Don't Let Another Year Go Up In Smoke
Are you one of
most smokers who want to quit? Then try following this advice.
1. Dont smoke any number or
any kind of cigarette. Smoking even a few cigarettes a day can hurt your health.
If you try to smoke fewer cigarettes, but do not stop completely, soon youll be
smoking the same amount again.
Smoking "low-tar, low-nicotine"
cigarettes usually does little good, either. Because nicotine is so addictive, if you
switch to lower-nicotine brands youll likely just puff harder, longer, and more
often on each cigarette. The only safe choice is to quit completely.
2. Write down why you want to
quit. Do you want
- to feel in control of you life?
- to have better health?
- to set a good example for your children?
- to protect your family from breathing
other peoples smoke?
Really wanting to quit smoking is very
important to how much success you will have in quitting. Smokers who live after a heart
attack are the most likely to quit for
good—they're very motivated. Find a reason for
quitting before you have no choice.
3. Know that it will take effort
to quit smoking. Nicotine is habit forming. Half of the battle in quitting is
knowing you need to quit. This knowledge will help you be more able to deal with the
symptoms of withdrawal that can occur, such as bad moods and really wanting to smoke.
There are many ways smokers quit, including using nicotine replacement products (gum and
patches), but there is no easy way. Nearly all smokers have some feelings of nicotine
withdrawal when they try to quit. Give yourself a month to get over these feelings. Take
quitting one day at a time, even one minute at a
time—whatever you need to succeed.
4. Half of all adult smokers have
quit, so you
can—
too. Thats the good news.There are millions of people
alive today who have learned to face life without a cigarette. For staying healthy,
quitting smoking is the best step you can take.
5. Get help if you need it.
Many groups offer written materials, programs, and advice to help smokers quit for good.
Your doctor or dentist is also a good source of help and support.
Click
to
view
National
Groups
or
Other
Web
sites
with
information and
resources
on
how
to
quit.
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