Creating a Stop Smoking Timeline

When a lot of people decide to quit smoking, they don't bother setting themselves a stop smoking timeline. They just either stop suddenly or slowly cut down aiming towards some undefined date in the future.

Where it is very good to quit smoking, it is crucial that you do everything you can to maximize your probability of success. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance and it is too easy to start giving yourself excuses for not really becoming a non smoker.

With a quit smoking timeline, you maximize your chances of succeeding stopping smoking because you have a clear date that you are going to be a non smoker by. You also will have defined a number of milestones or mini goals along your timeline.

These milestones will help you to achieve your stopping smoking goal because you will know where you need to be and when you need to be there, with respect to quitting smoking.

Your first step in setting your stop smoking timeline is to come to a decision when you want to stop by. This may be an event you are attending such as a wedding, party or other activity, or it could be a date that you have picked to stop by.

Whatever the date you pick, it needs to be a practical one. Some people suddenly quit, whereas others need some time to reduce their dependence on Nicotine. You know which type you are. For most people, the steady reduction in the amount they smoke is easiest as it is less stressful on their body.

Once you have picked your date and are happy it is a realistic one then you need to set your milestones along the way.

These are dates when you will have cut down the amount you are smoking by.

An example of a stop smoking timeline is you decide you are going be a non smoker from 31st December, 3 months from now. At the end of October you will down to 1 packet a day. At the end of November you will be down to half a packet a day, and on the end of December you will have stopped smoking.

A stop smoking timeline works well if you have someone who is either becoming a non smoker with you or someone who will help you quit smoking. The aim of the game is this person ensures you stick to your quit smoking timeline and makes sure you achieve each of your quit smoking milestones.

Each time you get to a milestones successfully, you reward yourself, and not by smoking. You give yourself something you really crave. If you fail to reach a milestones you may want to carry out a forfeit such as giving something away, doing some charitable work or something else so that other people benefit.

Many people who want to stop smoking do not set themselves this quit smoking timeline and because of that they are giving themselves the option of failure. By setting yourself a stop smoking timeline you will be in a better position not only to quit, but to stay a non smoker.

Quit Smoking - Prepare to Succeed

For many smokers the desire to quit smoking is strong…yet
it seems no matter what they do, they just can’t seem to
break this devastating habit. The inability to quit
smoking causes many to privately belittle themselves and
curse their seeming weakness.

For others it seems they simply wake up one morning and
decide to quit smoking. What makes the difference in these
people? Is someone who decides to quit smoking like this a
stronger person than the one who has yet to become a
non-smoker? Let’s evaluate.

First off, most people even smokers don’t really enjoy
smoking. For some the nicotine addiction is strong.
Nicotine is very addictive, and breaking this addiction by
not smoking can be very trying and difficult. Even after
months have passed, there are those who will start smoking
again. So, if you’re one who has yet to quit smoking don’t
berate or belittle yourself.

By the same token, don’t give up on the idea to quit
smoking. Yes, nicotine is addictive, but it is an
addiction that can be broken. There are several aids
available to help you quit smoking. There’s gum, there’s
patches, and there’s even inhalers containing nicotine,
that will gradually help you wean yourself from the
addiction as you quit smoking. All of these aids do have
merit.

One component is mandatory if any of these aids are to work
for the person that has previously tried to quit smoking
and failed. This component is your attitude. Before you
even begin the actual process to quit smoking, you will
most likely need some adjustments in your attitude. If you
prepare yourself before you actually quit smoking, your
chances for success are much better.

The way to begin to prepare yourself is to come to certain
realizations. First off, you can’t quit just because
someone told you it is bad for your health. You can’t
quit because your significant other wants you to quit
smoking. Most likely fear is not a good motivator for you
either. You’ve developed a strong will to continue, even
though you berate yourself for it.

Thus, for you the decision to quit smoking must be
accompanied by a will that is just as strong, if not
stronger than your current will to quit smoking. Many
processes and plans have been developed by different
organizations to aid you in this process.

Most will tell you to set a quit date at least 10 days out,
and don’t actually stop smoking until your quit date. It’s
also advised that “cold turkey” is the most successful quit
path. During those days before your actual quit smoking
target date, you are mentally preparing yourself to be free
from smoking. This must be a strong decision that only you
can make for yourself. No one else can do it for you.

To lead you to the strength you need to effectively quit
smoking, you’ll need to evaluate yourself and the real
reasons behind why you are still smoking. This is not an
easy task for many, but once they’ve listed all the true
reasons, and have adopted the mental attitude to replace
smoking with other things that will provide better
benefits, the task of quitting becomes much easier.

Once your quit smoking date arrives, you may want to use
some of the aids discussed above to improve your success
rate. The point is that if you’ve properly done your
preparation beforehand your opportunity for success will be
greatly improved. Remember, the mind and body thrive and
accommodate whatever substance you give it. Be sure to
feed both the mind and body only positive substance and the
results will be positive. You can quit smoking.

Quit Smoking Plus Lose Weight

This product is a new method to help you quit smoking and lose weight. It is called shen men an old Chinese acupressure method. These magnets put a slight pressure on the upper part of the left ear for quitting smoking and on the lower part on the left ear lobe for weight loss. This method has been used for thousands of years. Cleopatra used this method.

They are a set of gold plated magnets consisting of one 4mm magnet and one 6mm magnet each having 1500 gauss, the amount of magnetic attraction in each magnet. I have been selling these for over 2 years and have had great success. Many buyers have had repeat purchases due to their success.

They gave them to family members and friends. Remember the key to success is that you truly want to quit smoking and lose weight. Make yourself and your loved ones safe from the problems of smoking and being over weight. I had been using eBay as a start now I am going to internet ads to help more people quit smoking and lose weight.

I hope you have the great success after using this product and by word of mouth spread the great news that you have stopped smoking and that your friends and family have had the same results. I am sure that you will stop smoking as I have. God bless your success in quit smoking.

Does Smoke Deter Work? Which Opinions of Consumers Count?

Smoking is a terribly hard habit to quit. Once into it, the smokers start realizing its ill effects on their health sooner or later. Most of them start using over the counter medications or supplements which claim to stop the habit. Those who are willing to quit smoking, very often ask the question: does Smoke Deter work? In fact, those who had used it had different experiences which they expressed as follows:

1. Some of the smokers complained that there was hardly any change in their smoking habits even after trying it for several days.

2. Others said that they cut down the amount of smoking and had no problems like agitation, hurry, restlessness and impatience while using it whereas, the other herbal products they used only lessened their craving but they felt as if they had lost all strength in them.

3. Still there were those who said they experienced less of craving for nicotine while using it and they developed a dislike for smoking.

4. Out of a number of users, the heavy smokers said that it took a long time for them to quit the habit.

A thorough analysis of their views confirmed that everyone was right in one's own way. But all the users were a bit confused about what they said. However, the question was one and the same viz. does Smoke Deter work? It is, of course, a genuine question and the answer may clear the doubts if it is worth trying.

First of all, there was an urgent need to analyze the ingredients of the product and the way it claimed to help smokers quit their habit. It was found that the heavy smokers who tried to cut down their habit from three packs a day to one and a half after they had started using smoke deter, were quite at ease with no intense urge to smoke more than they did within less than three weeks. But, their subsequent cutting down on smoking was slow. However, they were able to quit smoking altogether within a further period of 6-8 weeks without voluntarily skipping a cigarette when there was an urge to smoke. Those who smoked only one pack or less had their craving gone within 4-5 weeks.

Quitting smoking is traumatic and the habit conditions your body to a particular level of nicotine. When you stop smoking, the nicotine level in your body goes down resulting in anxiety, sleeplessness and irritation. You may feel symptoms of weakness and depression. But, smoke deter does not supply any nicotine to your body as none of the ingredients in it has any nicotine base. Now, the question arises then how does smoke deter work? The truth is: for a few days, it starts removing the toxins from your body and paves the way for less nicotine consumption by rejuvenating the vital force in your body i.e. why you reduce the number of cigarettes smoked per day due to an aversion to nicotine. It conditions your body to stay functional with the nicotine level gone down and your body adjusts itself without any more nicotine supplied to it. Hence, your craving for nicotine and smoking are finished altogether.

Smoke Deter does work, but in a way quite different from the way the herbal supplements work. The opinions of the users regarding their reduced nicotine craving, experiencing no withdrawal symptoms and its longer use to finally quit smoking, do count. What we should keep in mind is that smoke deter is a homeopathic preparation of plant remedies (not to be confused with herbal substances which are evaluated at their face value and not intrinsic value). If a particular plant substance has the capacity to cause any symptoms when used in crude form, only then it can cure those symptoms when given homeopathically in a diluted form. It is pertinent to ask: does smoke deter work? The answer is, of course, yes. But it works differently to rid you of your smoking habit.

Stop Smoking Products

Most people that smoke ideally want to STOP Smoking Now. To totally stop this habit, it requires a lot of adjustments that often end up of going back to smoking since they can't handle the changes.

There are several stop smoking products available in the market that scientifically proved to help you stop smoking.

You can buy stop smoking products in any drugstore even without prescription, but it is best to consult your doctor first so that they can decide which medications best suits you. Follow the directions printed on the label of the stop-smoking products your doctor has recommended. Note any warnings or precautions and discuss possible drug interactions with your doctor or pharmacist.

Nicotine gum is one of the most successful stop smoking products on the market today. This is because it replaces the action of smoking with the action of chewing, and it replaces the nicotine in cigarettes with that in the gum, making it easy to gradually reduce your nicotine intake over time.

The nicotine patch is a small, self-adhesive patch that slowly releases nicotine into the bloodstream through the outer layer of skin. It can be applied anywhere between the waist and neck - often on the upper arm or shoulder. Patches must be replaced every 24 hours.

Nicotine lozenges are similar to hard candy. You place them between your gum and cheek and suck them slowly. Each lozenge lasts 20 to 30 minutes.

The nicotine inhaler is a device that allows you to receive low doses of nicotine using the same hand-to-mouth motions of smoking. When you puff gently on the device, nicotine vapor is released from a cartridge inside the device. Hold the vapor in your mouth for a few seconds and then blow it out - don't try to inhale it into your lungs. The nicotine is absorbed through the lining in your mouth and throat.

If you are interested in natural quit smoking products, you might consider trying laser smoking cessation treatments. These treatments work a lot like acupuncture cessation smoking treatments in that they target points on your body that are a energy centers.

They can't do all the work, but using stop-smoking products can help you feel more comfortable and in control while you adjust to life without cigarettes.

How to Reduce the Amount of Nicotine in Your System

It is a well known fact that smoking kills. Most of the harmful effects are said to come from the chemicals and tar in cigarettes. The effects of nicotine should not be overlooked. Nicotine is considered one of the most addictive drugs available and for this reason so many people are addicted to cigarettes. Like so many other drugs it remains in your system even when you are not smoking. There are some things you can do to rid your body of nicotine just read from the list below.
First, everyone knows how healthy it is for your body to drink water, when trying to purge your body from the ill effects of nicotine, drinking at least 8 glasses of water will help. Along with water, healthy beverages can help to clear your body of the toxins caused by nicotine.
Second, vitamins are good for you and especially if you are try to clear your body of nicotine. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that is known to help in this process. By making sure your body is getting all of the healthy vitamins and nutrients that you need to detoxify your body you are also making sure your body is strong and healthy to fight off any of the bad effects of smoking.
Lastly, exercise, as with almost any disorder a good workout does wonders for your body. In the case of smoking and trying to rid your body of that nasty nicotine a good workout regime with do wonders for you. Working up a sweat will burn a good deal of those toxins out of your body.

Natural Remedies to Stop Smoking

There are many ways that people attempt to stop smoking cigarettes. Some of these methods involve harsh pharmaceuticals that can have profound side effects. Other methods involve weening the smoker off of nicotine slowly, via a gradual decreased dose. Still, there are other methods that people use successfully every day to quit this terrible habit that are 100% natural and have no side effects.

Hypnosis
That's right, hypnosis! For those who are open minded enough to allow themselves to be hypnotized, this may be something to try considering it's rate of success. However, this therapy often requires repeated visits to a licensed hypnotist which can quickly become quite costly.

Acupuncture
The idea here is to concentrate on key pressure points and other specific areas all across the body and penetrate them with special hair thin needles. Again, this kind of therapy requires multiple visits which can really rack up the bill.

Lobelia
This is a special herb derived from a certain species of flowering plant called Lobelia that helps quitters deal with the inevitable withdrawal symptoms they'll experience when giving up cigarettes. It's chemical makeup naturally eases tension and anxiety.

Books
Sounds funny, I know, but there are books out there that have successfully helped millions of people all around the world quit smoking. Many of these books are written in a specific way that actually attempts to "brainwash" the reader into giving up cigarettes as they progress through each chapter. Many people find themselves giving these books a try as a last resort and are often surprised by the results!

Quit Smoking Permanently

The one thing that all of the hundreds of people I've helped to quit smoking will all agree on is this, smoking purely and simply is a bad habit. Interestingly enough, so will almost everyone you meet who still smokes. Besides being an invitation to dire health problems down the road, it's unattractive and expensive. Over the years, cigarette companies have done their best to encourage their product's sales and keeping people in this nasty habit, despite being barred from advertising on television and in magazines.

The real issue here is that cigarette smoking is a generational problem. It wasn't until the early 1970s that cigarette smoking was revealed to be a major contributor to lung cancer, emphysema and COPD. By then, there were hundreds of millions of cigarette addicts all over the world, many looking for a way out of this life-sapping addiction.

Children learn by example and many a cigarette smoker's children have taken up the habit as a result. And the kids got hooked too. Even when their parents quit smoking their kids did not. They tell themselves, "Hey, my Mom smoked for thirty years and she's doing just fine. It can't be that bad!" Well I don't care if your mom smoked for 30 years and now wrestles grizzly bears for a living, the odds are that if you're still smoking, it will catch up to you and the result will be some very unpleasant health consequences.

If you want to quit smoking for good, and make an airtight case for your kids and grandkids to do the same, you need three things. You need to be motivated, educated and have a good support system to make it happen.

Motivation is perhaps the easiest step in your journey to quit smoking for good. Try a Google image search of 'lung cancer effects', 'emphysema' and 'COPD breathing'. Read my article "9 Reasons why you should quit smoking" or any of the many articles I've written on putting this habit behind you. This five minute exercise ought to scare you straight. If you want to spread the news, print out a few of the choicest images and share them with family members you hope to inspire to also quit smoking. It's a good idea to create a file folder, on your PC and in hard copy format. This will be good enough to turn your stomach. Share the results with your currently smoking loved ones. Hopefully it will turn their stomachs too!

If this is not sufficient motivation, use Google to collect information on the scientific facts and consequences of smoking. You can follow this link for some graphic reasons to quit.

Now that you're motivated, check out some of the quit smoking forums and discussion groups. You'll find thousands of people, who have been smoking for decades. You'll hear horror stories based on fact that will surely motivate you to quit smoking for good. You'll also discover success stories of people who managed to quit smoking before it was too late. You'll learn tricks and tips from former smokers that can help you overcome the smoking habit. Smoking forums, message groups and other smoking information venues can provide plenty of support. You'll find people just like you, still smoking, but desiring to quit smoking for good.

When you've found several forums, message boards and quit smoking informational articles, copy and paste the most relevant remarks in your PC folder. Print it all out. Tape your motivational quotes, scientific studies and pictures of smoking on the frig, or prominently displayed around your desk.

If you want to quit smoking for good, this can do it! And remember, there are many methods and resources available that can help you become smoke free for life! Quit smoking for good and take a few loved ones with you!

How Cigarette Addictions Work and Why They're So Profitable For Tobacco Companies

We all know that cigarettes are expensive. Ridiculously so. Here in Maryland, you're usually looking at about $6 per pack, and if you're really trying you can spend over $9 per. That's not all of how smokers line the pockets of tobacco companies, though.

Once you're tired of coughing up stuff that looks like it came from an oil derrick, you get to give those same companies even more money by buying nicotine replacements to give you the same nicotine high that cigarettes do. Am I the only one that finds something wrong with the idea that the same company is selling you an addiction and a cure for it?

The biggest part of cigarette addictions isn't because of the nicotine, though. It's because of how much your mind is wrapped up in the concept of smoking. Direct advertising is mostly banned, but you still see people smoking in movies. It's quite funny when you notice how much that kind of thing makes you want to smoke. I remember seeing some movie where this lady was smoking the same kind of cigarettes that I usually smoked. I paused the movie, went to the store and bought a pack just because of it.

We're also completely overlooking the fact that even the good-hearted people who want you to smoke are making it harder for you. Any time someone tells you that quitting smoking is going to be hard, it actually makes it harder for you to go through with it, because it gives you something easy to fall back on.

Psych Yourself Away From Smoking

Quitting smoking isn't easy by any means. Plenty of products are available to help, but isn't one of the reasons you want to quit the annoying expense of cigarettes? So doesn't it figure that you don't want to have to pay more to give up this nasty habit. Here are some FREE psychological methods that will support your efforts to quit.

1. Get in touch with the gross tactile aspects of the cigarette. Hold it in your fingers and roll it back and forth. Feel how cheap and light-weight it is? It's full of garbage! Look at that nasty fake filter. Smell it -- does it even smell good? Be real. It doesn't. Every time you feel like lighting up, pause and simply stare at the thing. Notice how ugly and small and useless it is.

2. Think about how small they are. Cigarettes are shorter than your finger, and even thinner. How can you allow something this small to have power over YOU, a full-grown person? You are not going to let this miniscule, evil object have power over you any longer. Imagine stomping on cartons and cartons of your favorite brand. Ripping boxes of them to shreds -- there are so many, and they are so small and easy to "kill"! It's so much fun to destroy them in your imagination, because they are trying to destroy you. Your life is SO MUCH BIGGER than this teeny, tiny cigarette. It's a wimp. A shrimp. A total loser. Laugh at how small and powerless it is.

3. Say aloud the reasons you want to quit, every time you want to smoke. Say three things, and THEN light up, IF you still want to or absolutely have to. But those thoughts will be on your mind, and you will find the cigarette to be really gross. Say: I want to live to a ripe old age and NOT suffer breathing problems. Say: I don't want my breath to smell. Say: Cigarettes dull my sense of taste. Say: I hate the way my living room smells from the smoking. Say aloud all the bad things about smoking you can think of. Repeating it to yourself will make it a mantra.

4. Smoke in front of a mirror, and watch yourself. Watch yourself smoke the whole thing. Do you look cool, or do you just look stupid and unhealthy? Honestly. It looks pretty unattractive, doesn't it? Is that the person you want to be? Watch this person (you) inhale and exhale poisonous smoke. Think, wow, that person is really harming themselves. If how you look to others is a motivator to you, this should help. You look awful when you smoke! You also have that guilty smoker face: "I know I shouldn't be doing this, but...." Look at yourself with that burning cigarette in your hand and say, No more!

5. Put a handful of butts in a plastic baggie, and carry this around in your pocket. When you feel like smoking, pull out the baggie and feel the butts through the plastic. Smell the baggie. Examine how disgusting those butts are, all bundled together and full of the poisonous residue from smoked cigarettes. Is this what you want to be putting in your wonderful living body? Use this physical tool to remind yourself of the gross byproduct of smoking, the ugly dirty butts. You don't want to be a person making the world an uglier place by contributing these nasty butts to the world, do you?

6. Pick up other people's butts from a favorite park or public area you frequent. It sounds disgusting, and it is. But, if a broader picture method works for you, put on some rubber gloves and literally pick up the butts from the ground. Think, in a broad sense, of the billions of butts floating around out there, and how you will not be contributing any more to this mess on our ground. The process of scooping them up will be a meditation, and you'll be so sick of butts after thirty minutes that you'll really, really desire, even more strongly, to kick the habit once and for all.

Never give up! The quality of the rest of your life is at stake. Shed your smoker self like a snake sheds its old skin, and look forward to a longer, healthier lifespan!

Acupuncture and Smoking Cessation - How to Quit Smoking Naturally and Effectively

What is acupuncture, briefly?

Acupuncture is the ancient Chinese form of medication which involves the placement of needles in specific areas on the body to help in various types of pains and several other ailments. It is based on the conviction that humans have an essential energy, called "qi", which circulates throughout twelve hidden energy lines known as meridians on the body. Each meridian is linked with a dissimilar organ system. An inequity in the run of qi during a meridian is how disease begins and acupuncture aims at correcting this.

In recent times, it is being extensively used as an alternate practice to help patients cope up with smoking cessation and nicotine withdrawal and therefore is a natural way to quit smoking.

What does Acupuncture change?

There are several theories about how acupuncture works and changes the internal metabolism of the body. A few common ones are that Acupuncture:

1. excites the release of pain-relieving endorphins
2. manipulates the release of neurotransmitters, substances that transmit nerve impulses to the brain
3. kindles electrical currents throughout the system.
4. sways the autonomic nervous system

Common ailments and medical problems which are treated by acupuncture are:

• migraines and tension headaches
• sinusitis, common cold
• addictions, smoking cessation
• arthritis, menstrual cramps
• low back pain, other muscular pains
• asthma and breathing problems
• weight loss

Acupuncture and smoking cessation - standard procedure

Oriental Medicine mostly aims to take care of specific symptoms that are exclusive to each human being using a selection of methods such as acupuncture, Chinese herbs, bodywork, lifestyle/dietary suggestions and energetic exercises to re-establish unevenness created within. Therefore, an acupuncturist takes an interview to find out about your distinctive smoking habits and also executes a physical examination. The emotional and bodily symptoms that you are witnessing will be of assistance to produce a lucid picture of a treatment plan exclusively for you. Acupuncture treatments focus on the jitters, cravings, irritability, and the restlessness that people commonly complain about when they quit. As the profile of every individual smoker is different, the overall treatment, duration and other variables are entirely different during the process of stopping smoking.

Which points are used for acupuncture?

Generally a blend of body acupuncture points on the ear are used to help in smoking cessation as they are believed to influence the organs and energetic pathways associated with smoking.

Ear points:

Shenmen

Kidney

Sympathetic

Lung Upper and Lung Lower

Hunger or Mouth

Typical treatments last from five to 30 minutes, with the patient being treated one or two times a week. After removing the needles, ear press needles or silver pellets are often applied to stimulate the points between treatments and reduce cravings.

This basic analysis of a typical acupuncture treatment will help you know what this ancient oriental art is all about and how will it help you to quit smoking.

Michael is and expert on methods on how to quit smoking as she managed the difficult 5 years ago and has abstained from tobacco ever since. Visit her site for articles and resources on how to quit smoking and lose weight. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Quit Smoking Plus Lose Weight

This product is a new method to help you quit smoking and lose weight. It is called shen men an old Chinese acupressure method. These magnets put a slight pressure on the upper part of the left ear for quitting smoking and on the lower part on the left ear lobe for weight loss. This method has been used for thousands of years. Cleopatra used this method.
They are a set of gold plated magnets consisting of one 4mm magnet and one 6mm magnet each having 1500 gauss, the amount of magnetic attraction in each magnet. I have been selling these for over 2 years and have had great success. Many buyers have had repeat purchases due to their success.
They gave them to family members and friends. Remember the key to success is that you truly want to quit smoking and lose weight. Make yourself and your loved ones safe from the problems of smoking and being over weight. I had been using eBay as a start now I am going to internet ads to help more people quit smoking and lose weight.
I hope you have the great success after using this product and by word of mouth spread the great news that you have stopped smoking and that your friends and family have had the same results. I am sure that you will stop smoking as I have. God bless your success in quit smoking.
You and your family and your friends will live longer. Stay healthy without withdrawals
http://www.napmags.com/Quit1.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Do Stop Smoking Programs Work?

There are millions of smokers around the world and more than half of them have tried to quit the habit and only a fraction of them made it. The rest of these hopefuls have tried and failed because quite frankly, quitting the habit is difficult and sometimes even painful.
What a person needs is to be determined to quit the habit and find ways of achieving his/her goal. Stop smoking programs work because they help smokers to talk with each other and talk with a therapist or somebody who can help them deal with their issues. There are stop smoking programs in your community and if there's none, you could start one right now. This will definitely help you kick the habit and you can help other people save their lives by quitting this habit as well.
There are different programs available that you could try and follow. Some can be downloaded over the internet while some can be given by professionals and you can follow them to see if it works for you. Every individual has different needs and some programs work for others while they fail to some. It's not bad to first consult with other people who tried these to first figure out if you think this program would indeed work for you too. Of course, no program will work for an individual who does not even have the right determination to kick the habit.
Smoking kills and kills you slowly and painfully. If you don't want to die that way and when you're still young then it's best to stop your nicotine addiction as soon as possible. Try programs or seek a doctor's help or do whatever is needed just so you could quit the habit. Do this for yourself and for the people who loves you.

Side Effects of Quitting Smoking

In your quest to fight your smoking addiction, it is important to keep the benefits of a smoke free life in mind - such as better health for yourself and for those you love, whiter teeth, no more tobacco smell on your body and clothes, plus many others. However, it is also imperative to know what you are dealing with. There are certain hurdles that you have to jump through to finally and completely kick the habit. A number of these hurdles may come from external variables, but most challenges come from within your body in the form of side effects of quitting smoking.

The first step in quitting smoking is to be aware of what will happen. Understanding what your body will go through is the most ideal way to prepare yourself for the side effects of giving up smoking. Not knowing what to expect may set you back a few steps and distract you from your goal of quitting. Although the effects of giving up cigarettes can be extremely unpleasant, bear in mind that these are often temporary and can be dealt with.

Physical and Psychological Effects of Quitting Smoking

The side effects of kicking the habit can be classified as physical and psychological. The initial 2 weeks are deemed to be the hardest, with symptoms exacerbating within 48 to 72 hours after quitting. These symptoms will completely subside only after 12 weeks, and only then will you feel at ease once more.

The initial psychological impact of quitting includes irritability, anxiety, and an intense urge to smoke. With time, you may experience some tremors in your hands and feet as well as excessive sweating. Later on, you may suffer from intense depression that accompanies withdrawal. This initial depression can manifest as grief, as if you have recently lost something very important. The best course of action is to simply endure this sensation of sadness, keeping in mind that this is just a normal part of the healing process. Allow yourself to come to terms with your "loss" and wait for the feeling to pass. In addition to depression, you may also experience confusion, insomnia, mood swings, plus a sense of neediness, helplessness, and vulnerability.

Initial depression may potentially progress to long-term depression, especially in cases where the person already has a predisposition to the condition.

The physical side effects of quitting include gastrointestinal difficulties like intestinal cramps, constipation, nausea, and headaches. You may also suffer from respiratory disturbances such as colds as your lungs are starting to clear.

Additionally, a majority of smokers have been observed to gain weight after kicking the habit, although this may not apply to everyone. If your figure is your primary concern, you are advised to compensate by doing extra exercise and/or going on a weight loss plan.

Acknowledging the side effects of quitting smoking will prepare you for these symptoms as they manifest. Remember that these symptoms will normally disappear after a few weeks. The only long-term repercussion of quitting is a positive one, that of a general improvement in your overall health.

Don't Get Smoked by a Cigarette

If you are addicted to smoking, you know that quitting is not easy. Chances are you have tried before. Some times it takes multiple attempts before you can successfully quit smoking. It is important to realize that as with any addiction, the more you refrain from smoking, the easier it will be. The most difficult time is in the first two weeks. Once you can abstain from smoking for two weeks chances of permanent success are great. You might find that speaking with your health care provider is the best way to begin quitting. Your health care provider might determine that the best course of treatment is a prescription method to help fight cravings.

The benefits for quitting smoking are vast and if you are on a diet and exercise program while smoking you are causing serious damage to your body. By quitting smoking you will increase oxygen production and derive more benefits throughout your workouts. Smoking also robs the body of vital nutrients, particularly vitamin C, and can cause premature aging. Though many are concerned that if they quit smoking they will gain additional weight, it is better to gain a few pounds that can be burned off through exercise, then to suffer from lung cancer. If you want to live a truly healthy life, you have to quit smoking. Smoking has no place in a healthy lifestyle.

Smoking is a physical addiction and your body will crave nicotine until you get passed the first several weeks. Avoiding situations where you know people will be smoking is important and can reduce the amount of temptations you are surrounded by. Preparing for temptations and craving is an important aspect of getting through the first two weeks. Keeping the hands busy can help you resist the urge to smoke. Most people do not realize this but the hand motion of smoking, bringing the cigarette to you mouth, is also a very hard habit to break.

So if you have a hobby, consider spending more time to your hobby. If you do not have one, then now is a great time to begin one. Activities such as carpentry, building projects, gardening, knitting, crocheting, sewing, playing sports, baking, scrap booking, or playing an instrument can occupy your mind and help you resist cravings. Understand, we are people of habit, if you are a smoker you probably smoke after certain enjoyable events, like eating food; many people are in the habit of smoking after a big meal. Habits can be broken with discipline and hard work, and new good habits can be made.

When you feel as though temptations are strong, try taking a brisk walk. Breathe deeply and remind yourself that you are enjoying fresh, clean air in your lungs. Since you might become more irritable or anxious, try adding several yoga workouts to your routine. Yoga can help fight cravings, reduce stress and tension, and relax your body. The breathing techniques can be performed anywhere and will help you overcome the urge to smoke.

Get Help to Stop Smoking

The battle against nicotine dependence is long and arduous and people need help to stop smoking. Many smokers have been known to try and fail. And yet, today, more and more smokers are finding it difficult to smoke freely and hence find them selves having to give up or cut down on smoking. The health implications too are monumental and have reached a stage where some smokers have no option but to give up completely. But it is not easy to quit smoking.

Nicotine dependence is something that needs sustained effort, medical supervision and determination in most cases. There are many clinics and dependence centers that are offering programs that help to stop smoking. These programs offer a combination of physician's supervision, anti-dependence drugs, counseling sessions and group therapy. Quitting is not the only issue here, but being able to stay off nicotine is the primary factor.

Over and above programs that help to stop smoking, a number of branded non-prescription remedies are also available these days. These include Nicotine Gum, Nicotine Patches, Nicotine Nasal Sprays, Nicotine Inhalers and Nicotine Lozenges. These are either chewed, fixed to the skin, sprayed into the mouth, sprayed into the nasal cavity or sucked like candy respectively. However, they all work on the basis of small doses of nicotine being released into the system in decreasing amounts. This is done in order to reduce dependence on nicotine while slowly being weaned off it.

Prescription drugs too are available such as Varenicline and Bupropion. These need to be taken under medical supervision and do not contain any nicotine. Varenicline helps to cope with nicotine withdrawal symptoms while controlling the craving itself. Bupropion is easy to consume in pill form and tends to have some side effects. You need to know what are the possible side effects you may experience.

However, it is widely acknowledged that ultimately it is your own will power that can help to stop smoking, in addition to all these remedies. Be determined to achieve this goal and you will succeed.

Truth Behind Quit Smoking Medications

Recently, there has been a spurt in the quit smoking medications in the market. Some of these are available over the counter, like Nicotine inhaler, gum, patch and nasal spray. These come under different brands, strength and doses. These tend to supply nicotine to the withdrawing smokers to combat symptoms of depression, anger, agitation and restlessness, which are the natural outcome of quitting smoking. Besides, there are homeopathic remedies given on the basis of particular symptoms and these are not given to supply nicotine. Aconite, Arsenicum are given for restlessness and irritability, Avena Sativa and Valeriana are given for sleeplessness and fatigue caused by lack of nicotine in the smoker's body previously supplied by cigarette smoke with the exception of Tabacum, which is said to have reduced craving in smokers when it was given in high potency. However, there are different homeopathic combinations now available over the counter as are the other homeopathic remedies.
Again, there are prescription drugs like bupropion, wellbutrin, varenicline, clonidine etc. These create an aversion to tobacco, which sometimes comes as a shock to the smoker. Actually, the long established smoking habit needs mild medications to help the smoker to cut down the number of cigarettes smoked per day. There should be a gradual transition from a smoker to a non-smoker. This way, the smoker finds a new life full of meaning and productivity and does not miss the past habit. The prescription drugs try to do the opposite and often have serious side effects, as these aggressively require the smoker to stop the habit at once.
Apart from the above, there is a self-hypnosis technique to put control over the habit. This technique though safe, is only effective to the extent you boost your self-confidence.
Quit smoking medications should be chosen on the basis of your personal smoking problems. If you are a heavy smoker and your health is deteriorating, you may need prescription drugs. On the other hand, if you have been a long time smoker and want to quit the habit for good, you should choose mild alternatives like homeopathic combinations to stop the habit gradually and in phases.

Popular Way to Stop Smoking With Nicotine Patches

Nowadays nicotine patch is one of the popular stop smoking aids. To increase your possibilities of success, you have to stick the nicotine patch on 2 weeks before the day you decide to quit smoking. The patch will provide a certain amount of nicotine to your body the whole day and your desire to smoke will reduce.
Before you purchase any nicotine patches, it is important to know the dosage that you need to use. As they come with 3 different strengths, it is important that you apply the right dosage to avoid undesirable side effects. By using nicotine patches, you will eventually decrease the dosage till you stop using it and this helps you to get rid of your dependency on nicotine easily.
If you only want to rely on one type of stop smoking aid to kick the habit, you definitely will find these patches to be very handy. Smokers whose days are usually busy with work and chores will prefer this type of quit smoking aid. This is one of the reasons why nicotine patches are popular among smokers.
Even though study shown that nicotine patches can keep smokers off the cigarettes, they may also have some negative effects. The nicotine patch side effect such as difficulty in sleeping is common especially if you apply the patch at night. Other side effects include dizziness, stiffness, muscle ache, irritable skin and headache. These are generally linked to several factors like the brand of the patch, your skin's sensitivity, how you are using the patch and the dosage you are using.
Nicotine is surely a no-no for women who pregnant and it is suggested that you do not smoke while you using the patch because your body will then be overloaded with nicotine. Moreover your baby will also suffer the consequences. Ask your doctor on other safer ways to stop smoking which poses no danger on your unborn baby.
Generally, this stop smoking aid can help you on your way to become a non-smoker and gaining back a healthy lifestyle. However you do not really have to use nicotine to make your withdrawal symptoms more tolerable. Although the zero nicotine patches may not feed your body nicotine, it still have herbs that help you conquer those crazy moods, cold sweats and torturous cravings.
It works perfectly if you want to prevent any negative effects of nicotine patches. You can get more details about ways to stop smoking naturally and successfully from our website. Finally you will turn over a new leaf and be a non-smoker if you really put your mind to it.

Popular Way to Stop Smoking With Nicotine Patches

Nowadays nicotine patch is one of the popular stop smoking aids. To increase your possibilities of success, you have to stick the nicotine patch on 2 weeks before the day you decide to quit smoking. The patch will provide a certain amount of nicotine to your body the whole day and your desire to smoke will reduce.
Before you purchase any nicotine patches, it is important to know the dosage that you need to use. As they come with 3 different strengths, it is important that you apply the right dosage to avoid undesirable side effects. By using nicotine patches, you will eventually decrease the dosage till you stop using it and this helps you to get rid of your dependency on nicotine easily.
If you only want to rely on one type of stop smoking aid to kick the habit, you definitely will find these patches to be very handy. Smokers whose days are usually busy with work and chores will prefer this type of quit smoking aid. This is one of the reasons why nicotine patches are popular among smokers.
Even though study shown that nicotine patches can keep smokers off the cigarettes, they may also have some negative effects. The nicotine patch side effect such as difficulty in sleeping is common especially if you apply the patch at night. Other side effects include dizziness, stiffness, muscle ache, irritable skin and headache. These are generally linked to several factors like the brand of the patch, your skin's sensitivity, how you are using the patch and the dosage you are using.
Nicotine is surely a no-no for women who pregnant and it is suggested that you do not smoke while you using the patch because your body will then be overloaded with nicotine. Moreover your baby will also suffer the consequences. Ask your doctor on other safer ways to stop smoking which poses no danger on your unborn baby.
Generally, this stop smoking aid can help you on your way to become a non-smoker and gaining back a healthy lifestyle. However you do not really have to use nicotine to make your withdrawal symptoms more tolerable. Although the zero nicotine patches may not feed your body nicotine, it still have herbs that help you conquer those crazy moods, cold sweats and torturous cravings.
It works perfectly if you want to prevent any negative effects of nicotine patches. You can get more details about ways to stop smoking naturally and successfully from our website. Finally you will turn over a new leaf and be a non-smoker if you really put your mind to it.

Quitting Smoking For Women - What Ladies Need to Know to Stop Smoking Successfully!

While I'm all for gender equality, the truth is that women have a harder time at quitting smoking than men do. What is it that makes stopping smoking harder for women than it is for men?
Women smoke for different reasons than men do. They light up more because of psychological reasons such as the scent or sight of tobacco smoke. Women are also more social creatures than men, and many women often find themselves lighting up just to get together with their girl friends. Weight control is also an important issue for females, and cigarette smoking is often seen as one way to achieve that.
While ladies are still addicted to nicotine just as men are, the reasons for a woman's smoking may be completely different from a man's. That could be why traditional stop smoking methods such as nicotine replacement therapy may not work as well on women. While something like nicotine gum may be the perfect solution for a nicotine-addicted man, a woman who smokes for social reasons and weight control may find that nicotine replacement therapy does nothing to address the psychological causes for her smoking.
Another area where women different from men is why they pick up smoking again. When a woman quits smoking and finds that she has gained weight, she may panic and pick up that cigarette again just to keep the extra pounds at bay. But if you're one of these women you need to ask yourself this. Which would you prefer - dealing with a few extra pounds, or having to go through lung cancer and chemotherapy?
Since men and women have different motivations for smoking, it only follows that women should quit smoking through methods that are different from men. That's why you as a woman looking to quit smoking should look for a plan to quit smoking that's tailored specifically for ladies.

Quit Smoking and Get Free From the Chains of Nicotine

I am going to be very honest with you right upfront. Getting rid of your smoking habit will not be easy. I am sure you know that by now, because maybe you have tried before.
I smoked cigarettes and cigars for 29 years. I can tell you by personal experience as a smoker and by working with drug addicts in a rehab center for a year, that nicotine is one of the most addictive drugs on earth.
Compared to antisocial drugs, cigarette smokers do not smoke for the effects of nicotine on the nervous system or to get high, they just smoke to satisfy the addiction. It is hard to quit smoking when you associate smoking with relaxation. Compared to drugs like cocaine or heroin, nicotine addiction is not progressive, meaning that you do not need to increase your nicotine intake in order to get the "benefits" of nicotine in your systems, so you do not develop "tolerance" to nicotine. According to the FDA, "tolerance" is defined as the need to smoke larger quantities in order to get the same effect. Only less than 20% of smokers develop some kind of nicotine tolerance.
I worked as a volunteer in a rehab center, helping addicts to quit their habits. One curious fact is that about 99% of addicts smoke cigarettes, and during rehab some will smoke up to 3 times more than usual. This is accepted in most rehab centers, due to the fact that cigarettes 'help" addict to get rid of the antisocial addiction. Since smoking is socially accepted and is not a mood altering drug, it is accepted. I saw addicts who, after years of quitting smoking, start to smoke again during their rehab treatments. And none of them asked for quit smoking help.
Antisocial drugs creates a bio-chemical reaction in the brain that produces the "high". Nicotine does not produce a brain high. That is a good news for smokers.
As a nicotine addict, you are not chained to the physical and physiological devastation produced by the antisocial drugs.
Another good news is that when you quit you will not feel the withdrawal symptoms associated to other drugs. Compared to antisocial drugs, nicotine withdrawal symptoms will be mild. When I quit smoking, I suffered from mild headaches, joint discomfort and mild flu like symptoms for a month or so. The sides effects will vary from smoker to smoker. Compared to crack cocaine, heroin and even alcohol withdrawal symptoms, the ones you may experience after quitting smoking will look as a walk on the park.
On the other hand, only hours after you quit smoking you will start to feel the benefits. You will start to breath better, your smell and taste senses will slowly return to normal and you will not smell like an ashtray.
I can tell you, you can kick the smoking habit for good and start living a healthier and active lifestyle. There are various products on the market to help you quit. I strongly recommend you consider all alternatives available that will support your decision to quit smoking once and for all.
I guarantee you that you will not regret you did.
After 29 years of cigarette and cigar smoking, Shawn Jimz finally quit the habit.
Today, 4 years later, Shawn is living a healthy and active lifestyle and shares information, experiences, facts, motivation and products reviews that will help you with your decision to quit smoking easier.

The Real Effects of Cigarette Smoking on Your Life

Every smoker knows that - despite how gratifying it might be - smoking cigarettes does no good for their health. Actually, most of them know very well the effects of cigarettes smoking in their lives.

For those who are still not sure or didn't care to know more about this deadly habit though, let me list some of the very real and undisputable effects of cigarettes smoking:

• Coronary heart disease - death cause number one in the USA - is just one of the effects of smoking.
• Lung cancer; mouth cancer; throat cancer; esophagus, kidney, liver, stomach cancer and even leukemia can be the effects of cigarettes smoking. Actually, most cases of lung, mouth, tongue and throat cancers are caused by smoking cigarettes.
• COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases) like bronchitis, pneumonia, emphysema, etc. are often related to smoking.
• Erectile dysfunction and sterility are also among the effects that can be caused by cigarettes smoking.
• Smoking can also cause arteriosclerosis. The thickening and hardening of the arteries' walls.
• Hypertension, smoker cough, strokes, dry wrinkled skin, bronchial asthma, bad breath, bad smelling, yellow teeth and even some cases of blindness are related to smoking cigarettes.

Moreover, you can count among the effects of cigarettes smoking the gradual and constant deterioration of your life quality.

• The money you spend on cigarettes could be used on more important and pleasant things you need or want (Do the math and see how much you could save per year. What could you do with that extra money?).
• In today's world, smokers are more and more confined to "smoker zones", making them feel uncomfortable and guilty because of their habit. How does that affect your self esteem?
• Your body loses strength and vigor making difficult for you to do even simple things, like going up a flight of stairs without losing your breath and so.
• Did you know that every package of cigarettes you smoke delivers the same amount of radiation than a chest x-ray? That can't be good! Don't you agree?

Those are the most common effects of cigarettes smoking on your health and life. Not a nice perspective, huh?

So, if you think is time to quit smoking, just seek for advice on the several methods and programs available; pick the one that you (and your doctor!) think is best for your particular case and go for it! Millions have done it before, so you can do it too.

Now visit the site below and read about this new quit-smoking program that is different from all you have seen or heard before, and prevent yourself from suffering those nasty effects of cigarettes smoking. You'll discover that quitting smoking could be easier than you think and without having to spend huge amounts of money on expensive drugs and supplements and still not experiencing those nasty cravings or stress (not even gaining any extra weight!)

Why is Smoking So Addictive?

People can get addicted to almost anything - a sport, a hobby, certain foods and drinks, thought patterns, or work. We can also get addicted - the right word is "obsessed" - with a person, such as when we go after a celebrity or any person in a cult-like fashion. Addiction is often viewed negatively, as it poses threats to the individuals and his or her family. Daily routines are disrupted, relationships are strained, mental state is distorted, and the physical health is put in danger. Where there are addiction problems, victims and families are often suffering in one way or another and are seeking help (or at least trying to).

One of the most common forms of addiction is smoking addiction. Men, women, young, old, educated and non-educated, are all vulnerable to this type of addiction. It is spurred by tobacco companies' advertisements and subtle endorsement of the habit. The image portrayed is confidence and "coolness" by smoking; the message sent is independence. Despite health warnings from governments, people "buy into" the idea and disregard long-term health over short-term impulses.

That may be what get's people started, but what is behind the addiction in smoking cigarettes or tobacco? Why is it so difficult to overcome? Well, the main culprit in smoking addiction is nicotine, the main substance in found in tobacco leaves. Tobacco can be smoked in the forms of cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. There is about 10 milligrams of nicotine per cigarette stick, and you get about 1 to 2 milligrams of the drug from each cigarette smoked. Just how dangerous is nicotine? Well, a drop of it in a pure state is enough to kill a person. When you smoke, chew, or sniff tobacco, you are sending the substance to your brain. The brain adapts to and develops a tolerance for nicotine, starting the onset of the long and often difficult disease that many people (and their families) suffer from - addiction.

Just what happens inside the brain when nicotine is introduced? Nicotine triggers the release of norepinephrine and dopamine, two substances in the brain. The brain checks the levels of these substances and makes adjustments when necessary. When there is too much release of these chemicals, the brain's "anti-nicotine" chemicals make you feel tired or depressed. This feeling, of course, drives you to smoke even more, causing a vicious cycle that characterizes addiction.

The tired or depressed feelings, along with a host of other feelings and situations, is called a "trigger." Triggers then are feelings and situations that nudge or drive you to smoke, and are different for everyone. It can be the smell of a cigarette, the sight of cigarette butts or an ashtray, certain foods and drinks, social gatherings, the appeal of an "after dinner smoke", or stressful situations. Feelings, both positive and negative, can trigger smoking.

It is often very difficult to quit smoking as what many people would attest. How much success you will have often depends on several factors like the length of time you have been smoking, your access to tobacco, and the kind of people you spend time with. If you are serious about breaking the smoking addiction, you will definitely need help.

10 Things To Avoid When You Quit Smoking

10 Things To Avoid When You Quit Smoking


The Proper Care and Feeding of A Healthy Quit Program

We all want this quit to be the quit. We're looking for permanent
freedom from nicotine addiction. This article takes a look at some
of the things you should avoid when quitting tobacco. Build a strong
quit program by educating yourself about the process!

1) Don't be impatient. The natural tendency is to quit smoking and
expect to be done with it within a month. Cessation just doesn't
work like that. When you quit smoking, you are letting go of a habit
that you've had for many years, if not all of your adult life. It's
only fair to expect that breaking all of the old associations down
will take some time. Sit back, relax, and put some time between you
and that last smoke. Have patience with yourself, and with the
process.

2) Don't worry about forever. It can be overwhelming to think you'll
never smoke another cigarette. Don't do that to yourself. Train your
mind to stay in the here and now of today. This is where your power
is, and always will be. You can't do a thing about yesterday or
tomorrow, but you sure can control today. If you find your mind
wandering in either direction, pull it back. Pay attention to your
thoughts, and do your best to stay focused on the day you have in
front of you.

3) Don't be negative. It's been said that the average person has
approximately 66,000 thoughts in a given day, and two-thirds of them
are negative. We can be so hard on ourselves! Don't beat yourself up
for things you can't change, such as the years you spent smoking.
Don't look at past quit attempts as failures. Learn from the
experiences you've had and move on. Think about all of the positive
changes you're creating in your life. Successful long-term cessation
always starts in the mind. Focus on your purpose and develop an
attitude of gratitude. We have a way of believing what we tell
ourselves over and over. Don't feed yourself negatives. Affirm the
changes you are working to create in your life, and action will
follow more easily.

4) Don't neglect yourself. This is a time when you should be taking
extra care to make sure all of your needs are getting met. Following
these simple guidelines will help you weather withdrawal more
comfortably:

* Eat a well-balanced diet. Your body needs good quality fuel now
more than ever as it works to flush the toxins out of your system.
* Get more rest. You will need it, and chances are you'll feel extra
fatigue for a few weeks. Don't fight it. Sleep more if you can.
* Drink water. Water is a great quit aid. It helps you detox more
quickly, works well as a craving-buster, and by keeping yourself
hydrated, you'll feel better overall. Drink as much of the stuff as
you can manage.
* Exercise daily. Walking is a wonderful way to get your exercise if
you don't already have a favorite physical activity. It's a good,
low impact aerobic workout, and it works well to keep cravings in
check. Take a few 15 minute walks every day and see if it improves
your spirits.
* Take a daily multi-vitamin. Giving your body an extra boost this
way isn't a bad idea for the duration of the withdrawal process.
Cigarettes deplete so many nutrients. It may help you regain your
energy more quickly.

Withdrawal isn't a pain-free experience, but it is survivable, and
it is certainly short-lived. Always keep in mind the fact that
withdrawal from nicotine is a temporary condition.

5) Alcohol and tobacco go hand-in-hand...
Don't drink. I probably don't need to tell you that alcohol and
tobacco go hand-in-hand. New quitters are tender. Putting yourself
into a social setting where there is drinking too soon after
quitting can be dangerous. Don't rush it. The time will come when
you can have a drink without it triggering the urge to smoke, but
don't expect that to be within the first month, or perhaps even the
first few months. We're all a little different in how we go through
recovery, so defining a specific time frame isn't realistic. Just be
aware of your own situation. If you have an engagement coming up
that involves drinking and you feel nervous about that, it may be
best to postpone until you're feeling stronger. If that's not an
option, have a plan in place for how you'll manage the event smoke
free. Will you be able to excuse yourself to step our for some fresh
air? Can you request that people don't smoke around you? However you
decide to handle a situation, don't be shy about it. This is your
life we're talking about here, and quitting tobacco has to be a top
priority for awhile. Whatever you need to do to maintain your quit,
you should do. Period! Remember, life won't always be this way - it
will return to normal eventually.

6) Don't overdo. We've talked about taking care not to neglect your
physical health. Your emotional well-being is every bit as
important. Stress can build if you're not careful, and before you
know it, you're fighting a strong urge to smoke. Early cessation
creates its own tension, let alone all of the other things that come
and go in our busy daily lives. Make sure you don't let yourself get
run down to the point of exhaustion, and that you take time every
single day to destress with an activity that you enjoy. Whether it's
time alone with a good book, a hot bath, or working on a hobby, make
sure you incorporate some YOU time. Fatigue and stress are big
triggers to smoke, and it can be a quick jump to feeling that you
need a cigarette to cope. Plan ahead of time how you'll keep
yourself out of those danger zones.

7) Don't take yourself too seriously. You will have bad days. Expect
and accept that. Such is cessation, and such is life. On those off
days, make a vow to put yourself on ignore! Sometimes the best thing
we can do is to get out of our own way. Our minds can make a small
issue huge, and make a drama out of every little thing if our moods
are out of whack. When you have a bad day, use it as an excuse to
pamper yourself excessively. I say that in all seriousness. Be good
to yourself and put your thoughts on hold. Decide to wait and see
what tomorrow will bring. Nine times out of ten you'll wake up
feeling 100% better, and I promise you you'll be grateful to still
be smoke free.

8) Don't be afraid to ask for help. Statistics show that people who
quit with a healthy support system in place have a much higher rate
of success over time. If you don't have people around you who are
supportive, and even if you do, add some online support to your quit
program. Our smoking cessation forum here at About.com offers some
of the best support the Internet has to offer. There is nothing
better than bending the ear of a person who knows exactly what you
are going through. Getting help from people who have 'been there and
done that' is worth its weight in gold.

9) Don't believe that you can have "just one". There is no such
thing. It doesn't work with Lays potato chips, and it sure doesn't
work with cigarettes. Smoke one cigarette, and you run a very high
risk of being back to a pack a day quicker than you can imagine.
Don't fall for faulty thinking. A relapse always begins in the mind.
If you recognize unhealthy thoughts of smoking cropping up, it's
time to renew your resolve.

10) Don't forget. You quit smoking for a reason. Probably several.
Don't let time and distance from the habit cloud your thinking. Keep
your memory green by reviewing your reasons often. They will never
be less true as time goes by, but they can feel less critical if
you're not careful.

Cessation is a journey. Take it one simple day at a time, and you'll
find that what started out as a difficult task soon enough becomes
an enjoyable challenge.

Quitting Made Easier

I'm not sure when it was first developed, but psychologists developed the bio-psycho-social model to break addictions, whether it's alcohol, smoking, overeating, etc.

Essentially, the biopsychosocial model recognizes three distinct parts of life that must be addressed for a person to successfully break an addiction: 1) Physical; 2) Behavior; and 3) Psychological.

With smoking, the physical aspect is our body's dependence/craving for the chemical, nicotine.

The behavior aspect is how we pair the smoking behavior with other activities such as wake up and immediately smoke, answer the phone and light one up, have coffee and smoke, run into a sudden and stressful situation and reach for a cigarette, etc. Most smokers have paired many behaviors with smoking.

The psychological aspect involves how smokers view themselves and how they perceive the benefits of smoking.

To break the habit, it's important to break each aspect down and figure out how you, individually, relate to them.

The reason many people have success with nicotine replacement therapies (patches, gum) is that it satisfies and decreases over time the physical need for nicotine WHILE you work to change the behavioral and psychological elements to your smoking.

It takes the body only three days to eliminate nicotine from your body so, in essence, this is the least difficult part to overcome when you quit.

To change the behavior aspect of the smoking addiction you have to figure out how to "mess with your habit". This is done by taking an inventory of how you actually smoke and all the activities involved. If you normally buy cigarettes by the carton, change that by buying only one pack at a time. If you always smoke while driving to work, take the ashtray out of the car, drive a different route, take someone along who you will not smoke around.

As many activities you can change in the initial quit process the easier your quit will be. The more you change things the easier it is to break the behavioral activities associated with smoking. The changes don't have to be permanent, but you should change your behavior significantly during the first couple of weeks and months of your quit.

The psychological aspect is where the real battle is won or lost. We all know that the mind is very powerful. The good news is we can get the mind to work either for or against us. It's totally up to us!!

When I've mentioned that I believe quitting is 95% mental, this is where it comes from. If your self-talk constantly tells you that you are worthless, you will, indeed, behave as a worthless person. If your self-talk constantly tells you that you are worthy, smart, happy, you will have more self-esteem and project confidence and happiness to those around you.

To change the psychological aspect of smoking it is important to take an inventory of how you perceive smoking satisfies your needs, think about why you smoke, etc. Then create some new beliefs that tell you you don't need cigarettes, that smoking doesn't really calm you (nicotine's a stimulant, for goodness sake), etc.

Create new scripts for the self-talk that goes on inside you. "I don't need to smoke! I can't stand smelling like stale tobacco! I can quit!" The self-talk will take place whether you control it or not. If you are passive the self-talk will continue to reinforce your addictive beliefs, and that is where fear of quitting and doubt as to your ability to quit comes from. However, if you are pro-active in controlling your self-talk with positive reinforcements you will respond that way.

Think of the bio-psycho-social model as a triangle. One side is the physical, one side the behavioral and the third side is the psychological aspect of addiction. Draw a triangle on a piece of paper and label each side. Under the headings write out your addictive behaviors and beliefs and then write your new plan of changed activities and thoughts.

Once you knock two or more sides of the triangle away, the addiction (triangle) can no longer support itself.

40 tips for a successful quit

1. It's not as hard as you think. Once you begin to be honest with
yourself and to look at the facts about smoking, it will become a
pleasure to remove this addiction from your life.

2. Square off with your smoking habit. Look at it and size it up.
Ask yourself exactly what it is doing for you; then ask yourself
what it is not doing for you. You can begin with your hair and work
your way down to the tips of your toes. It is a medical fact that
smoking affects every organ in the human body in a harmful way.

3. Look at quitting cigarettes as giving yourself a gift - a very
big gift. You are giving yourself a better quality of life and, very
possibly, a longer life. You are giving yourself a healthier body.
You are giving yourself more self-esteem. Wrap all this in a package
and look at it for the gift it really is, then "Go for it"!

4. Set a date. Make a commitment. Give it a try. Remember, it is
alright if you don't succeed at first. Just keep trying. The only
way you can lose is by ceasing to try.

5. Don't look at it as if you are giving up something. This makes it
seem too much like a loss. What you are really doing is tossing
something out of your life that has done you harm and doesn't belong
here anymore. You are throwing away pure garbage. No longer are you
going to allow your lungs to be resting place for nicotine and tars.

6. Always keep a positive attitude. After all, this is one of the
most positive things you've ever done. Stay away from negative
people and worrisome situations.

7. Quit for yourself. Even though your family and loved ones will
benefit tremendously from your quitting, it is you that will benefit
the most.

8. Treat giving up smoking with the respect it rightly deserves.
Become willing to go to any lengths to remove it from your life. If
you are not willing, try praying for the willingness. This usually
works.

9. Look up the word "nicotine" in your dictionary and write down the
definition in big letters: "A poisonous alkaloid used as an
insecticide." Put it where you can see it.

10. Don't say "I'll take my chances" and continue to smoke. They are
not ours to take. We didn't give ourselves life and we don't have
the right to "take our chances" on giving it away. That is up to a
higher power.

11. Don't fool yourself by saying you have too many pressures in
your life right now to give up cigarettes. If you are smoking, this
in itself is a pressure, a very great pressure. Every day is a
gamble and your life is at stake. By getting nicotine out of your
life, other things will become easier to handle. You will feel
better about yourself and you will have more energy. You will have
accomplished something more meaningful than all the money and
material objects you could ever acquire. You will have given
yourself what no one else could give you. You will no longer have
the pressure of being a smoker.

12. Don't use the excuse that you might gain weight to justify your
continuing to smoke. Even if you do gain a little, the fact that you
will be more active and will get more exercise should counteract any
weight gain. Remember, overeating, not stopping smoking, causes
weight gain.

13. Plan to do things that will keep your mind off smoking.
Sometimes our minds can be our worst enemies. They will tell us that
we need a cigarette for just about any reason that is handy at the
time. By doing things like going to the movies in the non-smoking
section, munching on corn or sucking on a lollipop, we can keep our
minds occupied and get a break. Go to museums and other places where
smoking isn't allowed. Swimming is a good idea, too.

14. Quit smoking one day at a time and think only about the part of
the day your are in. "I am not going to smoke before noon." "I am
not going to smoke before 3 o'clock." Sometimes just do it one hour
at a time. This is a lot easier than trying to quit forever.

15. Don't subject yourself to smoky situations. If you do come in
contact with someone who is smoking, just say to yourself, "He is
having the cigarette I might be having", then, be grateful you don't
have to have it.

16. While you are quitting, look at it as an investment. Once you
have quit for one hour, you have invested this hour in becoming a
healthier person. Now, invest one more hour. Continue to add to your
investment hour by hour. It will grow and become more valuable as
the hours go by. You will begin to see and feel the rewards from
this investment more and more. Protect and guard it just as you
would a treasure.

17. Start being kind to yourself. It is the beginning of a new way
of life for you and you are the most important one there. Treat
yourself with respect and love and remember, you are no longer
filling you system with poison every few minutes. Breathe the clean
air and breathe it deeply. Smell the different and wonderful
fragrances. Begin to spend time outdoors close to nature. Many new
sensations await you.

18. Don't get too angry. If we are angry, our minds tell us we need
a cigarette to cope. Until your mind learns that it doesn't need a
cigarette to cope, try to avoid situations that might be setting you
up. Avoid certain people that may bother you. If you can't get some
time off, quit smoking on a long weekend. Avoid, as best you can,
things like getting stuck in traffic. Use a lot of caution. Anger
can be very destructive.

19. Don't get too hungry. It is amazing how our minds will tell us
that everything's wrong when all we really need to do is eat.

20. Don't get too tired. If we are tired, it is easy to become
irritated and when we get irritated our minds will tell us that a
cigarette will help. Our overall resistance becomes weak and it is
easy to say, "Oh well, I guess I'll have a smoke."

21. Don't get too lonely. It is good to know some people who are
going through the same thing.

22. You can remember these four things by the word "HALT": Hungry,
Angry, Lonely, Tired. If you feel you need a cigarette, check. Make
sure you are not experiencing any of these.

23. Don't get too bored. It is hard to just sit and not smoke. Keep
busy. Find things to do that you enjoy. Bike riding, hiking,
swimming, exploring new places, trying new restaurants. This is the
time to indulge yourself.

24. Have something to fidget with. We are accustomed to holding a
cigarette; being without one might leave our hands at a loss. Get a
small rubber ball or a yo-yo. Play dough is good also or a piece of
clay.

25. Have something handy to put in your mouth. Life Savers,
sugarless gum, lollipops, etc. Avoid fattening foods like cookies.
They don't last long and they fill you up. Experiment while you are
still smoking to see what will relieve the craving. If Life Savers
work, then stock up.

26. If you always have a cigarette with a cup of coffee, stop
drinking coffee before you quit smoking.

27. Don't drink alcohol while you are quitting. Once alcohol is in
you system your defenses will be greatly diminished.

28. Remember that the discomfort you experience in the first 2 weeks
will definitely come to an end and you will never have to go through
it again.

29. Frequently give yourself a pat on the back. What you are doing
isn't easy by any means. It takes a lot of guts to try to quit
smoking.

30. If you are feeling pain from withdrawal, let it become a lasting
memory to serve as a reminder of exactly how strong the drug
nicotine is and how hooked you really are.

31. Remember: every minute you were sucking on cigarettes they were
sucking on you. They were sucking the very life out of you. Don't
let them have any more.

32. Avoid the self-pity trap. If we begin to feel sorry for
ourselves, our minds will tell us that we deserve a cigarette to
make us feel better.

33. Remember: if you just keep trying, you will win. It is good
against evil and the odds are stacked in your favor.

34. Before quitting, plan your activities for the first few days
after you quit. This way you won't have to make too many decisions
while you are withdrawing. At first, making decisions may be hard
without a cigarette.

35. If you are not going to quit right away, then start cutting
down. If you smoke 2 packs a day and you cut back 1 cigarette a day
for a month, you will be down to just 10 cigarettes a day. Some
people, however, have found cutting back to be almost as hard as
quitting.

36. Drink lots of liquids to help flush the poison out of your
system. Orange juice is good because smoking depletes the Vitamin C
content in our bodies.

37. Remember: it is the first cigarette that gets you started. It
takes only one. This is the one you can't have. You can always put
off lighting that first one for a little while. Don't fool yourself
and think you can start and stop at will. You can't. Many people
have tried this and gone on to live the rest of their lives never to
experience freedom from nicotine again.

38. Frequently remind yourself about the differences you have
noticed in yourself. Things like: your breath no longer smells like
a dirty ashtray, your fingers aren't stained from tobacco, that
sickly sounding smoker's cough is disappearing, your senses of smell
and taste are returning, your complexion is beginning to improve,
your general attitude about yourself is better because you are
beginning to really care about yourself.

39. Give it away. Whenever you have a chance to give your
experience, strength, and hope to another smoker, use it. This act
of giving will insure your chances for staying off nicotine and give
strength to others who need it. There is much reward in helping
someone else to gain freedom from this harmful substance.

40. Have a follow-up program. Don't assume it is over because you
have made it through a couple of weeks. Nicotine is very cunning

About Insomnia and Smoking

Smoking causes all sorts of problems for you, especially at the end of a long day when you just want to go home and get some much needed sleep.

Why is this so?

Well, smoking is a stimulant and stimulants interfere with the body's ability to fall asleep.

Many smokers think that smoking will make them feel calmer and help them to relax. The facts are different, because when it comes time to sleep, instead of being able to rest, the body craves for nicotine. Also, smokers cough a lot and find it difficult to breathe which just makes it harder for them to fall asleep. They are also likely to snore and suffer from other breathing problems that will affect their ability to sleep.

Feeling sleepy and irritable during the day isn't a good thing because it makes it hard to find the energy and commitment to do your work well and you could risk losing your job.

Unfortunately, quitting is difficult to do because cigarettes are readily available and there is a lot of peer pressure to smoke. However, there are many things you can try to do to quit the habit. At the end of the day, you want to be able to have a good night's sleep as well as have increased energy and a healthier body.

• Exercise such a walking or swimming helps to take the cravings away
• Use nicotine patches or chew gum to help with withdrawal symptoms
• Join a support group, call a helpline and seek the encouragement of friends and family
• Try acupuncture
• Seek professional help on how to give up smoking. GP's will be able to advise you on the risks of smoking and what you can do to quit the habit.

What Are the Best Ways to Stop Smoking?

Do a google search for Best Ways to Quit Smoking or Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) and you will be inundated with a variety of products, from patches, gums, smoking hypnosis, herbal pills, lozenges, inhalers and sprays, books, CD's and lots more. Everyone claims their product is the best and will easily help you give up smoking. So where do you start and what really works?

Nicotine Replacement Therapies or NRT come in a variety of forms the most popular being chewing gum and nicotine patches which are placed on your skin. These all work by replacing the nicotine obtained from smoking to reduce the withdrawal effects you can have when you stop smoking.

There are several disadvantages to these aids, one being their expense. If you are a heavy smoker then the cost will probably be similar to what you would have spent on cigarettes but if you are only a light smoker you may find the cost prohibitive. In some areas you can receive NRT subsidized or even free so it is worth checking with your doctor for this help.

There are several side effects from using NRT which include upset stomachs, heartburn, headaches and skin rashes. A few people who use these smoking aids will also suffer from addiction switching. They may have given up smoking but they are now addicted the gum or patch: this has a variety of dangerous side effects on their health if used in the long term. Reports of hair loss, chronic depression, elevated blood pressure, facial reddening, bleeding and diseased gums are just a few of the effects of long term use.

Overall, nicotine replacement therapy could enable about 15% of smokers who seek help in stopping smoking to give up the habit but some of the side effects including the addiction switching should be fully considered before using this type of stop smoking aid.

Many medical professionals suggest using a smoking aid in conjunction with behavioural therapy and/or counselling. However there is a strong movement towards natural ways to quit with a number of studies proving that these could be the most effective methods even without the NRT. Possibly the most popular natural ways to quit include NLP (Neuro-linguistic programming), Acupuncture and Hypnotherapy.

The advantages of these systems are they are not reliant on using nicotine as an aid.

Acupuncture restores and balances a person's natural energy and healing system and with this equilibrium they are better placed to control the desires of smoking. It can be expensive as a number of treatments are needed and you should always use a professional practitioner as unclean needles can cause an infection. It is hard to determine the success rate of this system as there are a number of contradictory studies.

Hypnosis for smoking is a system that is receiving more recognition for its success rate and because it is a natural way to quit with no side effects. It works by planting ideas and affirmations in the subconscious mind whilst the smoker is in a deeply relaxed state. There have been reports of no cravings and no desire to smoke after one session. The success of the hypnosis smoking is dependent on the practitioner and it can be expensive. However there are a number of self hypnosis products which are good value for money.

With any of these processes to stop smoking each person will try a variety of processes before they hit on the one that helps them. No one will stop smoking unless they want to do so, and patient motivation must be the prerequisite of any quitting program.

Quit Cigarettes - How to Quit Smoking Permanently

Cigarette smoking has got to be one of the grossest, most vile things we can do. I was a smoker once. I knew it then, just as you know it now. You try and try and try to quit cigarettes but nothing seems to work. You always end up right back where you started, puffing away mindlessly day after day, year after year.

As a former smoker...and I mean former in the sense that I never think about it, never miss it, and can't believe I ever even did it...I'm going to propose that your problem with smoking is almost all in your head. That if you really want to know how to quit smoking permanently you have to examine the psychological aspects of why you do it, and why you keep doing it.

I've heard and I'm sure you've heard that quitting cigarettes can be as hard as quitting heroin. Come on. Have you ever seen someone trying to quit heroin? They shake, and sweat, and throw up...it's a mess. A smoker can sleep sometimes 10 or 12 hours and not even have to get up to satisfy his addiction. Many times we don't even smoke immediately after we wake up depending on our routine.

No, say what you will but the physical effects of quitting smoking aren't that bad by themselves. There is definitely a period of withdrawal, but it is mild. It's our mental addiction that makes the whole process so unbearable. It's that sense of deprivation we get when all of a sudden we 'can't' smoke anymore. It's the sense of comraderie with other smokers we're missing out on. It's wondering who we're going to be as a non-smoker.

Here's what I did that really helped me quit smoking permanently. First, I got the notion of quitting smoking being physically horrible out of my head. Every smoker thinks they like it the most. If anyone else has quit successfully, so can you. Then, I pictured myself ten ot twenty years down the road, sitting in a doctor's office being told I had cancer. I actually put myself there. Then I thought, right now is the time I'm going to be thinking of when I hear those words. I'm going to be thinking back to right now when I had the chance to quit but didn't.

And that was that. Anytime I wanted one I replayed that scenario. It only takes a few weeks for all the nicotine to leave your body. Anyone who tells you they still want one years later is holding on to the psychological side of smoking. Let go of it. You don't need it. You aren't missing out on anything. You'll be the same you that you are now...you'll just be that you for a whole lot longer.

Quit Smoking For Good - Stop Smoking For Your Health

Quitting smoking can be one of the hardest things that you do and finding a solution that works best for you is important. The first thing you want to do is to visit your doctor and talk with them to find out what options are available to you so that you can stop smoking. If you have been smoking for a long time than they can be even harder for you to quit and stay off cigarettes. There are some great new products that are on the market that can help you kick your nicotine habit and this is important because you want to be healthy and live a long life.

If you have a family than it is more important that you stop smoking so that you can be around to see your kids grow up to be adults. Even though you may not have any pain or discomfort currently smoking can only cause harm to you in the future. Once you have contracted cancer or any other disease from smoking it is hard to get rid of. The best thing that you can do is prevent this by stopping smoking now so that you do not have any medical issues later on in life. You will feel better want to have kicked the habit because you will be able to breathe better and have more endurance.

Remember that if you are trying to quit smoking there are many remedies that are available to you. You want to consult with your doctor and find out what products work well that are available to you on the market. There are also natural quit smoking methods that you can use that will help you kick this habit.

Smoking Cessation Tips - How to Quit and Not Hate It

Quitting smoking can be one of the most difficult things one can experience. The way that everybody makes it out to be impossible, combined with horrific-sounding nicotine withdrawal, makes it not sound like something anybody would want to do. Luckily, these smoking cessation tips can help take the edge off!

First, you should know that almost every nicotine withdrawal symptom will drive you to want to smoke, without you really knowing it:

- Irritability. Nicotine withdrawal will make you irritable, and you will lash out at other people. Generally, immediately afterward you'll want a cigarette to calm down. Don't give in!

- Depression. Two or three days after quitting, you'll feel depressed and regretful. You won't quite be able to pin it on something in particular. I felt like my life was completely pointless. If you're thinking that this will drive you back towards smoking, you're right!

You'll also feel a number of fun physical symptoms, which will in general make you feel like crap for a few days. The important part, though, is that it all goes away after the first week! Once you've gone through that week, you never have to deal with those horrid symptoms again, and you'll have your life back.

Depending on how you've quit smoking, that first week can be the only difficult part of quitting that you will need to deal with. The first few times I quit, I ended up relapsing during those few days (and once or twice after the first week) because, despite living through the physical symptoms, my mind still wanted me to smoke.

You don't have to deal with both the mental addiction of smoking and the physical one at the same time, though. The way that I finally quit was with the EasyQuit System which unraveled the connections in my mind between various events and smoking. After reading through it, all I had to deal with were the physical symptoms, which comparatively are a walk in the park!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Alcohol and Quitting Smoking - You Don't Have to Stop Socializing to Stop Smoking

Drinking is one of those things that many people say will cause you to relapse into smoking. When you quit smoking, you're supposed to quit drinking, partying, and seeing your friends...and that doesn't sound fun at all. It's enough to make you not want to quit smoking.
Well, luckily that's not the case. You don't need to stop drinking to quit smoking. If you were to quit smoking the way that almost everyone thinks how people quit, however, you would have to quit drinking, or really doing anything at all, because all of those things can make you pick up smoking all over again...if you've quit the wrong way.
So, you're asking, what's the right way to stop? The way I see it, there are two ways that people quit smoking. They either force themselves to not smoke, or they become non-smokers.
There's a difference between those two. Someone who forces themselves not to smoke still wants to smoke, they're just denying themselves cigarettes. Someone who has become a non-smoker couldn't really care less about smoking. As such, someone who has become a non-smoker could easily go to the bar or hang out with their friends without wanting cigarettes, because they don't want them anyway.
In other words, the best way to quit smoking is to not want to smoke any more. If you don't want to smoke any more, then you won't think about cigarettes when you normally would, because you don't feel the need to smoke.
Now that we've figured all of that out, you're probably wondering just how you go about stopping your want for cigarettes, since otherwise all we've done here is change the name of the problem without really coming up with a solution. Want to know how to stop wanting cigarettes? Read this book on quitting and by the time you're done, you won't want to smoke any more. Sounds scary? The book even asks you to smoke while you're reading it. Pick up a copy and become a non-smoker today!
Since curing yourself of your smoking addiction is a mental process that you can be walked through, you don't need to be completely mentally ready to quit smoking just yet. You can even be smoking as you read this, trying to decide if you're even ready to quit, and these guides to quitting smoking will help you quit! Without stopping the mental addiction of smoking though, you will always in the back of your mind be a smoker

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

If You're So Smart Then Why Do You Smoke?

Have you got a reason to quit smoking? If you study human nature you know then that you must have a strong reason to do anything. Quitting smoking is no exception. You must have a strong reason to quit.

One of the keys to successfully kicking the smoking habit is you really have to want to quit. Having the right attitude is also important. Just say to yourself "I am a non-smoker now" whenever you feel the urge to smoke should help you get through the tough times. You'll find that as you go along to becoming a successful quitter you will find yourself saying this statement less and less.

Here are some things you can look forward to when you quit smoking:

• You'll have more time to get things done. Every cigarette takes about 7 to 10 minutes. Making coffee to go along with that smoke also takes time if you usually like to have a coffee with your cigarette. Stopping at the store to buy a pack takes about 5 to 10 minutes out of your way every day and sometimes 2 times a day.
• Your clothes won't smell like smoke.
• Food will taste better.
• You won't have to go outside in the cold and rain to smoke.
• You won't have to ask for permission to smoke at someone's home or in someone's car.
• You'll breathe easier. You won't get out of breath when you walk up a flight or two of stairs. if you're so inclined you can even start singing again because eventually you'll get your singing voice back.
• People won't look down on you because you smoke. Smoking is not cool anymore. You won't be stigmatized by society as smokers are.

The right attitude makes all the difference. Check your self talk. Say "I no longer smoke. I am a non-smoker now." I hope with these few words you'll find success in kicking the smoking habit. Just remember it gets easier with time but the important thing is that you must start.