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Help yourself to give up Smoking by
Michele Carelse / Native Remedies As you
read this, you are probably filled with anxiety with the very thought
of being without that reassuring packet of cigarettes in your bag or
pocket! You might have been smoking for years. Maybe this is the first
time you are seriously considering "giving up" or perhaps you have
tried before and failed. Whatever the case may be - don't be
discouraged, you are one of millions! Although
there are many gums, sprays and patches available to help the person
gradually wean him/herself off the cigarettes, most smokers are
expected to "go it alone", be crabby for a few weeks and then be fine!
If they fail, the insinuation is that they are weak, indulgent,
inconsiderate, etc. The
medical and moral support and understanding given to other substance
abusers (e.g. alcoholics, crack addicts, etc) is usually not
forthcoming for those who are struggling to overcome nicotine
dependency. 2. Not only do smokers have a far greater risk of contracting lung cancer, but they also have increased rates of other cancers, including cancer of the mouth, larynx, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas, liver, cervix, stomach, colon and rectum. Smokers are also at greater risk for leukemia. 3. The overall cancer death rates for smokers are twice as high as those of non-smokers. The more cigarettes you smoke and the longer you smoke for,the greater the risk. 4. Smoking contributes significantly to the development of high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries and therefore places smokers at greater risk of stroke and heart disease. 5.
Smoking causeschronic lung disorders like emphysema, asthma and
bronchitis. 2. Smokers haveyellow teeth, and foul smelling breath, hair and clothes. 3. Smoking causesimpotence and erectile dysfunction in men and low libido in men and women. It can also contribute towards difficulties in falling pregnant and birth defects. 4. Smoking deprives the body of oxygen, leading to fatigue and low concentration levels. 5. At
current prices, smoking is very bad for your bank balance! Think of
what you could do with the money you spend on cigarettes! Exposed
to second hand tobacco smoke on a daily basis, these children also have
higher risks of developing all the cancers, disorders and other medical
conditions mentioned above. In
addition, you are a role model for your child and are not teaching them
good health habits when you continue to smoke in the face of
overwhelming evidence regarding the serious health hazards associated
with smoking. If you don't do it yourself, do it for your kids! At Native
Remedies, we have all had
personal experience of nicotine addiction and withdrawal. As a
psychologist, I have also counseled many people who have struggled to
stop smoking. As an ex-smoker, I understand the difficulties involved,
as well as the feelings of failure and frustration experienced every
time you try and fail to stop smoking. I
understand how stressed you feel when you read about the health hazards
of smoking, the feelings of irritation when other people point them out
to you - as well as the feelings of guilt around endangering the lives
of your loved ones who are exposed to your second hand smoke. Apart
from the fact that nicotine is the 'enemy', using nicotine substitutes
may help with craving in the short term, but can also lead to relapse
in the long term. Our aim is to keep you nicotine free and we want you
to start out that way! While
this approach does have some merit, it is also true that there are very
effective natural substitutes for the synthetic antidepressants and
tranquillizers - which can offer the same benefits without the side
effects and potential for addiction. After all - you are fighting one
addiction and do not want to replace it with another! Taken
during the month before you stop smoking and continued for a few months
until the worst is over, Rx-Hale Tablets ensure that your efforts to
stop smoking are not foiled by depression, mood swings and sugar
cravings. Taking the tablets every day during the 30 days before you
stop also prepares you psychologically for nicotine withdrawal and
ensures that you begin the process feeling strong and ready to face the
challenges ahead of you! Drops
also contain herbs which will help to prevent the sugar cravings and
compensatory overeating which often cause people to go back to
cigarettes due to unwanted weight gain. Taken in a little water or
juice three to four times a day, Crave-Rx Drops act quickly to reduce
nicotine craving and keep you calm. It
does this by promoting the bio-availability of nutrients, hormones and
bio-chemicals that are usually depleted by the stress of nicotine and
drug withdrawal. Presented in convenient sucking tablets which are
dissolved under the tongue when needed, Triple Complex NicoTonic can be
taken as many times per day as necessary. For more information on these
three natural remedies, please see
www.nativeremedies.com/quit-smoking-herbal-ultrapack.html STOP
SMOKING IN EIGHT WEEKS - BE A NON-SMOKER FOR LIFE! 2. Start using Rx-Hale Tablets one month before your Quit Date to prevent depression and anxiety and to stabilize blood sugar levels and prevent weight gain. Remember to use them every day as directed! Every time you take a dose, remind yourself that you are on the road to recovery from nicotine addiction! 3. Make a list of all the reasons why you want to stop smoking and read this list every day. Glue it to the door of your fridge, your computer monitor and the mirror in the bathroom. 4. Tell at least 10 people that you are going to stop smoking on your Quit Date. 5.
Identify times and places which you associate with cigarettes e.g.
after a meal, first thing in the morning, when you are driving,
watching TV, etc. During
the first four weeks, DO NOT smoke during these times and at these
places - although you can smoke elsewhere. If you smoke in front of the
TV, get up and smoke in the kitchen. If you smoke in bed when you wake
up, get out of bed and smoke after you have dressed. If you smoke after
a meal, wait for 30 minutes and do something else in the meanwhile. If you light up as soon as you get into the car, rather smoke before and after your journey. If you smoke while speaking on the telephone, hang up if you need to have a cigarette. This helps you to break the 'habit smoking' while still allowing you to smoke. 6.
Start an exercise program and/or start a new hobby. Regular exercise
helps tremendously to improve mood and motivation levels and also gets
you feeling healthy and more confident. People who exercise regularly
have a running start over those who don't when it comes to beating the
smoking habit! It doesn't matter what you do - just do it every day for
at least 30 minutes. Take
up an interesting hobby, preferably one that you can do with your hands
- but any hobby will do. Be prepared to invest money in exercise and a
new hobby - you will have some to spare because you are not smoking! 2. Remind everyone that you have now officially stopped smoking. 3. Continue using Rx-Hale Tablets and being taking Crave-Rx Drops three to six times daily to reduce nicotine craving, control appetite and prevent the weight gain often associated with quitting. 4. If you experience mood swings or a 'short fuse syndrome', suck Triple Complex NicoTonic Tablets whenever needed to reduce restlessness, bad mood and agitation. 5. Ask a friend or family member to be your 'buddy' during the next few weeks, preferably one who has also stopped smoking. He or she needs to be 'on call' for emergency phone calls, walks, talks and visits for those moments when craving becomes just too tough to manage alone. If possible, email or phone this buddy every night before you go to bed. Just a short message to say 'I made it today' does wonders and holds you accountable to someone else besides yourself. If you are tempted to smoke, read the list you have made of reasons why you want to stop and promise yourself you will not have a cigarette before first speaking to your buddy. 6. Continue with your exercise program and hobby. 7. Instead of smoking, chew on raw vegetables like carrots or chew sugarless chewing gum. If your fingers are itching to hold a cigarette, play with a pencil, some 'worry beads' or a cool smooth stone. 8. Take one day at a time! This is important. Every morning tell yourself that your goal for the day is to complete it without cigarettes. 9. Reward yourself at the end of this month with a gift equal in value to the money that you would have spent on cigarettes. 10. Go
out and celebrate with your 'buddy', friends and family. Making four
weeks without cigarettes is a BIG DEAL and means that you have beaten
the physical addiction to nicotine. 2. Don't let your exercise program slip. 3. Be on guard all the time - 'only' one cigarette is one cigarette too many for any Quitter! If anyone offers you a cigarette, say 'No thanks - I don't smoke!' and mean it! 4. Reward yourself at the end of every month. Celebrate your Quitting Anniversary every month. 5. Whenever you feel stressed or tense, practice deep breathing exercises or listen to some soothing music. 6.
Realize that the danger is not past. Although the craving for
cigarettes becomes weaker and weaker as time goes by, ex-smokers report
that the thought of having a cigarette still pops into their minds
years after they have stopped. When that happens, visualize a big red
STOP sign and say 'NO'! As a nicotine addict, you can NEVER again have
a cigarette. Never give up giving up! ~ ~ ~ Michele Carelse is a Registered Clinical Psychologist and Licensed Counselor with more than 15 years experience. She runs her own private practice in Cape Town, South Africa, as well as an online counseling and information service at Native Remedies ~ ~ ~ For a
number of herbal remedies to help stop smoking, for anxiety relief and
many other conditions, see
the Native
Remedies
site. ~ ~ ~ |
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