12 June, 2020

SOME ADVICE FOR THE DAY THAT YOU QUIT SMOKING

If you are not completely confident that you can resist the urge to smoke after you have quit, it may be necessary to remove any visual reminders of smoking from your living and work areas. Throw away or give away those leftover cigarettes, get rid of lighters, ashtrays, matches, and anything else that could be associated with smoking. Why should you force yourself to resist the urge to smoke when it is far simpler to just remove the reminders. If you keep a pack of cigarettes in your home or office, there is a good chance that you may pick one up. Just this one may be the cigarette that hooks you again.

COPING WITH THE SYMPTOMS OF WITHDRAWAL

Dizziness may occur during the first one or two days. Take a quick break, it will pass.

Headaches may appear at any time during the first weeks. Try to relax. Take any usual remedy for headache, a cold cloth on the back of your neck, or relieve the stress by taking a short walk.

Tiredness may occur during the first few weeks, but if you meditate or relax during the first few weeks, it will pass.

Coughing may actually increase during the first few days, simply because the residue from the smoke has not been flushed from your system.

Tightness in the chest may occur in the first few days. Rest and take deep breaths, it will go away.

Sleeping problems may occur in the first few days. Try to stay away from drinks that have a high caffeine content, try not to exercise too strenuously in the hours prior to bedtime. A hot bath prior to retiring at night may also be helpful.

Constipation may occur in the first month after you quit. If this occurs, eat foods with a high fiber content, drink plenty of fluids, and do some light exercise.

Concentration may tend to wander during the first few weeks. Be ready for this, take a break or do something physical for a short period of time.

Click here to download an example form to chart your progress as you begin to give up cigarettes. They are all self explanatory and should prove to be a tremendous asset in assisting you to give up your habit.

On a daily basis, chart each cigarette that you smoke during the day. Enter the time, place, and with whom you smoked, the reason for smoking, whether it will be easy or difficult to give that one up, and the weapon that you will use to fight the urge to smoke that one.