For those who are about to quit smoking

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For those who are about to quit smoking The dangers of smoking are written and talked about quite often and a lot. Unfortunately, anti-nicotine propaganda is not always effective enough.

... These notes are addressed to those who intend to quit smoking, but believe that for some reason he does not have enough willpower to do so. Do not doubt your own abilities. More than 8 million people in the UK have already quit smoking. They have enough willpower ... You can join them.

Quitting smoking is actually much easier than you think. Very few people actually suffer from the "terrible" anguish that usually appears in stories of people who quit smoking, not everyone complains of a damaged nervous system or significant weight gain. Many former smokers reported that the smoking cessation process was much more painless than they expected.

The urge to smoke usually lasts for several weeks, so the most difficult period for you will be over very soon. The urge to smoke one cigarette lasts no more than a few minutes; it can be dealt with using the simplest "distractions" - chewing gum, an apple, drinking a glass of water or taking a short walk.

The reserves of the human body are truly inexhaustible, you just are not too well aware of its hidden capabilities. If you are resourceful and purposeful, you can think about how to behave in the future so that you can give up cigarettes during the day. And I, in turn, will offer some helpful tips to help you create an effective smoking cessation program that meets your individual needs.

The benefits for those who quit smoking are impressive: improved health, savings in money, no nicotine odor from the mouth, better taste experience when eating: the list goes on.

From the minute you quit smoking, you will become less likely to have a heart attack. bronchitis, emphysema and lung cancer. There is hardly one equally simple and affordable step that improves overall health so quickly and noticeably.

... Everyone quits smoking differently, and you will undoubtedly find your own way, only for you. As you prepare for such an important step, I would like you to familiarize yourself with the results of scientific research that determined the most effective way to solve this problem. Almost all specialists working on this issue believe that those who quit smoking gradually, going through certain stages, are much more likely to succeed. I'll tell you more about them.

For those who are about to quit smoking Stage one... Think about quitting smoking. Think about why you want to quit smoking. Do this within the first week.

Stage two... Deciding on the need to quit smoking. Possibly the most important thing to do, as it depends a lot on willpower.

Third stage... Prepare yourself to quit smoking. The need for correct and serious preparation for such an important step can hardly be overestimated. It will largely determine the ultimate success.

Fourth stage... Quit smoking. A very important moment for you. Set a date in advance in the near future and do not deviate from it. This day must be chosen very carefully. Try to make it significantly different from the rest of your normal days.

Fifth stage. Staying a non-smoker is the most difficult because your goal is to remain a non-smoker all your life. The first few weeks will be the hardest.When you pass this stage, consider that you have already solved the task set for yourself.

What needs to be done first of all?

Over the next few days, seriously consider why you want to quit this habit. For example, are there some of your smoking habits that you yourself don't like or annoy? Nicotine-yellow fingers or a smell of tobacco smoke coming from your clothes and hair; the sight of an ashtray full of cigarette butts, or the smell of tobacco smoke. It can also be an annoying morning cough or shortness of breath quickly when climbing stairs or when trying to run after a departing bus. Irritation can also be associated with money costs. Make a list of your reasons to quit smoking and keep it in front of you. Repeat mentally several times why you would like to quit smoking.

Each pack of cigarettes is quite expensive, and tobacco prices are gradually increasing, so the habit of smoking may be expensive. Think about how you could spend the money you saved.

Your smoking habit is antisocial. The people you spend most of your day with may object to your smoking. You may be the only smoker among your coworkers or in your room.

Increasingly, children object to their parents smoking. You can provide your children with the opportunity to grow up in a clean, smoke-free environment. It is well known that children of smokers are much more likely to adopt this bad habit than children of nonsmokers. Undoubtedly, the children will be very proud of you if you can overcome this addiction.

If you are constantly tormented by an uncomfortable morning cough, you often choke and experience headaches that radiate to the chest - worries about your own health can be a good reason to quit smoking.

Think about how long you have been smoking. How many cigarettes do you smoke a day? How many puffs do you usually take when you smoke one cigarette? Typically, a person who smokes 20 cigarettes a day takes about 78,000 puffs a year. Knowing these numbers, it is easy to calculate how many puffs you take per year and how many puffs you have performed in your entire life. With each inhale, you inhale tarry substances, poisons that enter the lungs. When you quit smoking, you will be less prone to sore throats, colds, bronchitis and other respiratory diseases, and you will cough much less often.

Below is a list of obvious benefits for those who quit smoking. Reread it every time you want to muster up the courage to make a tough decision. Make your own list and post it prominently.

The risk of cardiovascular disease, ulcers, bronchitis, emphysema and lung cancer is drastically reduced.
Money is saved.
The taste of food improves.
Get rid of such attributes of a smoker as ashtrays full of cigarette butts; yellow nicotine bloom disappears from fingers and teeth, hair and clothes stop smelling of smoke.
Every day you will start to feel better and be able to freely spend active leisure time with children in nature, doing any kind of sport.
Your offspring will be healthier.
You will set a wonderful example for your children.
You will be able to respect yourself more.
You will become a non-smoker and you can proudly say, "No, thank you, I don't smoke."

As a rule, people always underestimate the number of cigarettes they smoke and overestimate the necessity and necessity of each particular cigarette. You need to try to determine why, when, and how much you smoke. Taking into account all the smoked cigarettes, you will be quite surprised.

You should also write down when you wanted to smoke, why and how much you wanted to smoke ... After the first day of detailed notes, you will be able to look from the inside at your own smoking habit.First of all, you will be surprised by the small number of cigarettes that you really could not do without ... Most of the cigarettes smoked is just a subconscious habit that arises depending on the situation. It is very important, having paid attention to this, to write down all your observations. In two or three days, you will be able to imagine the complete picture.

No matter how many cigarettes you smoke per day, you will soon find that most of them are fairly easy to quit during the day. But there are six or seven cases when smoking, in your opinion, is simply necessary, it is these cigarettes that are most difficult to give up. There are typical situations in which any smoker reaches for a cigarette: the first cigarette of the day, immediately after waking up, or with a morning cup of coffee, tea; a cigarette smoked during a break at work; a cigarette that you reach after being worried or in a stressful situation; a cigarette during a telephone conversation; a cigarette supposedly necessary for relaxation after a stressful or anxious situation has been overcome; a cigarette smoked after a meal; a cigarette consumed with a drink.

If your urge to quit smoking diminishes during the first week after you've seriously considered your next steps, here are some tips to help you stay focused.

Think about the negative aspects of smoking in you - re-read your list.
Think about the reasons that led you to the decision to quit smoking - re-read your list.
Think about the benefits of quitting smoking - re-read your list.
Talk to as many people as possible who quit smoking - none of them will express regret for their actions.
Think about the self-esteem you will have.
Think about how much more enjoyable life will be for your loved ones and those around you.
Keep repeating to yourself - in five weeks I will be a non-smoker.

Decision-making

You can decide to smoke your last cigarette and never again, never again, never again. This is the so-called irrevocable decision. Many people find this method to be the easiest. Such an act is a notable event. It is, as it were, the beginning of a new life. You can mark him at the same time with some other actions or actions, for example, changing his hairstyle, buying a new suit or a new dress. Even if you think this path is the most suitable for yourself, but you cannot decide which day to choose for such an important act, do not rush. That is unnecessary. But don't change your mind. Consider all the details carefully. Stop smoking mid-week if you smoke at work. Quitting smoking on weekends is not allowed for those who are used to smoking in order to relax by doing some work. If a birthday or some memorable anniversary is approaching, then such a day is quite suitable when you are mentally prepared for such a serious act. Mark it in your diary and calendar.

There is another approach, although I do not approve of it - gradually reduce the number of cigarettes smoked until you smoke 4-5 every day, and then gradually quit smoking altogether. Thus, you wean yourself off nicotine. But be careful. Because it is so difficult to quit smoking - it is almost impossible to determine the day when you should completely quit smoking. If you have tried this method before and have not been successful, it is best to abandon it. Most experts do not recommend it.

Many smokers feel the urge to quit smoking when they realize how seriously they are passionate about this occupation, and unnoticed for themselves smoke sixty to eighty cigarettes daily. They are so overwhelmed with self-loathing that they may not smoke for several days.This feeling will help develop a smoking cessation program. This form of therapy can be successful, but it should not be used without the advice and approval of a doctor.

Much more effective is the method used by specialists, where you are allowed to inhale deeply every six seconds until you feel unwell, you feel nauseous and you can no longer inhale. As soon as you feel better, the procedure is repeated, only 3-4 times for 30 minutes, after which you will feel so bad that you do not want to think about any smoking. If this method fails, it should be repeated the next day and again, until smoking is so unpleasant that you can no longer smoke.

For those of you who are used to order and who need certain rules to follow, the following restrictions will work. You can later write your own rules. Following them, however, does not at all mean treating yourself with indulgence. In fact, the opposite happens. People tend to set pretty hard limits on themselves. By writing them down, you are, as it were, entering into an agreement with yourself, which you undertake not to break. The appeal of this method is that it can start with perfectly acceptable conditions. As you get used to them, you can make them more rigid.

Never smoke in the car.
Discard every cigarette offered to you.
Stop smoking before eating.
Don't smoke on an empty stomach.
Buy only one pack of cigarettes at a time.
If possible, buy 10 cigarettes instead of 20.
Buy a different brand of cigarettes each time, not just your favorites.
Count to 10 before lighting a cigarette.
Each time, taking a cigarette, move the entire pack away from you; even take it to another room.
When you run out of cigarettes, don't "shoot" anyone.
Lower the cigarette from your mouth after each puff.
Never light a cigarette while leaving the house.
Never smoke in bed.
Stop smoking at work.
Stop smoking in the apartment.
Don't carry a lighter or matches with you, so every time you have to ask someone to light a cigarette.
Stop smoking when your hands are busy.
Stop inhaling deeply.
Only smoke halfway through a cigarette.
Do not smoke immediately after meals while you are still at the table.
Quit smoking while waiting for something: phone call, bus, or someone else.
Stop doing any other activity while you smoke, such as drinking coffee, watching TV, listening to music, etc.
Stop smoking as soon as someone lights up in your presence. Do not smoke while working.
Do not smoke when relaxing after work.
Only smoke if you are sitting in an uncomfortable chair.
Pull off the cigarette pack with a rubber band, so every time you open it, you have to fix your attention on it.
Record how often you smoke. Smoke a cigarette an hour. Then try to smoke one cigarette every two hours.
Don't try to follow all of these rules from day one. To begin with, you should choose 3-4, no more. Choose the lightest if you like.

For those who are about to quit smoking As you can observe some of the above restrictions, add the following to them, one or two daily. Finally, there will come a time when you can follow all the rules, then you should quit smoking. Dr. Brengelmann (FRG), the author of these restrictions, was the first to use them in practice and was convinced that they are very helpful for disciplined people.
As soon as you decide to quit smoking, announce your decision out loud to relatives, colleagues, friends, people you meet often.

If they smoke and are not going to give up this habit, ask them not to smoke in the same room with you and not to invite you to smoke.

At home, ask family members for more help and support.Let your husband (or wife) constantly inspire and support you: does not leave a cigarette anywhere and does not discuss smoking issues with you, covers ashtrays so that you do not smell cigarettes. The best form of support your loved ones can give you is to quit smoking with you. If two people make the same decision, it is much easier to implement it.

You must decide that quitting smoking is not an excuse to gain weight. To do this, you should carefully think over all the details of the diet, count the absorbed calories, and have a table of calories for individual products at hand. It is worth giving up the so-called "empty" calories (chocolate, cakes, pastries, pies, jams, gravies, creams, cream), and you must do this before you quit smoking.

However, if all these tasks seem overwhelming to you, then focus your attention primarily on quitting smoking. The stories of people who quit smoking who have gained significant weight are more fiction than true. Studies have shown that most smokers gain only 2-3 kg in weight. Anyone who was able to quit smoking can always get rid of a few extra pounds.

If you smoke in order to relax, and it seems that you can never overcome the stressful situations in which you sometimes find yourself, then you should learn to manage your nerves and relax. Both can be achieved without the help of cigarettes, having mastered the simplest methods of psycho-regulatory training and muscle relaxation.

There are only two ways to get rid of the addiction. You can either avoid the typical situations in which you most want to smoke and try to gradually wean from the habit or resist the temptation.

How can this be achieved?

First cigarette of the day

Change the wake-up procedure completely. First force yourself to have a cup of coffee in the kitchen.

If you usually smoke your first cigarette with a cup of tea or coffee, replace them with fruit juice. Cigarettes are not compatible with fruit juice or fruit.

Get distracted by doing something, such as turning on the radio, if you've never listened to it in the morning. Go downstairs for newspapers if they arrive early in the morning. Eventually you can walk to the nearest newsstand if the newspapers arrive late.

A cigarette in a stressful situation

Even if you are good at controlling yourself in stressful situations, you are unlikely to be able to control your own behavior all the time. In such cases, take one minute as a countdown. Tell yourself you won't smoke for one minute. When it expires, try to refrain from smoking for another minute. Think about your success - you were able to survive without a cigarette for 60 seconds, which means you can achieve this for the next 60. So fight with yourself minute by minute. When you manage not to smoke for five minutes, you will feel satisfied with your own courage, it will help you to refrain from smoking for another five minutes. This way, you can overcome the stressful situation without smoking. To smoke a cigarette, feeling relieved that the critical situation has been overcome, will be a real defeat.

Lunch break cigarette

Try to avoid the company of smokers during breaks.

Visit cafes and tea houses where smoking is not allowed in the hall.

Distract yourself by reading a book or newspaper or listening to music.

A cigarette during a phone call

Move the phone to another part of the room. Or place it on the other half of the table so that you have to pick up the phone with the other hand.

Place the cigarettes away from you so that you cannot reach them. Do not carry a lighter or lists with you.

Remove all ashtrays from your phone.

Place a piece of paper and a pencil next to your phone so that while you are talking, you can draw devils or take notes.

Set a simple rule for yourself - never smoke during phone calls.

Take in your hand any document related to the topic of the telephone conversation, so that your hands are busy.

If the phone cord is long enough, walk around the room instead of sitting still.

Cigarette smoked before work and immediately after work

Change the order of the day completely just before starting work. For example, walk up the stairs instead of using the elevator. Hang your coat somewhere else. Rearrange your
table. A few words spoken by non-smokers will give courage. Start your day with a to-do list instead of smoking a cigarette.

For those who are about to quit smoking Change the order of the end of the work day in the same way.

Instead of ending your work day with a cigarette, think about the pleasant events that await you in the evening. Think about what you need to do on your way home, think about what to do as soon as you get back from work.

Cigarette at the end of the day, after dinner

If you usually smoke a cigarette along with a cup of tea or coffee while sitting at the table, get up from the table as soon as you finish your meal, and drink tea or coffee later or elsewhere.

Get distracted by something really interesting.

Go out for a walk.

Go to the movies, visit a friend, go to the theater.

Cigarette before bed

Reverse the entire bedtime routine, including bath or shower time, brushing teethwatching the latest evening television programs, reading in bed. Do anything to just kick the habit.

If you tend to smoke your last cigarette in bed, stay on your feet, reading or watching television, until you literally fall off your feet.

Distract yourself by analyzing the events of the past day. Do not be indignant and do not take to heart something unpleasant that happened during the day. Concentrate on your own successes and achievements.

Make a plan for tomorrow.

Think about your success as you've been without cigarettes for most of the day and only a few minutes left before you go to bed. A new day will follow also without cigarettes.

Cigarette in the middle of the night

Remove cigarettes from the bedside table and bedroom.

Next to the bed on the bedside table, put a glass of juice or a slice of apple or orange in case you wake up. Leave a newspaper or book on your bedside table to read and distract yourself if you wake up and fail to fall asleep right away.

Place a radio next to your bed so that you can listen to music, this will help you relax and fall asleep sooner.

If you can't bring yourself to be distracted, leave a piece of paper and a pencil on your bedside table and, during insomnia, make a list of things to do the next day.

M. Stoppard - Quit Smoking

Afterword by V.P. Nekrasov, Doctor of Medical Sciences

Quitting smoking using only means of self-regulation is extremely attractive Such access to anyone who really decided to quit smoking. Therefore, the position of the author seems to me very reasonable, highlighting the main stages of making such an important decision, its implementation and a kind of retention of the "conquered positions".

Understanding the complexity of the upcoming actions for heavy smokers, M. Stoppard advises first to tune in to the topic “why not quit smoking”, to justify your decision, to do it thoughtfully, choosing the right day. Make that day stand out, make it different, and finally quit smoking. Here begins, in essence, the most difficult and crucial moment. The author offers a number of auxiliary methods, as a rule, based on various methods of distraction. They are undeniably useful. But, in my opinion, this is still not enough.First of all, because in order to get rid of a bad habit such as smoking, it is necessary to create a sufficiently strong new focus of irritation.

The psychic power of this new focus must be able to overcome the urge to smoke. In this regard, one cannot fail to note the positive role of physical culture. Physical activity, the nature of the activities performed, plans and intentions formed in the process of playing sports have a powerful organizing influence on human behavior, his mental state. On the other hand, properly selected physical exercises are a good means of operative psychoregulation. The only question is how to choose the most suitable form of physical activity.

Another aspect of this problem lies in the selection and training of certain individually significant self-regulation techniques. Unfortunately, the simplest methods of self-regulation associated with the use of breathing exercises, techniques based on the regulation of facial muscles, the use of functional music, color, etc., have not yet received such widespread use as the method of verbal self-hypnosis. At the same time, the simplest methods of self-regulation are available to everyone and can be applied in different situations, including the fight against bad habits.