The Benefits Of Quitting

The benefits of quitting start immediately.
It is never too late to stop smoking.
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Immediate Benefits:

20mins: Blood pressure and pulse return to normal. Circulation improves in hands and feet.

24 hours: Carbon monoxide is eliminated from the body.  The lungs start to clear out mucus and other debris.

48 hours: The ability to smell and taste is improved.

72 hours: Breathing becomes easier and energy levels increase.

2-12 weeks: Circulation improves, making exercise easier.

3-9 months: Lung function increases by 5-10%

1 year: Risk of heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker.

10 years: Risk of lung cancer falls to about half that of a smoker and risk of heart attack similar to a 'never smoker'.

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Medium to long term:

- Risk of developing lung cancer, other cancers, heart attack, stroke and chronic lung disease is reduced - the sooner you stop smoking, the sooner your risk starts going down.

- Stopping smoking at any age increases your life expectancy, provided that you stop before the onset of serious disease.  Even if you have developed a disease, you can benefit from stopping as your body will be under less strain and be able to fight it more easily.

- A smoker who has suffered from a heart attck can halve the risk of a second heart attack by stopping smoking.

Improved Fitness
Your energy levels will soon soar when you quit smoking, making it easier to run for the bus or play sports with your friends.

A better sense of taste

Rediscover the taste of you favorite foods as your taste buds kick back in after you give up smoking!

A better sense of smell
Re-discover a wonderful, inspiring world of smells. Smell the flowers of spring, newly cut grass and sumptious cooking like you never have before!

Reduced Stress
You will learn to dissipate stress in different ways often with more benefical effect.  Use relaxation and meditation techniques for full effect.

More time
It takes about 10 minutes to smoke a cigarette so a 10-a-day smoker can save nearly 2 hours a day when they quit.  That’s enough time to watch a new blockbuster at the cinema! Over the course of a year, you can claim back a month of lost time.

Improve self confidence

Many smokers are shocked to find how quickly they get hooked on smoking. Stopping is real achievement and can give you a real boost in confidence and self-esteem.

Better job prospects

Quitting can improve your chances of getting a new job as employers can employ only non-smokers if they wish.  In Scotland workplaces are already smoke-free and from summer 2007 all enclosed workplaces in the rest of the UK will be smoke free.  Now is a great chance to plan ahead and quit in time for the legislation.

5 Steps To Quitting

Step one

When you are ready to stop smoking, here are the first
of the steps to help you along the way to becoming a non-smoker:

• Set a stopping date.
• Retrace your steps and look at past stop smoking attempts. Consider what worked and what didn't.
• Take steps to rid your everyday environment of tobacco and tobacco smoke:
  - Avoid smoky environments
  - Ask other people not to smoke in your home
  - Throw out all your cigarettes, tobacco and ashtrays
• Stop smoking completely. Don't take a single puff.

Step two

• Step up the support to stop
  Like crossing a river using stepping stones, you have a better chance of stopping smoking if you get help. There is a lot of support available.
  Use the telephone helplines. You can talk to a counsellor at any step along the way of stopping smoking. The helplines can also give you information about local stop smoking groups.
• Get a step up from your doctor, nurse, midwife, pharmacist or dentist. They can give you advice and prescriptions for medications that can help you. Ask them about individual or group help available locally.
• Ask your family, friends and work mates to take steps to support you. Tell them you are going to stop smoking and ask them to step outside if they want to smoke and not to offer you any cigarettes.

Step three

Learn new steps to help you to stop
To stop smoking you need to step into a new way of living. You are learning to live without nicotine. You are also learning to step away from the habit of lighting up and smoking. When you first stop smoking you need to change your routine. Try to side step the things in your daily routine that prompted you to smoke. Develop the D steps:

Do things differently - for example, drink tea or juice instead of coffee, take a different route to work, sit in a different seat to eat or watch TV.

• Drink plenty of water and other non-alcoholic drinks.
• Distract yourself! If you get the urge to smoke, get up and walk around, doodle, talk to someone or get busy on a personal project.
• Do something you enjoy each day. Reward your efforts!
• Deep breathe. Take long, slow breaths. This will help to reduce your stress. Relax and take time out. Take a hot bath, exercise, dance or read.

Step four

Get a big step up to help you to stop
There is a choice of medications that can give you a big step up the ladder to stop smoking and stay stopped. They work by reducing the urge to smoke.

• Buproprion or Zyban is only available on prescription
• Nicotine replacement products are available on prescription and over the counter as gum, patches, inhaler, nasal spray, tablet and lozenges.
• Discuss which is best for you with your doctor or a pharmacist. For a prescription, you will need to see your doctor.
• Always read the information on the package and follow the instructions.
• Everyone trying to stop smoking may benefit from using one of the medications. If you have a medical condition, or if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, under 18, or you smoke less than 10 cigarettes a day, talk to your doctor before you take any of the medications.
• All the medications more or less double your chances of success

Step five

Watch your step!
Before you can step into a smoke free future you need to be prepared for difficult situations. Most relapses happen in the first 3 months after stopping. If you do start to smoke again don't be discouraged. Most people try several times before they stop for good. Retrace your steps, take stock and start again.
Watch your step with these problems and difficult situations:

• Being with smokers. If it makes you want to smoke, step aside when others are smoking. Ask people not to smoke in your home, car or workplace.
• Gaining weight. Many smokers do gain weight when they stop smoking. Eating a healthy diet and increasing physical activity helps. Make stopping smoking your priority and take steps to tackle any weight gain later. Some of the medications prevent or delay any weight gain.
• Feeling out of step. Lots of smokers feel low and depressed when they stop smoking. Try to get your mind off smoking. Physical activity and doing things you enjoy can help. Talk to your doctor if these feelings persist.
• Withdrawal symptoms. Your body will go through changes when you stop smoking. These include irritability, problems with sleep and digestion, coughs, ulcers and dry mouth, dizziness and headaches. Nicotine replacement products and other medications can help to reduce these symptoms. But they will pass.
• Drinking alcohol. You may need to stop or avoid drinking alcohol when you first stop smoking. Drinking alcohol can reduce your chances of success.
  Talk to your doctor, nurse, stop smoking counsellor, helpline or an internet chat room for support and advice for any problems you have with difficult situations.

The steps to becoming a non-smoker are hard. With commitment, support, medication, precautions and a new approach to living - You can stop smoking.

Know your reasons for stopping smoking -for example:

• I'll stop breathing the poisons in tobacco smoke.
• I can lower my risk of heart attack, stroke, cancer and other smoking related diseases
• I'll be free of nicotine addiction.
• I'll save money, £___ every week.
• My family and friends won't be exposed to my second-hand smoke.
• I won't get so many coughs, colds, flu and chest infections.
• I'll look and feel better as a non-smoker.
• I'll feel good about myself for quitting

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Understanding cravings

Craving means that I am getting free of nicotine, the addictive drug in tobacco. Many people crave cigarettes in the first days and weeks after quitting. Each craving lasts only a short time.
"I'll be patient. As my body gets used to life without cigarettes, cravings will ease and gradually fade."

Tip: The most dangerous thought is: "I'll just have one."

Dealing with cravings

I won't give into a craving. Instead, I'll ask myself, "Why am I doing this?"
The reasons will be at my fingertips.
I'll take one day at a time and get through each day without smoking.

Tell yourself: "Each time I overcome the urge to have a cigarette, I'll feel stronger and more able to resist the next time."
Tip: Say to yourself - "I will not have a cigarette today."

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Remember the three R's

Remind myself why I quit smoking. I'll read my reasons for quitting when it gets hard.
Rehearse what I'll do to cope with the urges to smoke when tempting situations arise.
Reward myself in some small way each time I beat the urge to smoke. I'll congratulate myself for being determined and trying my best.

Practice the four D's

Delay acting on the urge to smoke. I know it will pass in a few minutes.
Deep breathe to reduce tension. I'll take two deep breaths. Breathe in slowly and deeply, then breathe out slowly.
Drink water to flush out the poisons from tobacco and satisfy the need to put something into my mouth.
Do something else to take my mind of smoking. I'll turn to another task at work, get up, move around, phone a friend

Tip: Have a fresh air break and stay away from smokers' dens.

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Quit tips from ex-smokers

• Never underestimate yourself.
• Breathe a lot of fresh air and change everything around in your routine.
• I recommend nicotine replacement therapy. It really worked for me.
• Keep trying. Don't ever give up.
• Keep yourself busy. If you get a craving, remind yourself why you quit and find something to do.
• If you start to gain weight, don't worry you can work on that later.
• Tell everyone! The world is full of ex-smokers who give you encouragement and cheer you on.
• Stay away from smoky situations such as the pub until you feel ready.
• Get your personal reasons for quitting together and make your plans very carefully
• You have to know that you really, want to quit.
• Prepare yourself. Don't leave cigarettes around.
• Just do it and find anything else to do but smoke - Keeping busy helped me
• it's important to be prepared for a lot of emotional feelings
• It's such a cliché, but take it a day at a time.
• You can do it. Have a positive attitude and feel like it's a possible thing.

“If we wait for the moment when everything , absolutely everything is ready, we shall never begin.” Ivan Turgenev