Quit Smoking Now

Archive for December, 2009

You tried to quit smoking and you decided to use the smoking patch to help you and you failed.  Don’t feel like the Lone Ranger, most everybody does.  As a matter of fact, if you try to quit cold turkey you have a little better than 1 out of 10 chance of staying smoke free for 10 weeks.  If you use the smoking patch that goes up to a little better than 2 out of 10.

The thinking behind the patch is pretty logical.  Smokers are addicted to nicotine and the patch simply substitutes as a source of the drug.  The idea is you get your dose without getting all the other chemicals that you would smoking a cigarette, then slowly steps down the dose to end the addiction.

Pretty simple.  Why doesn’t it work?

If the key to stop smoking was simply kicking the nicotine habit, then anyone who wanted to stop could certainly do so using the patch or gum.  But it’s more than that isn’t it.  It’s a habit and it’s a habit that is really tough to break.

So the smoker who wants to quit is really facing two battles.  First is the physical addiction to nicotine and second is an extremely difficult psychological dependence on the habit itself.  And that my friend is why quitting smoking is so very difficult to do.

Breaking the habit is the hard part.  There are no easy tricks, no simple “how to” books no quick fixes.  It requires that you identify triggers and then have a plan on how to avoid them or deal with them when they occur.  Just as important as having a plan is to have outside support.  Friends, family and others that you respect can play an active role in your success in kicking the habit.  If nothing else they can make you dig deep emotionally so you don’t “fail” in their minds.

So here’s a suggestion, not sure fire plan but one that at least gets you organized and prepared to do battle.  If I had a sure fire plan I wouldn’t be writing this article I’d be writing a book and making a fortune on Amazon.

• Identify your smoking triggers that almost automatically cause you to light up like a cup of coffee or a drink or the end of a meal.  For some people it may go deeper and triggers might be any new experience like meeting new people, being faced with a new task at work and so on.

• Figure out how to avoid the triggers.  That obviously is not going to always be possible so plan a new ritual for the triggers to replace lighting up.  For example after a meal, try popping two after dinner mints.  Engage in conversation whenever you can.  You want to distract the brain from following the old ritual of smoking so making it focus on something else is a positive step.

• Drink lots of water.  Keeping your body fully hydrated helps with flushing out toxins and improves your health in general.  It also partially satisfies the “hand to mouth” action that smoker have become accustomed to.  Drink at least half your body weight expressed in ounces each day.

• Exercise.  The more you do the better.  Quitting is going to develop stress.  Stress causes excess adrenaline and cortisol to be released in your body.  Exercise burns those two hormones off.  Enjoy the endorphin high you’ll get from a strenuous work out.

• Create your support network.  Identify who you want to help you in your effort.  Be careful not to set an artificial date that you are going to quit by.  It takes 90 days to form a habit and the new habit you are striving for is to be a non smoker.  Don’t be disappointed, and don’t let your support group be disappointed, if you have a slip up every now and then.

• Keep a diary. Writing down another day without smoking reinforces you effort.  Write down the cravings you experienced and how you got past them.

Remember quitting smoking is really two fights.  It would be nice if you could ease out of the habit just like you can ease out of the addiction.  However, failing that, you have to have the resolve and support to keep the end goal foremost in your mind.

There is a way to ease out of the habit but it’s not for everybody. Ironically it involves mimicking smoking. If you’d like to see how you can control your nicotine addiction just like the smoking patch and ease your way out of the smoking habit visit http://NoTobaccoNow.blogspot.com right now. Fight one battle at a time.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/quit-smoking-articles/the-nicotine-smoking-patch-fails-8-times-out-of-10-how-to-increase-the-odds-1635552.html

Release yourself from the expensive, dangerous and debilitating habit of smoking with the aid of gentle hypnosis, without the use of drugs, patches or other artificial means or suffering any withdrawal symptoms. Our currently held beliefs, whether good or bad, true or false, were formed without effort, with no sense of strain or stress, and without the exercise of “will power.”

Our habits, whether good or bad, were formed in the same way A– just deciding to do something, and then going ahead and doing it. It follows that we must employ the same process in forming new beliefs, or new habits, that is, in a relaxed condition with hypnotherapy. The use of hypnotherapy to assist in stopping smoking is now commonly and readily accepted. The British Medical Association approved the use of clinical hypnosis in the 1950s.

If you approach this treatment with a genuine desire to stop, the programme will work for you, and you will stop smoking in one session. When you make your appointment we find your highest motivation for stopping – you sit back in a comfortable chair and relax in a stress free environment and enjoy 3 sessions of relaxation. Hypnotherapy works by getting in touch with the unconscious mind. – http://www.thoughtsbecomereality.co.uk

We all know that consciously we should stop smoking, and by using post hypnotic suggestions, it takes away the need to smoke, leaving you with pleasurable feelings of wanting to do something quite different of your own choice (e.g. drinking more water, exercise, relaxation etc). When you stop smoking your health will improve, you will have a lot of money to spend and you will feel wonderful.

For more information visit http://www.thoughtsbecomereality.co.uk/stop_smoking.html

Rakesh Kakaya (B.SC (Hons) D.NLP MREC Dip.PD DHP DCMT) is the founder of Thoughts Become Reality. He is approachable and open. He was first introduced to Hypnotherapy and Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) back in 2001 at the start of my career as a Pharmaceutical sales representative.
He use a wide range of techniques to help people achieve their goals in the hypnotherapy session which ensure you of the highest level of professional confidentiality and care at all times. His main aim is to help your Positive Thoughts Become Reality.
For more details, please visit – http://www.thoughtsbecomereality.co.uk

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/quit-smoking-articles/hypnotheraphy-to-stop-smoking-1633365.html

Wouldn’t it be great to quit smoking, when you want and not worry about the withdrawals? Of course, it would! In fact, I think everyone, including myself, would have quit a few years ago, if it was that easy. We have spent so much money on cigarettes that we could have all been millionaires, if we saved all that money. That’s not to mention how much it hurt our health, the people around us that get second-hand smoke, the environment, and many other things smoking cigarettes have destroyed.

We have all seen the quit smoking ads with Nicorette, Nicoderm CQ, inhalers prescribed by doctors, the hot lines for quit smoking, and a few other businesses offering to help us out to be smoke-free. Have you seen how much most of those products cost? They cost as much as a carton of cigarettes. If doctors and other people wanted us to quit smoking so badly, why would they overprice the products? If you’re like me and have tried these products, you can tell that they really don’t help as much as they say they do. I ended up smoking, while using the gum and even with the patches. Through my experience, they didn’t do anything to take away that empty feeling I had, during my withdrawals. It wasn’t the nicotine I missed, it was the feeling I had with missing something out of my life. I was so used to having that cigarette in my hand and on my lips that nothing helped take away that feeling. I tried replacing it with writing pens, sticks, rolled up paper, and many other things but none of it worked. Finally, after so many tries of quitting smoking, something happened. One of my close friends were talking about a new product called “electronic cigarettes”. I have never heard of them, until he mentioned them to me. I went home and researched these “electronic cigarettes” online and what I came across was the greatest product I have ever seen.

What these electronic cigarettes do is act like a cigarette but they’re not really a normal traditional cigarette. They are a safer and healthier alternative to smoking. You smoke them, just like you would a normal cigarette, but they don’t contain any carcinogens, carbon monoxide, tar, tobacco, or smoke. The “smoke” you inhale from the electronic cigarettes are actually vapors, which is a nicotine solution, and not actual smoke. They come in a variety of flavors, styles, and brands. I decided to try them out and went with the brand called Luci. When I used to smoke traditional cigarettes, my favorite brand was Newport, which are menthol. So, I decided to compare them to the electronic cigarettes and chose to go with the menthol flavor on the cartridges. I decided to go with Luci because of the 30 day money back guarantee and the warranty. That way, if I didn’t like them, I could send them back without worrying about losing any money.

After I received the starter kit, in the mail, I quickly looked over the manual and found them very easy to use. So, I followed the instructions and took my first puff from it. It tasted so great and so much fresher than my old Newport cigarettes. They had a clean feeling to them, which sounds weird but true. Best of all, I was able to smoke them anywhere and for the first time ever, I was smoking inside my house. They didn’t leave any odor in the house and not even on my clothes. When I went out to eat at a restaurant, that evening, I asked the waitress if I could use the electronic cigarette inside of the place. She asked about them and I explained what they were. She had to ask the manager to be sure and he was okay about using them there. It did feel weird, at first, but it was a lot more fun than having people complain about my smoke is bothering them. Anyways, to this day, I have never went back to traditional cigarettes and enjoy my electronic cigarettes so much more than the old ones.

Through out all the products I have tried, nothing comes close to electronic cigarettes, for the best way to quit smoking. I would recommend them to anyone who is wanting to quit smoking and want the easiest way to do so. Another good thing about electronic cigarettes is they cost twice as less than a carton of cigarettes and even cheaper than most of the other quit smoking products available on the market.

If you would like to quit smoking completely with electronic cigarettes, I would suggest to go with the current milligram (MG) equal to your current traditional cigarettes. For example, if you smoke lights, go with the matching cartridge on lights. Depending on the company, it can be either 6MG or 14MG. Most companies show what their strengths are related to on the side of the choices. The flavors vary depending on the company that sells them. After a carton of cartridges, you can either choose to stay at the same strength or you can lower it to non-nicotine cartridges. Once you get used to non-nicotine cartridges, you should be able to safely put down the electronic cigarette without any cravings at all.

If you are not sure on which company to choose from, I would suggest Luci because those are the ones I have and they are great. I know a few people who use the liquid refill types and I find them complicated to use. Also, if you drop the bottle of liquid, there goes a carton of cigarettes. I just find the cartridge style a lot easier to use but that’s just my opinion.

If you would like to try electronic cigarettes out, I came across a good and reliable website that has reviewed the top 5 electronic cigarette companies and rated them. They list the flavors, accessories, prices, and a some more things. I know for a fact they have the cheapest prices around, too. I’ve seen Luci electronic cigarettes selling for about $100+ for a starter kit but you can find them a lot cheaper on that website. Even if you choose not to switch to electronic cigarettes, good luck to you!

This is Joe Nobles. He enjoys researching the Best Ways To Quit Smoking. He has researched and tried electronic cigarettes, for over a year, and would recommend them to anyone wanting to Quit Smoking. You can find more information about electronic cigarettes at http://www.ecig-reviews.info

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/quit-smoking-articles/one-of-the-best-ways-to-quit-smoking-1631263.html

If you are not sure what exactly an electronic cigarette is, I will explain it right quick. For those who do know what they are, you can skip this paragraph. Electronic cigarettes or “e-Cigarettes” are just like traditional cigarettes without as many health hazards. They contain no tar, no pollution, no carbon monoxide, and no lit end but they do contain nicotine. They are a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes, cigars, or pipes and can be smoked just about anywhere. Whether you are at a restaurant, in an airplane, on a bus, or anywhere else that prohibits smoking in the area, you are able to enjoy e-cigarettes.

There are many benefits, when it comes to using electronic cigarettes. Here are 10 reasons why electronic cigarettes are better than traditional cigarettes:

10. There are a variety of flavors to choose from. You can choose from apple, strawberry, coffee, vanilla, mint/menthol, cherry, or many other different flavors. This is not including the traditional full flavors and strengths.

9. Better tasting than traditional cigarettes. Even when kissing a non-smoker, they don’t complain about how your mouth tastes like an ash tray. The vapors, which contain the nicotine, does not have the same after taste traditional cigarettes leave in your mouth or on your clothes. When you taste the vapors, it’s like a fresh taste and a fresher smell.

8. Not as messy as traditional cigarettes. No more worrying over ashes getting everywhere or messy cigarette butts laying around in your ash tray or flicking them out of the window. The cartridge, which is the filter part, snaps on and off. Each cartridge lasts about as long as 2 packs of traditional cigarettes. When you change the cartridge, you snap in a different cartridge and throw away the old one.

7. No one complaining about how your smoking habits are affecting them. Don’t you get tired of people saying “Can you move somewhere else? Your smoke is bothering me.”? Well, with electronic cigarettes, the smoke or vapors you exhale smell very pleasant, compared to traditional cigarettes. So, no more worries of people complaining about your habbits anymore.

6. The ability to smoke anywhere such as stores, planes, work places, and many other areas. You are able to smoke electronic cigarettes just about anywhere. I would advise you to mention to the store owner, a manager, or a co-worker, before you do e-smoke though. I wouldn’t want someone getting arrested or kicked out of a place for someone thinking you were actually smoking.

5. No lit end to set fires. No more worries of dropping your cigarette in your car and burn a hole in the floor, or tossing your cigarette out of the window and see it catch something on fire.

4. Cheaper than traditional cigarettes. With cigarette prices, these days, they keep going up in price. Stop paying $50 or more for a carton of cigarettes. Electronic cigarettes cost half that price or less. You can buy a carton of cartridges for about $17 to around $25 and they last just as long. So, you can get about 2 cartons of electronic cigarettes for the same price as one carton of traditional cigarettes.

3. No worries of second-hand smoke. The vapors given off by electronic cigarettes are basically just water vapors with nicotine in them. There is no carbon monoxide found within the vapor, which is better health wise, too.

2. Less health hazards. As stated on the previous reason, electronic cigarettes do not contain any form of carbon monoxide and/or tar. Also, there is no burning paper fumes going inside of your lungs, either. Although, electronic cigarettes are not healthy or great for your health, they are a better alternative than traditional cigarettes.

1. Better for your health. I’m not saying they are completely safe or healthy but they are a much safer alternative.

Electronic cigarettes help you in many ways. You can use them as either a safer way to smoke everyday and anywhere, if you would like to keep smoking, or you can use them to quit smoking. If you choose to quit smoking by using the electronic cigarettes method, my advance to you would be to purchase the same milligram (MG) equal to your current cigarette brand. By this, I mean if you are smoking Full Flavor Marlboro cigarettes, you choose the 16MG cartridges. Once it’s time to buy refills, go to the next lowest MG available and work your way backwards, until you reach the non-nicotine cartridges. Once you are at the non-nicotine cartridges, you can either lay down the electronic cigarette or if you still have that urge of wanting to smoke one, the non-nicotine cartridges are safe enough to use, in order to take away that loss feeling.

In my own personal thoughts about electronic cigarettes, I found them to be a lot more refreshing than traditional cigarettes. I chose to go with the company called “Blu” and bought my starter kit for $59. When they came in the mail, I couldn’t wait to try it out to see what it tasted like. The electronic cigarette, itself, was quiet heavy because of the battery, that is inside of them. When I took the first puff or pull off of the cartridge filter and inhaled, I was quiet amazed. It did not have a bland taste to them or anything nasty tasting. I chose to go with the menthol flavor, since I’m used to smoking Newports. Compared to them, they were actually better tasting and had a fresher feeling to them.

As the time went by, I never had a craving to go back to traditional cigarettes and I have told so many of my smoking friends about the electronic cigarettes and had my friends try a pull off mine. They were so impressed that they ended up buying a starter kit, as well. So, everyone I know is “e-smoking” and it’s so nice. I will never switch back to traditional cigarettes.

Many people may have heard about the remark FDA made about a chemical found inside of the electronic cigarette, which is used in anti-freeze. What they didn’t realize is that chemical is basically inside of many foods, other quit smoking products such as NicodermCQ and Nicorette.

This is Joe Nobles and he enjoys researching electronic cigarettes to help people, like yourself, find the best one that fits their needs. If you would like more information about Electronic Cigarettes and the cheapest prices, you can go to: www.ecig-reviews.info

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/quit-smoking-articles/electronic-cigarette-reviews-1631336.html

When it comes to smoking, everyone, smokers and nonsmokers alike, can come up with a long list of negative effects from potential health problems to second hand smoking. We have been preached about that all our lives in school and by the public advertising. But the number of smokers has not shown any signs of decrease.

If we understand what makes young kids smoke the first cigarette in their lives, we will be able to come up with better anti-smoking measures. The behavior of the people around kids and their role models is one of the most important fuses.

Like learning moon walk from Michael Jackson, kids tend to imitate the cool smoking moves that the actors make on movies. At first, they may just make some moves without inhaling the smoke into the lung. But later, they will brave it out when someone point it out. That was how I got started. When it starts, it gets easier to increase the frequency of smoking.

Another direct cause for a nonsmoker to start smoking is the people around them. If the parents smoke, it is hard for the kids not to imitate and try. So it is strongly advised to quit smoking when you have kids.

Peers of the same age can act as a smoking fuse that is even quicker than the above mentioned ones. Let me take myself as an example. I did not light my first cigarette until the last semester in the university when some of my classmates began smoking and even sharing cigarettes.

The effects that smoking people have on others might be not so obvious unless you do not look back at them. Now that you understand what effects that smokers have had on you, why not stop yourself being one that might potentially produce other smokers?

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People always say that every coin has two sides, which means that everything has its positive and negative sides. For example, the industries manufacture products that people can use and benefit from. But they also produce wastes that pollute the environment which people live in.

However, cigarette smoking is an exception as far as the individual smokers are concerned. I have thought about this for long, but failed to find anything positive about smoking except that the pockets of those working in the industry become fatter day by day. Generally speaking, smoking has two negative effects, i.e. internal and external.

I believe that you must have been preached on about the potential damages that smoking cigarettes can do to your health. And I also believe that the preach must have blown through your ears with nothing retained. But the negative effects of cigarette smoking on our health is true and quite visible.

The most obvious change that smoking has given to me is the stained teeth. Although some peers even taught me some tricks to reduce the effect, I was appalled when I looked into the mirror one day. Believe me – it is easier for the dirt to come than go.

You might say that those potential impacts are exerted to yourself and have nothing to do with others. Do you think people will get close to you when they smell your bad breath? Will people sit around you when you are smoking? Remember the effects of second-hand smoking?

Let us enlarge the picture of the effects of cigarette smoking a little bit until it covers something that matters to the whole mankind. Yes, we will cover the environment pollution. Smoke that you puff out will pollute the air around you. The cigarette ends are difficult to dispose. And the disposing process will set many pollutants into the environment.

As you can see, smoking cigarettes involves personal and public factors that are largely destructive. It will not only jeopardize our own health, but also undermine the environment and the human future. So if now is not the time for you to quit, when will be?

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So do you really want to give up smoking cigarettes completely? I understand what your situation is because I gave up twice before and came back with stronger addiction. This means that I consumed half a pack before I tried to quit and nearly one pack after the try. In order to find out the answer to the question above, we need to find out what stops us from quitting smoking. To do that, we also need to find out what caused us to smoke the first cigarette of our lives.

Influence coming from the colleagues or close friends is one of the direct reasons. As I recall, I was working on a building site that was located in the rural area and far from populated regions. Everyone was taking a cigarette between their lips. So was I. I often imagined if only I had not lighted my first one. However, regretting can do nothing good from us because I normally find my hand is reaching to the pocket for a lighter at this moment.

This leads us to the second reason why we lighted our first cigarette – issues happening in our lives. When we are struck by big problems that we can not react to calmly, we tend to turn to the cigarette in order to calm down. That plays a role that is similar to alcohol. Socializing with people is nothing to blame on. Everyone needs friends. And big things might happen to anyone, too. But there are better ways to address those things more effectively than inhaling smoke from burnt tobacco leaves into your lung.

Want to quit smoking cold turkey without becoming one? Click here now!

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There are many things that stop you from giving up smoking. What the people close to us do is one of them. Many people ask such a question – how can they stop smoking while others around them are refusing to quit? This is a common question among smokers that are planning, but not strong enough, to quit. I understand it because I lighted my first cigarette because of the influence of the people that are working and living around me.

Is there a solution to this? The solution may vary from person to person as far as the effectiveness is concerned. I am going to share the one solution that helped me to quit smoking.

I call it Anti-smoking Partnership.

Nobody want to break up with his or her smoking friends because of his or her resolution to give smoking up. I did not want to do that, either. However, you can find one person that might be willing to quit with you. If there is someone like that, you are lucky. If there is no one among your friends, then you can persuade one or associate with one nonsmoking friend.

After you find the partner, make a deal with him or her. It should be agreed upon that you will monitor each other and cooperate with each other in stopping others who are smoking around you. Anti-smoking partnership is effective because two protesters will make a difference among people that will probably not listen to one single protester.

Warning: Do this gradually. Otherwise, you might lose your friendship.

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Everyone knows that smoking is bad for us. However, not everyone knows the exact reasons why cigarettes are bad for us. If you are still wondering about this question, then this article will clear your confusion.

Let us start with the cigarette itself. There are up to 4000 chemical compounds contained in a cigarette, hundreds of which are poisonous. Nicotine is the one of the most important substance that contribute to why we are addicted to smoking. Carbon monoxide is one chemical that is produced by incomplete combustion. It is also the cause of many poisoning accidents in fires. Sometimes, I can not help wondering why the smoke that we would not inhale even when we are provided with a promise of a million dollars becomes something that we enjoy.

Health and image are another two reasons why smoking is bad for you. The cigarette smoke is inhaled into our lung which is then endangered with the risks of diseases. This reminds us of the terrible cancer we would not like to mention.

Smoking can easily cause bad breath that could damage our public image. Regular smokers also have stained teeth which destroy our smile. Public image is very important for people who are living in the modern times where the relationship between people is very important. We surely do not want our image damaged by smoking.

Financial reasons should not be neglected, either. Cigarettes costs money which can be spent on more constructive things such as books or toys for kids. Perhaps, the cost on cigarettes are only a drop in the bucket. But if you suffered some diseases caused by smoking, your financial situation will be put to test.

Now that you understand why smoking is bad for you in terms of social acceptance, health and wealth, you will probably look at smoking from a new perspective. So next time when you are about to light up, you should think of what you have read above in advance.

Want to quit smoking cold turkey without becoming one? Click here now!

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If you want to stop smoking cigarettes completely and permanently, you must manage to forget about smoking from all sides, mentally and physically. Only when you achieve that can you say that you have successfully quit smoking cigarettes. This article is going to share some killer tips on stopping smoking in an all round way that will get you on track in no time.

The first tip is to remove any objects that can remind you of cigarettes from your sight. These objects include lighters and ashtrays. Once you started quitting, the first thing you do should be get rid of them immediately. Your willpower should not be put to test at the beginning. This should be done because the sight of a lighter tends to remind a smoker of cigarettes.

The second tip on stopping smoking from all sides is to acquire support from your friends and family. At the beginning of his or her life without cigarettes, a smoker will easily be excited by the sight of seeing others smoke. If your friends or family members smoke, it is necessary to talk with them. I believe they will respect your decision and will not smoke at your presence. Support from family and friends is very important for a nonsmoker-to-be.

The third tip is to resume your mental status of a nonsmoker. It means that you should forget about the fact that you have ever smoked. This is not cheating. This can be called partial self-hypnosis though. Start telling yourself and others that you are a nonsmoker who does not smoke or has never smoked. This is a good way to get you back to where you were before you lighted up your first cigarette in your life.

All of the above tips have helped me to quit smoking. And I believe they will help you if you take action right away after you finish reading this article. Now it is your turn to put them into practice and enjoy the rest of your life free of smoking.

Want to quit smoking cold turkey without becoming one? Click here now!

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