Quitting smoking is difficult because nicotine is a highly-addictive drug that makes you feel better mentally and psychologically by alleviating your anxiety and stress, according to "How To Quit Smoking," a chapter in "Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease."
According to the American Cancer Society, about 17 million Americans try to quit smoking during the Great American Smoke Out, but only 4 million aren't smoking three months later. Nevertheless, the American Cancer Society and other publications report that there are many remedies that work to stop smoking.
Nicotine Replacement
Replacing the nicotine in cigarettes with the nicotine in medicines is an effective remedy to help you quit smoking, according to "Quitting Smoking," an American Cancer Society publication. Nicotine in medicine delivers less nicotine to your blood than cigarettes and other tobacco products, has fewer poisons than tobacco and "reduces withdrawal symptoms, allowing the smoker to focus on the psychological aspects of quitting."
The American Cancer Society's list of recommended nicotine replacements includes the nicotine patch, nasal spray and gum. They are all considered medicines.
Relaxing Your Muscles
Many relaxation techniques can help you quit smoking, but progressive muscular relaxation is the most effective, reports "Essentials for Health and Wellness."
"Essentials" lists five muscle relaxation techniques that you should try as a substitute for using cigarettes to relieve your tension. In all five cases, you are instructed to "hold this position for about five to 10 seconds." The techniques are squeezing the muscles of your forehead and eyes "as if you were squinting as hard as you can," tensing your jaw muscles "like you are biting on something really hard," contracting your shoulder and neck muscles "really hard," making fists with both hands, and "tensing the muscles of your stomach as hard as you can."
Gradually Quitting
Quitting cold turkey is the most effective way to quit smoking, but "a gradual approach is fine," according to the American Cancer Society.
"The Well Adult" lists remedies that help you quit smoking gradually. The remedies' premise is to cut your dependence on nicotine step by step. The first step is to switch to low-tar, low-nicotine cigarettes. Then, you are instructed to smoke half of each cigarette and set goals for reducing how many cigarettes you smoke per week, day, hour, etc. Eventually, you should stop carrying cigarettes, put the cigarettes you have at home in an inconvenient location, and reach for a low-calorie food or something else that is pleasurable when you want to smoke.
Acquiring Skills
Willpower helps you quit smoking, but so does "acquiring and practicing a variety of skills," reports "The No-Nag, No-Guilt, Do-It-Your-Own Way Guide To Quitting Smoking."
The book's recommendations for skill development include visualizing yourself as a nonsmoker, keeping your hands busy, giving yourself a reward each day for not smoking, avoiding social gatherings where you expect people will be smoking, writing reasons to quit smoking on index cards, and carrying and looking at those index cards whenever you are tempted to smoke.
References
- "Essentials for Health and Wellness;" Gordon Edlin, Eric Golanty, Kelli McCormack Brown; 2000
- "The Well Adult;" Dr. Mike Samuels and Nancy Samuels; 1988
- "Dr. Dean Ornish's Program For Reversing Heart Disease;" Dr. Dean Ornish; 1996
- "The No-Nag, No-Guilt, Do-It-Your-Own Way Guide To Quitting Smoking," Dr. Tom Ferguson, 1989
