! You have made a decision to quit and become a healthy non-smoker for life. Don’t keep it to yourself, tell your friends, tell your relatives.
The more people you tell, the more likely you are to stick to being a healthy non-smoker for life!
Tip 5: Get to know your enemy
Knowledge is power. There are excellent resources on-line that discuss in detail the contents of cigarettes and the effects of smoking.
Of course cigarettes contain carcinogens, cancer causing chemicals, but there are more common day-to-day poisons as well. Cyanide and arsenic are two of the better-known poisons that are in cigarettes. But did you know they put formaldehyde in there as well. That’s the stuff they keep dead bodies in at the morgue; remember dissecting frogs in biology class? And urea, that’s urine to you and me, yes your once-upon-a-time friend pisses in those cigarettes before he hands them out.
Honestly, the more you read about cigarettes and the effects of smoking the worse it gets and you will wonder why you ever let a cigarette near you, and you will probably feel a little nauseous if you smell tobacco smoke again.
Tip 6: Acknowledge what smoking did for you and realize how many ways you can still get those same benefits
Let’s face it, smoking did something for you. That’s why you once considered cigarettes your friend. But you don’t need to sacrifice your health; all the benefits that smoking gave you, you can get being a healthy non-smoker.
Ask yourself honestly what smoking used to do for you. Did it make you feel relaxed? Or feel like Joe Cool? Or make you feel like one of the gang? Now use your creative imagination to come up with some other ways of getting those benefits, for example if smoking used to help you relax, you could learn self-hypnosis to easily get the same effect. Use those new healthy behaviors and you will keep the benefits.
Tip 7: Ask for help if you need it
If you feel it would be beneficial to see a doctor do so. If you think a hypnotist will help you, go see one. You are not alone!
Tip 8: Ask yourself: how will my life be different now that I am a healthy non-smoker for life?
Yes you’re healthier now as a non-smoker for life. Your body is already beginning to repair itself. Your risk of serious disease is already diminishing. Your lungs are healthier; you’re able to take more exercise, run for the bus without losing your breath.
And you life is different in so many other ways. Imagine you are walking past the news-stand. You reach the next block and realize you have no cravings at all. They are gone and you are free. How does this feel?
Imagine helping a friend of yours to become a non-smoker. What are you saying to them to help and encourage them? How good does it feel to know you have helped them to become a healthy non-smoker for life?
Tip 9: Arm yourself to more easily handle cravings
Smoking is addictive. Your once-upon-a-time friends at the tobacco companies have seen to that. They have carefully laced your cocktail with chemically addictive additives to better keep a hold of your mind and wallet, but the cravings can be handled once you are prepared.
There are a number of ways you can prepare yourself to more easily handle any cravings. Mind-energy techniques such as self-hypnosis or EFT can reduce cravings to zero and are well worth learning. Some people swear by gum or the patch.
The nicotine will be gone from your system in around 72 hours, and from that point on your brain chemistry begins to return to normal. During that time, try not to drink coffee or fruit juice (the acidity tends to increase the nicotine craving). If you drink, drink in moderation.
Tip 10: Acknowledge and reward yourself for becoming a healthy non-smoker for life
You have taken a major step into a brighter, healthier future. Acknowledge that and thank yourself for what you have done.
Reward yourself by treating yourself to something you really want. Get your once-upon-a-time friends at the tobacco company to pay for it; how much money were you wasting on each pack of lies that you bought? How many did you buy? How much money were you wasting on poison? Now it is truly yours to spend as you want.
Bonus Tip: What to do if your once-upon-a-time friend comes whispering in your ear.
OK so you’ve kicked your once-upon-a-time friend out. You’ve done your research and you know exactly what he was doing to you all that time, poisoning you and robbing you. You’ve got over those three days of cravings. You’re free.
Don’t be surprised if your once-upon-a-time friend comes whispering inside your head.
He may use a superior tone:
“Who do you think you’re kidding? You’re not strong enough, you’ll come crawling back to me”
Or maybe he’ll try the whiney approach:
“Just one. What harm is there in just one?”
And you know it’s a pack of lies, but…
Wait a minute! This is your head! You get to say who speaks and what they say! Take a moment, invite your whiney once-upon-a-time friend to speak. Listen to that voice, and notice where it is coming from. Now move it, some people find moving it down to the ground by your left foot works. As you move it down you will find it becomes even more whiney “neh-neh-neh just one more neh-neh-neh” almost like the buzzing of an insect crawling round the floor.
And taking a moment to listen to that whiney buzz, wondering how your once-upon-a-time friend ever thought he could fool you again with his pack of lies, lift up your left foot and squish that whiney insect.
We’re not done yet. Think back to someone in your life who you know or knew. Someone you admired and respected. Perhaps a teacher, a friend, a mentor. As you remember them, imagine what they would be saying to you now, how proud they would be of you as a healthy non-smoker for life. Hear their voice, hear their words, and realize you have won and you are a healthy non-smoker for life!
Shawn Carson
Today there are 5 million tobacco-related deaths per year, with 1.3 billion people who smoke, and tobacco is the leading cause of death that can be preventable according to the World Health Organization. A thing that used to considered “cool”, such as the Marlboro billboards across the country, is now on the tip list of killers.
To combat this, the stop smoking injection, or the stop smoking vaccine, is one of the most successful and aggressive stop smoking aids with a 70-80% success rate of all the available smoking aids. A medical therapy, this type of aid takes place in a medical clinic under experienced physicians with supervision. Counseling and group therapy also work well to combine with the injection aid for smokers who are struggling to successfully quit.
Three injections of Scopolamine or Atropine behind the ears, on the hip, or on the arms, will block the nicotine receptors in the brain. As a part of the treatment, the patient is required to wear a scopolamine patch behind his ear and take atropine tablets for two weeks after getting the shot. The brain will not recognize that it needs nicotine so the nicotine addiction will eventually vanish – as an antismoking aid, these injection chemicals act on the nicotine “sensitive” areas of the brain and reduces the craving for a smoke. A single session may last from an hour to an hour and a half and costs approximately 350-500 dollars, but it usually is covered by health insurance policies.
The drugs involved with the stop smoking injections are medically classified as anti-cholinergics and are mainly used in helping to control neural activity in the brain. They have been extensively used previously in the medical field in the form of anesthetics during surgery or as a temporary means of curing Parkinson’s disease. The most common side effects associated with these anti-smoking injections are dizziness, dry mouth, headaches, and problems in urinating which happens soon after the injection is given, if it happens at all.
Long-term effects include hallucination, strokes, and heart attacks. However, these are rare, and are usually observed only in those smokers who are subjected to high dosages. In extreme cases, the person can also end up in coma. A smoker needs to undergo a complete medical check up before treatment. However, this treatment should be avoided for pregnant women or those who suffer from cardiac disorders. People who are using other narcotics also should avoid the anti-smoking injections also. If nothing else is working for you, you should try the injections for quitting smoking before going back to smoking, as your health is very important.
Mike Singh
http://www.articlesbase.com/quit-smoking-articles/quit-smoking-injection-all-you-need-to-know-about-the-injection-to-stop-smoking-84957.html
According to the CDC, an estimated, 20.8% of all adults (45.3 million people) smoke cigarettes in the United States. In 2004, Lung Cancer was responsible for more deaths than prostate, breast and colon cancer combined. Over 80% of those deaths are related to smoking cigarettes.
Approximately, four out of five smokers would like to quit . The key is finding the right method.
7 popular quit smoking methods:
1. Hypnosis
Hypnosis is a safe and natural state of awareness that allows you to use the power of your subconscious mind to quickly change habits and control behaviors. Hypnosis has one of the higher success rates compared to other methods as long as you work with a professional Certified Hypnotist and having a strong desire to quit. In many cases this can be accomplished in just one session.
2. EFT
EFT is an emotional version of acupuncture without the needles. You tap on certain meridian points to balance the energy system in your body. EFT is simple to learn, gentle and easy to use, can be used anywhere, only takes minutes, and has such great results. EFT is most effective when used in conjunction with another stop smoking method.
3. Prescription drugs
Various prescription drugs (Chantix, Zyban, Nicotrol) have helped many people to quit smoking. The success rates are not as high as some of the other methods, and the possible negative side effects can be intense. Talk to your Doctor for more information.
4. Nicotine Replacement
Gum, patches, lozenges are all types of nicotine replacement products. These products tend to have a fairly low success rate, and may have some potential negative side effects. They are most effective when used in conjunction with another stop smoking method or program. Before trying any nicotine replacement product please consult your Doctor.
5. Cold turkey
This is the most popular stop smoking method, but has the lowest success rate. Many people fail, because in order to be successful at quitting cold turkey you need to be 100% committed. Having a smoking cessation plan will increase your chance of success.
6. Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient chinese treatment that involves balancing the natural energies in the body by placing needles into certain meridian points. This helps curb the desire to smoke. Being successful with acupuncture may require multiple treatments and a strong desire to quit. There is not enough scientific evidence to determine the success rate of acupuncture.
7. Laser therapy
Low level laser is a modern day version of acupuncture. When the laser is applied to certain points on the face, ears, and hands, it releases endorphins that helps reduce the stress associated with cravings. The FDA ruled that the use of low level laser is a safe and non-significant risk. As with acupuncture, there is not enough scientific evidence to determine the success rate of low level laser therapy.
Darren Hiller
If you are a smoker or you associate with people that smoke, you need to know that tobacco use is one of the most important causes of heart attack globally. In today’s modern world, tobacco use is the most important risk factor producing a greater relative risk in persons under the age of fifty than those over fifty.
Smoked or chewed, first-hand or second-hand, all kinds of tobacco, in whatever form they are used, cause heart attacks and there is more than enough evidence to prove that tobacco use increases other adverse health conditions.
Dangers of tobacco smoking are particularly severe and while it is often very difficult to think of ways in which tobacco use is beneficial, it is all too easy to mention the ways in which it is a health hazard. To be exact, all forms of tobacco use, including different types of smoking and chewing of tobacco and inhalation of second-hand smoke are potentially hazardous and should be discouraged.
On its own, cigarette smoking is as widespread and significant as a risk factor that it has been described as “the leading preventable cause of disease and death”. Second-hand smoke may be even more dangerous than previously thought. The fact is that smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death and has negative health impacts on people at all stages of life. It harms unborn babies, infants, children, adolescents, adults and the elderly.
Besides containing addictive nicotine, cigarette smoke contains chemicals which damage the lungs and other parts of the respiratory system and increases the risk of development of cancer of the lungs and respiratory system.
Research shows that there are at least sixty chemicals in cigarette smoke that are cacogenic. Cigarette and tobacco smoke contain highly toxic chemicals like carbon monoxide, ammonia, formaldehyde, arsenic and cyanide which are all produced as cigarette burns.
Tobacco smoke raises blood pressure but decreases the circulation of oxygen to the brain and body. Cigarette smoking is also a significant risk factor for other various disorders, including emphysema, chronic bronchitis, stroke, and osteoporosis and contributes to early menopause. Smoking has been linked to cancer of the lungs, mouth, esophagus, pancreas, kidney, bladder and cervix.
Smoking is associated with higher levels of chronic inflammation, another damaging process that may result from oxidative stress. Smokers have a higher risk of developing a number of chronic disorders including fatty buildups in arteries, several types of cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (lung problems). Atherosclerosis (buildup of fatty substances in the arteries) is a chief contributor to the high number of deaths from smoking.
The dangers of smoking cannot be exhaustively explained. To really stop smoking, you must always ask yourself the reason why you are about to light up that cigarette. If you find out that it’s got no sensible reason, DROP IT.
IYAOMOLERE AYODELE OLADAPO
http://www.articlesbase.com/quit-smoking-articles/dangers-of-smoking-and-how-to-stop-it-82731.html
Smoking is one of the most destructive things one can do to their body. The cancer that kills the most Americans is lung cancer, and the majority of people who contract that disease are smokers or were former smokers. In addition to the fatal consequences of smoking, there is also extensive bodily harm. The lungs become damaged, it becomes harder to breathe, and one may cough heavily at sporadic times throughout the day. These facts are all commonly known, so why do people continue to smoke?
The primary answer is addiction. Although most people do not think of it as such, tobacco is a drug with heavy addiction potential. Nicotine is released when tobacco is smoked, and it causes a number of immediate harms. It increases blood sugar levels and alters metabolism and appetite. This is the reason many people smoke to regulate their weight, and while it is somewhat effective, it is the worst possible thing one could do to lose weight. Why try to get healthy one way by doing something unhealthy in another way?
People are not aware just how dangerous smoking is. Smoking has killed tens of millions of people in the twentieth century alone, and it is predicted that the habit will kill over a billion people during the twenty first century. While there are some people who smoke their whole lives without having a single difficulty, these cases are highly irregular, and the majority of people who smoke for long periods of time suffer great complications. Even smokers who only smoke for a few years can experience problems of a terminal nature.
Smoking is not just harmful to the lungs; it damages almost every organ in the body. When one inhales tobacco smoke, carbon monoxide is absorbed through the lungs in to the blood stream. This carbon monoxide, a highly poisonous gas, binds to receptor sites that would normally be filled with oxygen.
Thus, less oxygen reaches your organs, most importantly your brain, and every part suffers. There are hundreds of other chemicals found in cigarettes, including arsenic and even a few radioactive substances. Inserting all of this in to your body is not good, and even if one does not come down with a terminal illness, all smokers are bound to at one time or another experience complications of some sort.
Besides lung cancer, other cancers associated with smoking include kidney and stomach cancer. Smoking also contributes to the number one killer of Americans, heart disease, by increasing your blood pressure and the burden on your heart. This can cause heart attacks as well as strokes. With all of the risks associated with smoking, it seems illogical that one would ever start up. While there is still considerable social influence to start smoking, it is not as appealing as it was decades ago. Although millions of people classify themselves as smoker, there are still many more people who choose not to smoke.
One negative thing that all smokers share from day one is the cost of smoking. Long time smokers can spend tens of thousands of dollars on cigarettes in their lifetimes, and for especially strong users, the cost can even reach six digits. By quitting smoking, you can directly save yourself a year’s worth of salary, while improving your health and feeling better.
Daniel Millions
Want to stop smoking but can’t seem to motivate yourself? Well, here are some facts and figures that should give you all the incentive you need to take the plunge! I’ll start by spelling out some health risks you may not know about…
* Cigarettes contain at least 43 distinct cancer-causing chemicals.
* One out of every five deaths in industrialized nations is caused by tobacco use.
* Half of all smoking-related deaths occur between the ages of 35 and 69, which translates into an average of roughly 23 years of life lost due to smoking.
* For men, smoking can lead to impotency. When you smoke tobacco, you inhale fatty chemicals that damage the lining of arteries and slow the flow of blood. Nicotine constricts the arteries to make them even narrower. When the arteries leading to a man’s sexual organs are blocked, he is impotent. Arteriosclerosis, as this is called, is the most common cause of impotence in North America.
* For women, being a smoker increases your chances of developing a wide range of unpleasant conditions, including pelvic inflammatory disease, menstrual problems and osteoporosis. Smoking also reduces fertility and increases the risk of premature menopause.
And here’s a fact you’ll seldom see advertised. Smoking doubles (at least) your chances of going blind.
Chemicals from tobacco damage the blood vessels behind your eyes and increase your risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). International research shows that the risk to your sight is increased by anything from two to four times. Smoking is also associated with other eye diseases, including cataracts.
That’s the bad news (well, some of it…). But there is good news as well. As soon as you quit, your body begins to repair the damage caused to it, and you start to reduce the risk of smoking-related diseases.
* After five years of quitting smoking, your risk of having a heart attack is halved.
* After eight to ten years of quitting smoking, your risk of getting lung cancer or heart disease becomes the same as someone who has never smoked.
And you don’t have to wait years to feel the benefits of quitting either. Some benefits you will notice within a few weeks of giving up smoking are:
* Your hair, skin and breath will no longer smell of tobacco smoke.
* Your breathing will be easier.
* Your senses of taste and smell will improve.
* You’ll see a reduction in phlegm and smoker’s cough.
* Your lung efficiency will start to recover to a rate similar to a non-smoker.
* You will be better able to cope with exercise and physical exertion.
* You’ll feel positive about yourself for having stopped.
* And, of course, you will have saved a shed-load of money through not buying cigarettes.
So there really is no excuse for delaying giving up smoking any longer!
Marvin Power
http://www.articlesbase.com/quit-smoking-articles/why-you-must-stop-smoking-today-61039.html
Smoking has been called an addiction and a habit, and some experts say that the addiction is as strong as an addiction to heroin. Anyone who has ever tried to quit smoking will tell you that it is very difficult. Many people try nicotine patches or chewing gum while others try acupuncture or hypnosis. Some people stop smoking with hypnosis and recommend the procedure to others. Those who stop smoking with hypnosis note that they do not suffer some of the bad effects that others get while trying to kick the habit. Many of the people who stop smoking with hypnosis feel that it is the very best way to quit.
Hypnosis uses techniques to put the target patient into a state of mind where the hypnotist controls the thinking processes of the patient to modify the behaviors of the patient. The person who is addicted to smoking has a physical need for the nicotine in cigarettes because they have become used to this substance in their systems. The hypnotist can try to help them believe that they do not need this substance any more.
Those Who Stop Smoking with Hypnosis Are Most Grateful
Cigarettes are very expensive, and smokers spend a lot of money especially if they smoke a pack or more of cigarettes. Smokers also spend more on having their teeth cleaned, and smokers often have more troubles with their teeth because of the smoking habit. Smokers also end up with health conditions because of their smoking habit. These bills add up so many smokers look desperately for aids to help them stop. Smokers affect others in their households with the secondhand smoke which can be damaging to those around.
Hypnotherapy used to kick the smoking habit can cost some money, but this expense is minimal when compared with all the other expenses that come from smoking. For all of these reasons, many look to stop smoking with hypnosis. They believe that in the end they will save money after a short time. They all know that they will improve their health and their long term prospects. Many smokers look for a great professional who will help them stop smoking with hypnosis. Those smokers genuinely dedicated to quitting should explore the possibilities of using hypnosis. The successes seem to be noteworthy, and the benefits will be welcome for all smokers and their families.
Ann Marier
http://www.articlesbase.com/advice-articles/stop-smoking-hypnosis-can-break-a-harmful-habit-132495.html
If you believe any of the smoking myths below they will hinder you in your desire to give up or cut down your smoking habit.
Here are your 7 smoking myths that can hinder your quest to quit smoking.
1. Smoking is addictive as heroin or crack cocaine
This is simply not true. The cravings from and withdrawal symptoms of crack or heroin are much more severe.
How often to you hear of people killing, robbing or selling everything they own to give up cigarettes?
By believing this myth, people actually put a mental barrier in front of them that says smoking is hard or impossible to give up, which is not true.
2. Herbal treatments work
Many herbal supplements are sold saying that they will help you give up smoking but medical evidence that they work is never shown.
Why?
Because, there isn’t any. The same goes for acupuncture and hypnotherapy.
3. Nicotine causes disease and kills you
Nicotine provides the addictive nature of cigarette smoking but medically there is no evidence that it causes disease or death – That is some of the other 4,000 odd chemicals that are consumed not nicotine.
4. Nicotine is still bad for you
No it is not. In fact medical research shows it’s good for you (when removed from cigarette smoking) and it is medically proven to improve mood concentration and attention.
In fact it is part of the natural food chain and is found as trace elements in many common foods such as potatoes, tomatoes and even tea.
In organic form it is safe and non toxic and many people are taking it not just to give up smoking but due to its potential health benefits. This leads onto…
5. To give up smoking cold turkey is the way to go
It is if you have the willpower but you have to cope with nicotine cravings.
Many people do cold turkey simply because they feel that nicotine is bad for you but when you know it is not, you can get help by taking does of nicotine outside of cigarettes via:
Patches, gum, inhalers, puffers etc
There is no reason not to and it is proven to double your chances of success over quitting cold turkey.
6. I can never give up smoking its to hard
You were not born a smoker you acquired the habit and you can live without it again just as you did before.
7. I need help to give up
You can get help with the nicotine cravings (physical addiction) but there is also a psychological addiction.
Smokers view cigarettes as comforting just like a friend, but just as you can give up friends throughout your life, because they don’t have a good affect on you, you can give up cigarettes.
If you want to give up you will, if you don’t you wont – it’s as simple and straightforward as that.
Sacha Tarkovsky
http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/stop-smoking-do-you-believe-these-smoking-myths-if-so-they-prevent-you-from-quitting-88339.html
Have you tried endlessly to quit smoking only to fail after just a month, week or even a day? Do you want a healthy and secure future knowing that you will be free from smoking and have reduced the risk of getting all of the nasty illness’ that smoking offers? Are you just fed up and want to quit now? Stopping smoking can be as easy as you want to make it with hypnotherapy and Self Hypnosis. In fact science proves just how successful hypnosis is for stopping smoking, so why not give it a go today and let the results speak for themselves.
As a hypnotherapist the mass of my business is helping people successfully give up smoking – especially around new years with folks trying to stick to their resolutions. I am amazed how many people come to see me to use hypnotherapy to quit, saying that ‘this is my last chance, I have tried everything before’. The reason that this statement shocks me so much is that according to research, hypnosis is the second best way to quit smoking. It is only seconded by contracting heart disease and let’s face it – who wants to go that far to give up smoking? Not me that’s for sure.
So what would life be like if you could just walk away from your smoking right now and leave it in the past? What a relief will it be when you have no cravings and full control over your habits and behaviours? What will you do with all of the extra money that you will save from not smoking? Just imagine how much more fitter you will feel and how great it will be not to smell of cigarette smoke all the time. Just imagine the freedom that your new life will bring you and your loved ones!
If you are really serious about being a happy and contented non smoker and want to do it the easy way, then I suggest that you think about hypnosis being your best chance of success. Just think, this time tomorrow you could be that happy and content non smoking person. I recommend trying a hypnosis download or recording or even take the time to look up your local hypnotherapist and seek their help.
Your success in stopping smoking is just around the corner! Grab this opportunity with both hands and get the life of your dreams. I wish you the best of luck and success in your new life as a non smoker.
Richard MacKenzie
http://www.articlesbase.com/self-help-articles/stop-smoking-hypnosis-135272.html