What to Expect When You Quit Smoking

What to Expect When You Quit Smoking

If you are trying to decide whether or not to quit smoking or how to go about it, you may be wavering in your decision because you don’t know what to expect. What is withdrawal like? Not knowing may make it harder to make the decision to quit.Here are some suggestions as to what you can expect when you begin to quit, and how to anticipate them and possibly make them easier to deal with. The good thing is, withdrawal symptoms are temporary. The physical symptoms of cigarette withdrawal can be mild in some people and tough in others. Some physical changes you may experience include: Anger and irritability are said to accompany many smokers’ quitting efforts. You may feel irrationally annoyed, or find yourself snapping and yelling at people without meaning to. You may feel very impatient. To keep the peace with those around you, try to find constructive ways to release your anger. Although you may be a bear right now, ultimately you are doing your loved ones a favor by quitting. You may also find yourself feeling depressed and/or worried about the future. Try to remember this is temporary, and seek therapy if you need to.

Using Visualization to Help You Quit Smoking

Using Visualization to Help You Quit Smoking

Visualization is coming to the fore as a way for people to change their behavior, thoughts, and feelings for the better. Visualization involves seeing yourself in positive situations and being the person you want to be. It is said that the subconscious mind cannot distinguish between a real event that it observed and an imagined one. The key is to treat the imagined scenario as something you are observing. Interestingly, children seem to have this kind of realistic visualization well in place – many times, children cannot distinguish between what they imagine and what is real. Their play seems real to them when they are engaged in it. Visualization is tapping into this child-like ability to make your imagination come alive and play out in real life. The theory is that positive thoughts give positive results. Visualization could be described as daydreaming with a purpose. How Is Visualization Done? You can do visualization yourself. You can also do it while being guided by a therapist. Some people use tapes or audio resources to help them guide their visualization efforts. When you use visualization, you infuse clarity and life into your daydreams. You focus your goals and desires into a very narrow target, and when you visualize you imagine great detail. When you visualize, you include smells, sounds, tastes, and touch in your thoughts. Your visualizations are lucid,…

How to Support Your Health When You Quit Smoking

How to Support Your Health When You Quit Smoking

When you quit smoking, your body undergoes quite a change. You have to detoxify, and various body tissues need to heal. It’s a good idea to support your health as you go through the transition. In fact, good nutrition and healthy habits may make quitting easier. Here are some ideas and tips. Try to give your body lots of rest during this time. Without the “rush” of nicotine from cigarettes, you may feel washed out, nauseated, or otherwise generally yucky. Resting helps your body to build new tissue and heal. Resting does not mean you don’t move around; just try to take a break from all the running around and stress for a while. Exercise is said to help the body detoxify by increasing circulation and other ways. Few would argue that exercise is a boost to your health, whether you smoke or not. Incorporating regular exercise may help you quit if you use it as a distraction tool – maybe you could take a brisk walk or bike ride when you feel a craving for nicotine. Just don’t walk or bike to the store to buy more cigarettes! Your body will need lots of nutrients to support it during this transition. Vitamin C is said to be very important for soon-to-be-ex-smokers, and it is an important antioxidant vitamin. Magnesium is important for muscle relaxation and nerve…

Nicotine Replacement Therapy to Help You Quit Smoking

Nicotine Replacement Therapy to Help You Quit Smoking

Nicotine Replacement Therapy, or NRT, refers to the use of nicotine-containing products that are not cigarettes. These products, such as chewing gum, inhalers, or patches, are said to help you quit smoking. Generally, all of these therapies work by gradually reducing the amount of nicotine you take in. Here are some of the better-known NRT methods and how they work. Gum Some smokers prefer gum because it gives their mouths something to do. It is also available without a prescription, and is sugarless. Those who are concerned about the possibility that weight gain might accompany their quitting efforts may prefer this method. Gum comes in at least two different strengths, and if you wish you could chew half a piece as well. The nicotine is absorbed through the mucous membranes of the mouth, so professionals recommend that you not eat or drink for 15-30 minutes before and after chewing a piece. Lozenge Another orally-delivered type of NRT, lozenges release a gradual amount of nicotine into your system through your mouth’s mucous membranes. The goal is to ease nicotine cravings gently. The larger the lozenge, the slower the nicotine release. Nicotine-containing lozenges are available over the counter. Inhaler Nicotine inhalers work by delivering a nicotine-containing mist into the mouth and throat when the user “puffs” on it. Sources say that less than five percent of the nicotine ends…

Hypnotherapy for Smokers - Can It Help You Quit?

Hypnotherapy for Smokers – Can It Help You Quit?

When you were growing up, did you think of hypnosis in cartoon terms, such as a therapist sitting over a reclining patient, swinging a watch in front of the patient’s eyes? It’s somewhat unfortunate that many of us have this rather silly notion of hypnotism in our heads, because these days the practice of hypnosis is being used to help people overcome bad habits. One of the habits that hypnosis – or hypnotherapy – is reputed to help is smoking. What Is Hypnotherapy? Hypnotherapy is the use of hypnosis for therapeutic purposes. Hypnosis itself is a state of deep and focused relaxation, during which the person being hypnotized is said to be more open to suggestion. In hypnotherapy, the therapist uses visualization and relaxation techniques to relax the patient, and then the therapist attempts to “talk to” the patient’s subconscious. The therapist then makes positive suggestions to the patient. Destructive habits are said to be replaced with positive ones. Are There Any Dangers? Some people are afraid of hypnosis – what if the therapist tells you to do something crazy, or tries to infuse your mind with false memories? First of all, this really isn’t what hypnosis is about. But if you are concerned, most hypnotherapists have an option where you can record your hypnosis session. In this day and age of mobile phones and digital images,…

How to Determine Which Method for Quitting Smoking is Right for You

How to Determine Which Method for Quitting Smoking is Right for You

If you have told others that you want to quit smoking, you have probably been given lots of advice. Some of this advice may be fine, and some may be ineffective, and still other advice may be harmful. What works for one person may not work for another. If you need some help determining which quitting method is right for you, look carefully into the various quitting methods. Here is a brief overview to help you get started in your research. Cold Turkey We all know that smoker who says he or she went “cold turkey” and never had another cigarette. But honestly, that’s pretty rare, and you may not be cut out for that kind of systemic jolt. However, it is an actual method and bears mentioning. Whether or not you go cold turkey depends on a few factors, such as: NRT Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) is an option for those who prefer gradual withdrawal. NRT involves alternative means of delivering nicotine into your system. Lozenges and chewing gum that contain nicotine can be purchased over the counter. Nicotine patches require a prescription, and go onto your skin like an adhesive bandage. Inhalers that contain nicotine-laden mist also require a prescription. Electronic cigarettes are not considered a form of NRT officially, but they do deliver a nicotine-containing mist via a plastic tube that looks like a…

How Acupuncture May Help You Quit Smoking

How Acupuncture May Help You Quit Smoking

Acupuncture May Help You Quit Smoking. That’s the thinking. Acupuncture is a facet of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). One of TCM’s core philosophies is the notion of energy flow within the body. It is believed that this energy flow can be blocked or thwarted, and through methods such as acupuncture, the energy is said to be released to flow freely. Acupuncture involves the insertion of very thin needles into your skin. The location of the needle insertion is key – acupuncturists apply the needles along “meridians,” paths along which energy is said to flow. Acupuncture May Help You Quit Smoking, so how does this help someone who wants to quit smoking? When someone undergoes acupuncture for reasons other than smoking cessation, it’s often to relieve a health problem such as chronic pain or discomfort, or to induce relaxation. For a smoker wanting to quit, acupuncture may relieve some of the physical discomforts of quitting, and help the nervous tension that accompanies some smokers’ quitting efforts. Here are some of the issues smokers may face when quitting, and how acupuncture may help relieve those issues. Digestion Some smokers experience nausea and digestive disturbances when they quit. Acupuncture can be used to relieve digestive discomforts – the practitioner chooses the correct meridian that corresponds with the digestive system, and inserts needles accordingly. If the acupuncture does what it is…

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