Tag: quitting

This may be your first time thinking about quitting or trying to quit. If you are like many, though, this is not your first rodeo. Think about the times you thought about quitting in the past.

If you have never tried to quit before, think about another major change you have made in the past. It doesn’t have to be health-related. The point is to identify strengths from your experience-and see what tripped you up.

*  What motivated you then? How important was it for you to change?

*  How did you try to make this change?

*  What went well? What did not go well?

*  What will you do the same this time?

*  What will you do differently this time?

With your experiences, you probably have ideas of what might work for you. Use the strategies in this guide to build on what you already know helps you succeed.

You’ve probably heard a lot of reasons why you should quit, but the best reasons are your own. Making lifestyle changes to fit with your own values and reasons makes your successes more meaningful. It can also be easier to overcome challenges along the way.

You can do this activity at all stages of change, even if you aren’t planning to quit right now or have already quit. If you don’t feel like anything is motivating you right now, that is OK. You can return to this activity in the future. If you have already quit, think about why you want to stay quit.

Here are some common reasons for quitting. Start a ‘Why Quit’ list. If any of these ring true for you, add them to your list.

*  Avoid major health problems in the future

*  Be able to breathe more easily

*  Better circulation, especially to fingers and toes

*  Easier, deeper sleep

*  Good feeling when waking up

*  A younger, brighter, more lively look

*  In order to have surgery (many surgeons require you to quit first)

*  Pregnancy/new baby (as a mother, partner, or grandparent)

*  Keep new home or car clean

*  Be healthier for loved ones

*  Save money

*  Smoking/chewing/vaping no longer fits a current or desired lifestyle

*  Worried about known and unknown long term risks

*  More healthy years with family & friends

*  Pride in accomplishing something you set out to do

*  Freedom from being “owned” by an addiction and a tobacco company

*  Better sense of taste & smell

*  More energy

This skill is very much like Smokeless Inhalation, but it takes 3 to 5 minutes. It involves both your abdomen and your chest. You will focus on the sound and feel of your breathing.

1. Sit in a chair. Put your arms at your sides and uncross your legs and feet. Or, lay down on a bed or couch.

2. Note any tension in your muscles.

3. Put one hand on your chest and the other hand on your abdomen.

4. Take a slow, deep breath through your nose. The hand on your abdomen should rise first. When your abdomen is full of air, the hand on your chest should rise.

5. Hold the air for 3 seconds.

6. Purse your lips and blow out through your mouth, making a whooshing sound.

7. Keep taking long, slow deep breaths in through your nose and letting long slow breaths out through your mouth.

8. Focus on the sound and feel of your breathing. Do this for 3 to 5 minutes. After a while, you can lower your hands.

When I will try this?

(After) How did your body feel after this activity?

(After) How did your stress level change after this activity?

There are medications available to help you quit. Some of them contain nicotine and some do not. The idea behind nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is that by replacing the nicotine with nicotine in another form, one can focus on becoming comfortable with the new behavior with less withdrawal/symptoms. Then, later, the nicotine can be cut down in a systematic way. Studies have shown that users of NRT are about twice as likely to quit tobacco.

You should check with your doctor before using these products if you are:

*  Younger than 18

*  Pregnant or nursing

*  Have heart disease or had a recent heart attack

*  Have high blood pressure not controlled by medication

*  Take insulin for diabetes

*  Have a stomach ulcer

Always follow the instructions for NRT carefully to avoid complications. Any questions that you have about the products should be addressed with your doctor or pharmacist.

Common side effects of NRT include nervousness, a racing heart, dizziness, headache, and nausea. These are caused by the nicotine and may be a sign of too much nicotine. If you have any of these symptoms, cut back on the total nicotine you are getting. Chew less gum or use your inhaler less frequently, for example. Avoid smoking, dipping, or vaping while using NRT.

A rare, but dangerous complication is nicotine overdose. Symptoms include a racing heart, headache, weakness, dizziness, nausea and/or vomiting, and cold sweats. If you are having symptoms like these, get immediate medical attention.

Choose three events from that could cause you to return to your old habit. Choose situations that you are almost sure you will come across after you have quit. Think about your plan for these times. These plans can include thoughts and actions. They may include someone else’s help. Use the tools learned in this program to write a short plan.

Event:

Response Plan:

Event:

Response Plan:

Event:

Response Plan:

You may need to update your plan or improve it over time, after you have gone through the situation.

Tobacco and nicotine products can affect many areas of your life.

*  If you aren’t sure if you want to quit, read this section to learn more about how tobacco/nicotine use may be affecting your current and future life. Think about how important each of these reasons is to you. This may change over time, or if you start noticing impacts in your life.

*  If you are ready to quit, consider adding these to your list of reasons you are making this change. Building a longer and stronger list of reasons you are choosing to make this change can help when the going gets tough.

*  If you have already quit and are trying to stay quit, this information can help you talk yourself through a craving or tough situation. It may reinforce your decision and help you feel good about the change you have made.

E-cigarettes go by lots of other names: vapes, vape pens, mods, hookah pens, e-hookahs, e-cigs, e-juice, e-liquid, smoke juice, juuls, and more. While some are made to look like regular cigarettes, others look more like pens or flash drives. Some larger devices look very different and bear little resemblance to cigarettes at all. There are hundreds of different e-cigarettes on the market.

E-cigarettes don’t contain tobacco and don’t produce smoke. Those are the only good things you can say about e-cigs! Most still contain nicotine, and all have toxic chemicals. Like cigarettes, e-cigarettes are harmful to your lungs and addictive. Nobody has invented a healthy e-cigarette yet!

The FDA regulates the production of e-cigarettes by licensed manufacturers, but there are many unlicensed cartridges being sold from pop-up shops or on the street. These black-market cartridges can contain additional dangerous additives like solvents or pesticides. These products should be avoided at all times.

Can they hurt if they’re not “real” cigarettes?

It may seem like e-cigarettes are a safer option because they don’t contain tobacco or because they are available with different amounts of nicotine. Even though they do not have tobacco, e-cigarettes still contain addictive nicotine and toxic chemicals just like “real” cigarettes. Heating these chemicals and inhaling the vapor brings dangerous substances into your body. Some of these can cause cancer. Some of these may cause serious lung injury.

In the summer of 2019, the rapid rise of hospitalizations and deaths among e-cigarette users prompted emergency action by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and many state governments. While many health issues from smoking cigarettes do not show up until many years of use, serious lung illness and death has occurred in relatively young, short-term users of e-cigarettes. Long-term problems are still unknown, as e-cigarettes are new and researchers do not know what will happen to the body after 20 or 30 years of usage.

If you use e-cigarettes and have any of the following symptoms, ask your healthcare provider to check for lung injury. Vaping-associated pulmonary illness is very serious and can be deadly.

*   Cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain

*   Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

*   Fatigue, fever, or abdominal pain

“Fun-flavored” Danger: E-Cigarettes and Teens

E-cigarettes have quickly become popular with teenagers, partly due to e-juice that comes in “fun” flavors like cinnamon roll and bubble gum. These flavors, the myth that vaping is harmless, and the lack of lasting odors, create the perfect storm for teens who want to experiment or “fit in” without the stigma of smoking cigarettes. What they don’t realize is the danger of addiction and health problems.

Can E-Cigarettes Help You Quit Regular Cigarettes?

Some people have used e-cigarettes to cut back on the amount of nicotine they smoke until they are ready to quit entirely. The FDA has not approved this method of quitting, as there is no evidence that it leads to long-term cessation. Some studies have shown that adults who used vaping to quit cigarettes were more likely to relapse.

Nicotine is a highly addictive substance that can damage the cardiovascular system. The narrowing of coronary arteries and breakdown of heart tissue can increase the risk for hypertension, increase inflammation in the body, and complicate existing heart conditions. If you previously smoked cigarettes, the heart is already damaged and additional use of nicotine could worsen this damage. Continued nicotine use also complicates diabetes management and associated conditions, such as eye health, risk for stroke, weight management and circulation problems.

If you are using an e-cigarette to quit smoking, it is important to reduce the amount of nicotine you are consuming and plan to quit using the device completely. Continuing to use an e-cigarette will increase your risk of returning to regular cigarettes, along with all the problems that come with the e-cigarette itself.

Relying on the e-cigarette as a way to cope with stress, as entertainment when bored, or to mimic smoking while driving in the car, does not change much about your smoking habit. Without making changes to your routines or learning to cope with challenges, it may make it easy to have a cigarette when the e-cigarette is unavailable, needs a re-fill, or a cigarette is offered.

If you are looking for a way to step down nicotine safely and feel a little better when quitting, the QuitWell™ program recommends FDA-approved options in addition to support:

*Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT):FDA approved, can safely be used by most people, available in a patch, gum, lozenge, nasal spray, or inhaler

*Pharmaceutical Aid (e.g. Chantix, Zyban):Requires a prescription from your doctor, does not contain nicotine

In 2020, the average price of a pack of cigarettes in the United States was $6.30. In some states, the average price was over $10 per pack. A pack-a-day smoker in those states spends $70 per week on cigarettes. That could buy a week’s worth of groceries, two to three tanks of gas, or pay a month’s utility bill. Over months and years, the possibilities go even further.

A can of chewing tobacco costs an average of nearly $3. A two can-a-week habit costs over $300 per year. A can-a-day habit costs nearly $1,100 per year. Think of all the things you could do with the money instead of dipping or chewing. It adds up.

Find out how much money you will save when you quit. The chart below is based on U.S. averages.

We will teach you four skills to relax:

*Relaxation Reflex:Getting rid of muscle tension.

*Mental Imagery:Thinking of calm, restful places.

*Deep Natural Breathing:Feeling relaxed by breathing in more oxygen.

*Spend Time with Animals:Feeling relaxed, happy and secure.

These relaxation strategies are not designed to take your stress away. Done correctly, they will help you calm your body and mind so that you can think more logically, see major problems as manageable challenges, and get through a tough day.

If something helps you-even a little-add it to your quitting tool kit. Remember, you will probably need a lot of strategies to be successful in the long run. One strategy may work on Monday morning, but you’ll need another tool on Friday afternoon!