Nicotine is an addictive drug found in tobacco
The first part of this article is my personal opinion, please do not become offended.
We all know the harmful long term and short term side effects of tobacco. Tobacco companies themselves warn us on the packages that their product is the leading cause of death in North America. Yet they continue to market it and the government makes too much money off the sales of tobacco to ever de-legalize it. The sad truth is the government cares more about money then they will ever care about our health.
Smokers, who started in the past 10 years when it was publicly known how harmful smoking was, created their own pain. Everyone in this world has the ability to make decisions, and the decision not to smoke should be an easy one to make. Now not everyone was smart enough to make the decision in the first place, but many come to realize the mistake years down the road. Those people often say things like "I WISH I could quit" or "I WISH I never started smoking" These types of statements are weak minded statements, and it’s obvious that these were the same people who made the stupid mistake in the first place.
I know all the medical information about addictions. I realize how they work, and how powerful they can be. I know nicotine, like other addictive drugs, creates a chemical dependency, so that the body develops a "need" for certain levels of nicotine at all times. If this level is not maintained the body will go thru withdrawal. Withdrawal from nicotine can be as serious as withdrawal from cocaine but what people need to realize is that withdrawal from nicotine never killed anyone. So withdrawal is probably better for you then smoking in the first place. Your body obviously doesn’t "need" the smoke it just wants it so it doesn’t have to go thru withdrawals.
People who say they "need" a smoke should probably just go ahead and have it anyways. Most of us know what the necessities for life are, and smoking is defiantly not one of them. This just goes to show what state of mind some smokers have. People should be saying "I want a smoke", this is the first step to quitting believe it or not. Realizing that you do not "need" a smoke is the key; from here you can make the next changes to your attitude.
The next step is to know that EVERYONE can quit! I don’t care if you’ve been addicted to heroin, speed and crack for 30 years, you can still quit! People don’t realize a positive attitude is the key to achieving anything. If you don’t think in your mind that you can quit, you never will, and you might as well quit reading, and have a smoke. Those who are ready to believe that they have it in them to quit, let’s continue.
After realizing you don’t "need" a smoke and that it IS possible for you to quit, the third step is to practice quitting something less addictive. This works on self control, and confidence. So pick a bad habit or useless activity such as staring mindlessly at the TV for hours every night, and stop! Give it up for 4 weeks. Some other examples are, biting nails, cracking your knuckles, swearing, eating junk food, eating fast food, drinking, spending money on useless stuff, and masturbating excessively. Just about any compulsive action that you might do that is potentially harmful to your health that you don’t "need" to survive is acceptable. Choose one that you think you can give up for month. Now remember, this is used to stop smoking, so this excersise WILL NOT work if you smoke as a substitute. You must continue your regular smoking habits or even try slowing them down to prepare for the quitting faze.
If you picked a bad habit to break and did it for a solid month, you should no longer feel a "need" for it. You may still think about it, you may still even want it, but you are strong enough to say NO! If you did this correctly, you should feel good about yourself, you should feel confident, and you are now ready for the next step.
Here comes the hard part, but you know you are ready, you can do anything! Stay Positive! Go to your doctor, tell him you are about to stop smoking, tell him the steps you have done already and that you are ready to make the commitment. He should be able to give you some advice and help you get started. Don’t use the patch or gum yet! Before you go ahead and do anything, try following these steps.
Day 1 The first craving you have for a smoke, wait 1 hour before you let yourself have it. What I mean is, when your about to go out for your first smoke, wait for at least a hour. Go as long as you can if you can go longer. If you are at work, try and wait for your next coffee break or lunch break. So you should go as long as you possible can before having your first smoke. Then I am sure you need to give in, so go ahead, and don’t feel bad, it’s going to take time.
Day 2 Repeated day 1, but try for an extra hour.
- Do this until you go the first 8 hours of the day without having a smoke? If you try for a bit longer each and everyday, you should be able to do this in 7 - 10 days. One thing to remember is that you should keep this up until you only have 5 smokes or less in the last half of the day.
- By now, you should be looking forward to your first smoke, but you should feel good about cutting your smoking habits down by half if not more. Remember you should not binge smoke once you have your first, keep it under 5 smokes after that, until you go to sleep.
- Keep this routine until you have gone a steady 2 weeks. If you’re having trouble, use 1 or 2 of the natural remedies below.
- Now here comes the part where you flip everything around. Now in the morning when you get up, the first chance you get, have a smoke. You may notice it’s not the same; maybe you don’t enjoy it as much either. This is good! If you did this correctly you shouldn’t enjoy it as much as you were enjoying the smoke at the end of the day. Now go the whole day without having a smoke, and have a few in the evening before you go to bed.
- Do this until you can have one smoke in the mooring, and 2 smokes in the evening for a total of 3 smokes a day. Do this for a solid week and if you screw up try again. You have to do this for a SOILD WEEK! ONLY 3 SMOKES! You can do it! If you’re having trouble, use 1 or 2 of the natural remedies below.
- Now you’re going to get up in the morning, and want your smoke, but you’re not going to have it, you’re going to have 1 today, only 1! You pick when you want it, but DO NOT CHEAT! ONLY 1! You can do it!
- Keep doing this until you are only having one smoke a day for at least 2 weeks. YES 2 weeks! And every time you cheat, you start all over again. If you’re finding this difficult, you can try 1 to 3 of the natural remedies in the list below to help you get dependant on only one smoke. You still get your smoke, but you’re only having one! So choose when to have it wisely!
- YOU'V Done IT! If you’ve gone 2 whole weeks with only having 1 smoke a day. You’re inches away from never wanting a smoke again. The final step is obvious. Choose 2 to 4 natural remedies from the list below, and don’t have that smoke. Think back to when you stop your bad habit, remember your mind set, and think how much your going to improve your health, your confidence, your will power and your entire life by making this step. Besides, what good is that one smoke a day anyways? Its not even worth it is it? You probably were thinking the whole time you were only having one a day that you might as well just not have it at all. Your natural remedies are enough for you, your body is cheering you on, and it loves you! Your mind is stronger than ever! You ARE ALMOST THERE DO NOT GIVE INTO TEMPTAION! Other smokers are jealous of you because your better than the nicotine, your better than the addiction, you have conquered it... almost. :)
- Keep going until you don’t need the natural remedies anymore. BINGO your smoke free, threes no need to smoke anymore. Why would you go crawling back after all of that work? Stay strong! You’re a fighter! And you’ve done well. You should be EXTREAMLY PROUD OF YOURSELF! Walk with your head held high! Smile! CHEER! YOU DID IT!
Tips - Don’t put yourself in positions that will make you want to smoke. Don’t take breaks with smokers. Don’t drink because that often makes you want to smoke more. Don’t substitute food for smoking. Don’t talk about smoking. Ask people who are smoking around you if they wouldn’t or would go somewhere else. Don’t be afraid to tell people you are trying to stop smoking and you need all the support you can get. Get your friends, and family involved. STAY POSITIVE!
Other Quit Smoking Tips
1. Analyze your habit for a few weeks, keep a log of when, where, and why you use tobacco.
2. List the reasons you want to quit.
3. Find substitutes like gum, or a pencil to hold.
4. Reward your resolve. Treat yourself with the money you would have spent on your habit.
5. Enjoy your food, and eat as much low-calorie food as you want when you are trying to quit.
6. Never let relapse deter you from continuing your efforts to quit.
Natural Remedies for Symptoms That May Be Experienced When Trying To Stop Nicotine
Headache - Magnesium supplement (200mg 3xday) and a Feverfew (Chrysanthemum pantheism) supplement (125mg 3xday) ALSO – Holding something cold such as an ice pack on your forehead and then soaking your feet in warm water may work. ALSO - Drinking very cold water and sleeping without a pillow might work. ALSO – Inhaling pure oxygen relieves headaches.
Nausea - Ginger (Zingiber officinale) capsules.
Constipation or Diarrhea - Tea made of Peppermint (Mentha piperita) or Chamomile (Matricaria recutita).
Falling Heart Rate and Blood Pressure.
Fatigue + Drowsiness - Ephedrine (Ephedrine silica) is a stimulant. CAUTION- too much of this herb can cause serious side effects. Consult your doctor.
Insomnia - Tea made with Chamomile (Matricaria recutita), St-johns-wort (hypericum perforatum). Lime Blossom, Passionflower (Passiflora incarnate) and Hops (Humulus lupulus). Drink before bed.
Irritability - See Anxiety and Calm the Nervous System.
Difficulty Concentrating.
Anxiety - Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), Chamomile (Matricaria Recutita), Hops (Humulus lupulus), and Valerian (Valeriana officinalis), Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), and Linden (Tilia spp.).
Depression - 2 Parts St-John's-Wart (Hypericum Perforatum) -1 Part Oat (Avena Sativa) -1 Part Lavender (Lavandula Officinalis) made into tea. ALSO - Vitamin B Complex (400 mcg/day), Folic Acid (400 mcg/day), S-Adenosylmethionine (200mg/2x day) and Selenium (100 mcg/day).
Increased hunger and caloric intake.
Increased pleasantness of the taste of sweets.
Tobacco Cravings - Lobelia (Lobelia inflata) has similar effects that nicotine does but it is gentler and longer lasting. CAUTION- too much of this herb can cause serious side effects. Consult your doctor.
Calm the Nervous System - Oat (Avena sativa) straw, Chamomile (Matricaria Recutita), Hops (Humulus lupulus), and Valerian (Valeriana officinalis).
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