This is a little long for a post, but it has some good advice.
[B][CENTER][SIZE=“2”]Prepare for the Hurdles[/SIZE][/CENTER][/B]
“I decided to quit for the sake of our newborn baby’s health. So I posted a ‘No Smoking’ sign in our house. Just one hour later, the craving for nicotine came over me like a tsunami, and I lit up a cigarette.”—Yoshimitsu, Japan.
AS Yoshimitsu’s experience indicates, the process of quitting has its hurdles. Moreover, studies show that nearly 90*percent of those who stumble stay down by resuming their habit. Hence, if you are trying to quit, you are more likely to succeed if you are prepared for the hurdles. What are the more common ones?
[B]The craving for nicotine:[/B] This usually peaks within three days after your last cigarette and subsides after about two weeks. During that time “the desire comes in waves; it is not constant,” says one ex-smoker. Even years later, however, you may have a sudden urge to smoke. If so, don’t do anything rash. Wait for five minutes or so, and the desire should pass.
[B]Other withdrawal symptoms:[/B] Initially, people find it harder to stay awake or concentrate and may tend to gain weight more easily. They may also experience aching, itching, sweating, and coughing, as well as mood changes demonstrated by impatience, a proneness to anger, or even depression. Most symptoms, though, abate within four to six weeks.
During this critical time, there are some practical things you can do that will help. For example:
● Allow more time for sleep.
● Drink plenty of water or juice. Eat wholesome food.
● Engage in moderate exercise.
● Breathe deeply, and picture clean air filling your lungs.
[B]Triggers:[/B] These are activities or feelings that can trigger the urge to smoke. For instance, perhaps you normally had a cigarette when drinking a beverage. If so, when quitting smoking, don’t linger over your beverage. In time, of course, you will be able to enjoy your beverage at a more leisurely pace.
That said, psychological links can remain long after your body is free of nicotine. “Nineteen years after quitting,” admits Torben, quoted earlier, “I am still tempted to smoke during coffee breaks.” As a general rule, however, the association of smoking with specific activities will weaken in time and lose its force.
[U]With alcohol, the situation is different[/U]. Indeed, while you are trying to quit smoking, you may need to abstain from alcohol and avoid places where it is served, for a high percentage of relapses occur while people are drinking. Why is that?
● Even small amounts of alcohol increase the pleasure derived from nicotine.
● Social drinking is often intimately linked with smoking.
● Alcohol impairs judgment and lowers inhibitions. The Bible rightly says: ‘Wine takes away good motive.’—Hosea 4:11.
[B]Associates:[/B] Be selective. For instance, avoid needless association with people who smoke or who may invite you to do so. Also stay away from individuals who try to undermine your efforts to quit, perhaps by teasing you about it.
[B]Emotions:[/B] In one study almost two thirds of those who relapsed felt stressed or angry just prior to their relapse. If a certain feeling triggers the urge to smoke, distract yourself—perhaps by drinking water, chewing gum, or going for a walk. Try to fill your mind with positive thoughts, perhaps by going to God in prayer or reading a few pages of the Bible.—Psalm 19:14.
[B]Rationalizations to Avoid[/B]
● [I]I’ll only take one puff.[/I]
[B]Reality:[/B] Just one puff can satisfy up to 50*percent of certain nicotine receptors in your brain for three hours. The result is often a full relapse.
● [I]Smoking helps me deal with stress[/I].
[B]Reality:[/B] Studies show that nicotine actually increases levels of stress hormones. Any perceived relief from stress may be largely a result of the temporary fading of withdrawal symptoms.
● [I]I’m too far gone to quit[/I].
[B]Reality:[/B] Pessimism saps the will. The Bible says: “Have you shown yourself discouraged in the day of distress? Your power will be scanty.” (Proverbs 24:10) So avoid defeatist thinking. Anyone who really wants to quit and who applies practical principles, such as those mentioned in this magazine, can succeed.
● [I]The withdrawal symptoms are too much for me[/I].
[B]Reality:[/B] Granted, withdrawal symptoms are powerful, but they will subside within just a few weeks. So stay focused! If a desire to smoke resurfaces months or years later, it too will pass, likely in just a few minutes—if you do not light up a cigarette.
