How can I stop using tobacco?

[Guest guest]

How can I stop using tobacco?

When some people quit using tobacco, they toss out

everything that reminds them of their former habit.

Once that's done, they never look back. But for most

people, it's not that easy.

When you use tobacco, your body craves the nicotine it

contains. Giving it up is much harder than simply

changing a habit. It is hard to quit, but you can do

it. You can quit by slowly reducing how much tobacco

you use or by quitting all at once or " cold turkey " .

There is no one " quit plan " that works for everybody.

Often it's trial and error until something finally

works for you. Using treatment can double or triple

your chance of quitting.

Today’s tools for quitting tobacco include:

 

* Medication, such as nicotine replacement therapy

and bupropion (Zyban).

* Stop-smoking programs, such as the American Lung

Association's Freedom from Smoking program.

* Support groups, such as Nicotine Anonymous.

* Counseling from doctors, nurses, or therapists.

* National network of tobacco cessation

quitlines—1-800-QUITNOW (1-800-784-8669).

 

You'll likely have the best success when you use more

than one of these tools.

You may quit and restart your habit many times before

you stop for good. Most people who smoke make many

attempts at quitting before they succeed. The

important thing is to keep trying.

Why is it so hard to quit?

Most people find it hard to stop using tobacco because

nicotine is addictive. Some people have severe

withdrawal symptoms when they stop using tobacco. You

may have trouble sleeping. You may feel grumpy or

depressed. These withdrawal symptoms, and others, can

make it very difficult to quit.

Besides the physical symptoms, you are also dealing

with changing your behavior. Using tobacco is a habit

you probably don't even think about. You may chew

tobacco when you're stressed. Or maybe a smoke calms

you after an argument. When you quit, you'll need new

ways to cope.

Am I ready to quit?

You will improve your chance of successfully quitting

tobacco by knowing how ready you are to stop. To find

out, see Interactive Tool: Are You Ready to Quit

Smoking? If you're not ready but you still want to

quit at some point, keep learning and preparing

yourself to quit. You can do it.

Will medication help me to stop using tobacco?

If you smoke fewer than 10 cigarettes a day, you may

be able to quit without using medication. If you smoke

more than this, medication is often very helpful.

Medication is just as helpful for quitting spit

tobacco. 1

Medication includes nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)

and bupropion (Zyban).

Nicotine replacement therapy replaces the nicotine in

your body. You still get nicotine, but you do not use

tobacco. Nicotine replacement products help you cope

with cravings and withdrawal symptoms and come in

several forms:

 

* Nicotine patches.

* Nicotine gum.

* Nicotine lozenges.

* Nicotine nasal spray.

* Nicotine inhaler.

 

Bupropion is a pill that your doctor prescribes. It

does not contain nicotine. It helps you by reducing

withdrawal symptoms, such as stress and anxiety.

Using nicotine replacement products or bupropion

doubles your chance of quitting tobacco for good.

What do I gain by quitting?

Quitting tobacco helps you to:

 

* Live a longer life.

* Lower your risk of heart attack, stroke, or

cancer.

* Have more money in your pocket.

* Feel better.

 

Another nice benefit of quitting is that you no longer

have to stand out in the cold because you can't smoke

in the house.

How is smoking harmful?

You already know that tobacco is bad for your health.

You may bolster your resolve to quit by knowing that:

 

* Tobacco use, especially smoking, contributes to

more than 430,000 deaths each year. 2

* Smoking causes 87% of lung cancer cases.

* Smoking causes most cases of emphysema and

chronic bronchitis.

* Smoking can harm not only the smoker but also

the smoker's family members and coworkers through

secondhand smoke.

* Smoking can cause sexual problems and

infertility.

 

Use these tools to find your risk of heart attack due

to smoking and to find out how smoking affects your

life span:

 

Interactive Tool: How Does Smoking Increase Your

Risk of Heart Attack?

Interactive Tool: How Does Smoking Affect Your

Life Span?

 

* Tobacco use greatly increases a person's risk

for many serious health problems, such as heart attack

and stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,

peripheral arterial disease, and many cancers

(including those of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and

lung).

* A person who smokes increases the risk of his or

her children dying from sudden infant death syndrome

(SIDS). Children of smokers are at higher risk for

having asthma, frequent ear infections, and lung

infections. If the children already have asthma or

allergies, a parent's smoking may cause these

conditions to get worse.

* If you smoke, your children are more likely to

start smoking.

* Smoking increases the risk of problem

pregnancies—affecting both the mother and her unborn

baby.

 

 

 

 

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