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It’s all in your Head! Erase Those Psychological Cues to Smoke

November 27th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Anyone who has ever attempted to quit smoking will be able to testify to the fact that it is one of the hardest things they have ever attempted. The failure rate is high, and the road to success is uphill, hard, and fraught with battles of sheet willpower. Studies have shown the addiction to nicotine, as it is delivered via the cigarette smoke, to be comparable to the kind of addiction experienced with heroine and cocaine use. The physical detoxification process begins as soon as eight hours after the last cigarette is smoked, when carbon monoxide levels in the blood normalize. Nicotine remains in the body for the three to four days after the last cigarette is smoked, making this the beginning of the toughest physical withdrawal symptoms.

Withdrawals symptoms are generally characterized by an overall moodiness, a flaring up of temper, anxiety, at times sleeplessness, and an overall feeling of frustration. Unfortunately, the withdrawal period may take a few weeks, and it is crucial for any soon to be ex-smoker to remain resolved to see this through to the end. Physical withdrawals may be eased by the use of nicotine patches, gums, and perhaps even sprays or inhalers. The psychological cues that make it so hard to resist the temptation are harder to deal with, and they may actually take much longer than just a few weeks to deal with.

While there are substances available to help you get over the physical withdrawal process a little easier, the psychological withdrawal is tougher to beat. As a matter of fact, it is quite often the deciding factor for a smoker to take up the habit again, even after beating the physical withdrawal symptoms. To successfully erase psychological cues to smoke, here are some tips that may come in handy for anyone wishing to quit:

* Prepare yourself for the big day. Yes, it would be great to just wake up and toss out your cigarettes, but if you have been smoking for a while, the preparations you make in anticipation of this step count! Pick a day when you will quit smoking. Gather all your smoking paraphernalia, such as lighters, ashtrays, cigarettes, and have them handy in a big box. Sign up for a Yoga class or maybe a Tai Chi class. Sign up for a smoking cessation class or support group. Even if you decide now you dont need it, it is nice to have the option available if you later on are desperate for some support.

* On the big day, take the box with all your smoking paraphernalia and get rid of them permanently. Stashing them in the back of the closet or garage is not the same as taking to the dumpster and disposing of them once and for all! Similarly, air out your house or apartment, have a carpet cleaner come in to thoroughly wash the carpet to get rid of the lingering cigarette smell. Additionally, this is good time to take the drapes to the cleaner, do some laundry and have your hair done.

* Recognize the tempting associations. If you have smoked for any length of time, you have probably come to associate certain activities with smoking. Perhaps in the morning you are facing great temptations because you are accustomed to having a cigarette with your morning coffee. Obviously, you dont want to give up breakfast or your morning coffee, but you will need to break the association of cigarette smoking with that activity. Thus, if you usually enjoy your breakfast at the kitchen table, consider moving it outside to the balcony and enjoying a breakfast while overlooking the city. Another option would be to buy that book you always wanted to read and read while you are eating. Some may consider this to be a bad mannerism, but since you are fighting an addition, you will most certainly be forgiven for this little lapse in etiquette! You may even consider moving your breakfast table to a different location to give the experience of breakfast a whole new feel.

* Avoid tempting situations. Dont accompany your still-smoking office mates outside for their smoking break. Temptation will soar if you do so. Instead socialize with them over a cup of coffee in the break room or anywhere that smoking is not welcomed.For more information on quiting smoking have a look at the quit-smoking-expert

Popular Herbal Remedies to Quit Smoking � Do They Work?

September 23rd, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Smoking is not only a filthy habit, but will most likely kill you. Many a smoker has heard this for years and so it is not surprising that at the top of the list of New Years resolutions for smokers is the earnest desire to finally get rid of the addiction that is ruling their lives. Many smokers will admit that they hate their addiction, yet they do so while in the same breath lighting up another cigarette or stuffing more of that chewing tobacco into their mouths. Of course, getting rid of an addiction is easier said than done, and so it is not surprising that many companies offer a panacea that is supposed to cure the unhappy smoker once and for all. How many of you have opened your e-mail only to find dozens of spam messages that talk of herbal remedies to quit smoking. Do any of them work?

The list of herbal remedies that seek to aid the earnest nicotine quitter is quite extensive. For example, there is an herbal patch, which is issued similarly to the nicotine patches available at the grocery store checkout counter. Of course, instead of nicotine, the substance you are actually trying to give up, it contains a wide variety of herbal ingredients that seek to mimic the effect the drug has on the body, while at the same time acting as a detoxifying agent. Hops, skullcap and oat are the main ingredients that are used to curb the cravings that come with the nicotine withdrawal. The manufacturer cites unnamed researchers that speak of the effectiveness of the patch, and also claims that most people will succeed with this patch. Unfortunately, there is no tangible evidence that this patch will work, no empirical studies that are cited, and no research materials that may be perused at a smokers leisure.

Another herbal remedy is a three-step set that seeks to help the smoker to get a grip on the physical urges to smoke, help the body to get rid of the nicotine toxin, and also includes aromatherapy to finish the treatment process. Granted, there is no medical study to back up the manufacturers claim, but the company does refer to one of the ingredients being used in India to treat opium addiction. Unfortunately, there is not proof referenced with this statement. Yet another product is a little spray bottle that is said to deliver the herbal anti-smoking remedy directly under the tongue of the individual. Its goals are to relieve the cravings as well as the anxiety and general irritability that go hand in hand with quitting attempts. In addition to the foregoing, the spray seeks to relieve shortness of breath and other related symptoms. What is, perhaps, a bit surprising that the spray is expressly mentioning the dose to use on children aged two to six. It is a bit astonishing to see an anti-smoking spray marketed to someone that young.

Medical studies on some websites are cited as saying that herbal supplements cannot repair the bodily damage that smokers are inflicting on themselves every day. Who is correct? Unfortunately, it appears that success is in the eye of the beholder, who is the patient. Since the statements made by the herbal remedy manufacturers are quite often not endorsed by the Food and Drug Administration, their statements must be taken at face value, and there are quite possibly some individuals who will use the herbal remedy and have a stunning success with it. Conversely, there will also be some who will follow the manufacturers guidelines to the letter only to find themselves still addicted at the end of the time period the remedy specifies. Rather than believing obscure or hard to verify facts, it is best to discuss any remedy, herbal or otherwise, with your physician. It will not hurt to have her or him look over the list of ingredients to see if they will work well together, or if they perhaps will be detrimental to any medications you are currently taking. Yet, no matter what remedy a smoker may choose to kick the habit, any effort is better than no attempt at all, and an herbal remedy may quite possibly be your ticket of escape from a life of addiction and bodily destruction.For more information on quiting smoking have a look at the quit-smoking-expert

Forgive your Smoking Relapse and Start Over

September 12th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

You have done it: you have quit smoking, you made a plan, marked the date on your calendar, threw away all of your smoking paraphernalia, toughed out the physiological cravings with the help of a nicotine replacements program perhaps, weathered the psychological cravings, and changed your habits. You have now been smoke free for a little while and you feel like you are on top of the world. This is when it hits you, a temptation so vicious that you could not fight it, and you gave in: you slipped up and lit up. Sadly, this is not the worst of it; you not only slipped once, but felt so disgusted and frustrated with yourself that you had a full-fledged relapse. Was all for naught?

No, it was not! As a matter of fact, a relapse, while most certainly a setback, may very well be the event you need to solidify your conviction on the subject of quitting your addiction, and a temporary relapse now may quite possibly save you from experiencing a permanent relapse later on. In order to learn from your relapse and move forward, consider these questions and suggestions of dealing with it:

* Examine the time and location of your relapse and learn from that experience all you can glean. What prompted you to give in to temptation? Why did you give in on that day rather than on any other day? If, for example, the physical craving was suddenly too strong, perhaps this is the time to have a stash of nicotine patches easily accessible in your desk at work, in your car, purse, or where else you may be.

* When you relapsed, what problem did you feel your smoking would solve? Consider what other options are available to you to deal with this issue if and when it comes up again in the future. This is a wonderful opportunity to fortify yourself with alternatives should this situation ever arise again.

* If you found that you gave in to temptation out of sheer boredom, seek for an enjoyable hobby that will fill spare time. Perhaps you could become involved with a volunteer organization that will allow you to fill your spare time on your schedule. Or perhaps some recreational classes, such as cooking or art, will fit the bill. The old adage that idle hands are the devils playground may hold more wisdom than we give grandma credit for!

* Understand that a lapse is just that: a temporary setback. While it is true that unlike a brief slip it is a more advanced regression, it is by no means a sentence of permanency. Yes, you will probably have slipped into some old behavior patterns that are leading you back down that road to smoking, but just as you stopped these patterns once, so you will be able to do it again.

* Seek positive reinforcement. Be open with friends and family about your relapse and explain how you feel about it. The odds are good that they will not only spur you on, but perhaps will help you to overcome tempting situations. This may also be a good time to consider enrollment in a smoking cessation program to have some help in case another relapse threatens.

* Remind yourself of your reasons for quitting. Perhaps you have lost focus of your intentions.

* Review the effects of smoking on your body, as well as on those around you. Evaluate your health as it is now, and strive to make that positive change a permanent one.

As you can see, a relapse does not have to be the end of the world. As a matter of fact, it does not mean that you are weak-willed, incapable of quitting the habit, or in any way inferior to any of the other ex-smokers out there. Plenty of them slip up or relapse, but they also get right back onto the non-smoking wagon after they fell off. It is not unusual to relapse and it is important that you not only learn from your experience but that you also forgive yourself for the mistake you made. Remember, you can quit and a relapse is simply a temporary setback!

For more information on quiting smoking have a look at the quit-smoking-expert

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