Concepts Relating to Stress

Behaviors

Exercise

Nutrition

Smoking

Handling Stressors

Ways to Reduce Stress

References

SMOKING

There are several approaches to actually stopping to smoke.  As you read through this section, select the one you feel most comfortable with…the one that seems right for you.

 STOP SMOKING…ALSO CALLED “COLD TURKEY”:

In this method, one decides not to smoke anymore and abruptly stops.  If you normally smoke two packs a day, then today you would smoke the usual two packs and then tomorrow, you would not smoke any cigarettes.  Research is showing that for vary experienced smokers, this may be the best way to quit smoking.  Many people have been successful when they use this approach.

If you choose this approach, then a good tactic to use is to throw away all cigarettes and matches.  Wash all ashtrays and put them away.  If you choose any of the gradual methods, then you are not doing it “cold turkey”.

TAPPERING:

In this method, you determine the number of cigarettes you are going to smoke each day; smoking fewer each day until you stop smoking.  As an example:  if you usually smoke 40 cigarettes a day, you could decide to reduce or taper by five each day.  The first day you would measure out 35 cigarettes and only smoke those.  You would keep this up until you were down to zero.  If you choose this method, try to work it out so that your actual quite date is less than two weeks from the time you start.  To go longer than two weeks, is to risk delaying the actual stopping to smoke.  It becomes easy to procrastinate and you may never reach your goal.  Some people have found it helpful to count out the number of cigarettes and put them into small packets of five.  This way, one has to consciously think about the action each time one wants a cigarette.  This is particularly helpful for those individuals who “light up” without even realizing it.

POSTPONING:  In this method of stopping to smoke, one examines the time one starts smoking each day and decides to postpone that time by a predetermined amount of time.  As an example, if you usually have your first cigarette at 6:00 AM, then you might decide to wait and have your first cigarette at 8:00 AM, delaying by two hours.  You would continue to delay by two hours daily until you had reached your quit date.  Again, plan your quit date to be within two weeks of the time you start your program to quit.

It is not necessary to gradually stop smoking.  You need to decide on a date to become an ex-smoker and a method by which to accomplish the task and then begin.  Once you have reached that date, it is important to no longer think of yourself as a person who is quitting smoking, but think of yourself as an ex-smoker.  You have accomplished it…you no longer smoke...YOU are in control.

OK…NOW YOU ARE AN EX-SMOKER:
You will face some challenges.  The following are some ideas to help you face those challenges.

WITHDRAWAL SYMPTONS:
Remember:  Withdrawal from cigarette smoking is not going to cause you any extreme pain or endanger your health.  Most withdrawal symptoms are gone within two weeks.

CRAVING:
Best treatment:  Ignore it or use a substitute activity.  The craving will go away shortly.  Take a walk, drink a glass of water, do five minutes of stretching exercises.

TINGLING SENSATIONS/NUMBNESS IN ARMS AND LEGS:
Best treatment:  Recognize that this is due to the increased circulation in your extremities.  The sensations will go away as your body becomes adjusted to functioning with an increased circulatory flow to your extremities.  Distract yourself by going for a walk when it is uncomfortable.  Think how much better you will feel in a couple of weeks.

LIGHTHEADEDNESS OR DIZZINESS:
Your brain is now getting an increased amount of oxygen and needs to adjust to it.  You may also have some difficulty concentrating.  This is all due to increased oxygen supply and decreased carbon dioxide levels.  This will clear up in a week or two.

COUGHING:
When you were smoking, you were effectively paralyzing the cilia (remember the little hairs?) in your respiratory system.  The little cilia which are designed to clean debris, etc. from the respiratory system basically stopped working.  When you stopped smoking, the cilia started doing their job again.  As they do their cleaning job on your lungs, the coughing will decrease and then stop.  This is a good sign that your body is repairing itself.

POSITIVE ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE:

1. DRINK WATER:  This serves several purposes:
2. It helps rid your body of built-up toxins.  It helps to liquefy any secretions that the cilia in your respiratory system is trying to eliminate, thus making excretion easier.
3. It reduces any cravings which you might think are hunger.
4. It also helps you get into the habit of drinking water instead of eating something, thus reducing the possible weight gain.
5. CARRY SOMETHING TO SUCK ON WITH YOU:

Needs to be something you can such on, with few calories and sugarless (we don’t want to cause any cavities).  The purpose is to flavor your mouth and give you something in your mouth instead of a cigarette.  With the increase in toxins being excreted and the increased coughing, the taste in your mouth (as well as your breath) may be unpleasant.  Some suggestions are:  sugarless gum, sugarless lifesavers, stick cinnamon, low calorie breath mints, etc.

INCREASE YOUR EXERCISE:

If you are already on an exercise program, increase it by fifteen minutes three times a day.  It is best to spread these additional times throughout the day.  The purposes of the increased exercise are to:

1. Help reduce any tension.
2. Helps rid the body of the toxins.
3. Helps counteract any tendency to gain weight.
4. It gives you something to do besides smoke…a substitute activity.
5. DO DEEP BREATHING:

Take three to five deep, slow breaths, exhaling completely.  This serves several purposes:

1. The breaths help rid the body of toxins.
2. Deep breaths reduce the cravings for a cigarette.
3. Deep breaths aid in relaxation (instead of a cigarette).
4. Five deep breaths are a good substitute activity instead of smoking a cigarette.

Sometimes it is easier in life to smoke a cigarette than it is to confront and deal with a stressor in our lives.  Now is the time to change that behavior.  The next section is on handling stressors.

Next: Handling Stressors