Quitting Smoking

Overview:

Cigarettes contain 4000 harmful chemicals including 43 which are known carcinogens (cancer causing). Some of the chemicals found in cigarettes are; nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide (found in car exhausts), formaldehyde (found in embalming fluid), hydrogen cyanide (found in pesticides), hydrochloric acid (a corrosive acid which is also a major component of stomach acid), toluene (found in solvents), ammonia (found in some cleaning products), acetone (found in nail polish remover).

Smoking is is the leading cause of preventable death in Australia.

Health risks of smoking:

• Increased risk of asthma

• Bronchitis

• Cancer; over 80% of lung cancer deaths are a result of smoking, mouth, nose, esophageus, throat,  bladder, breast, pancreas, bladder, cervix & penis, just to name a few.

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

• Deep vein thrombosis

• Degenerative eye disease

• Emphysema

• Eye irritation

• Heart disease

• Impotence

• Increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome in infants who have  a parent who smokes

• Low birth weight of babies born to smokers

• Premature birth in pregnant women

• Stroke

Not only does smoking affect your own health but passive smoking also has health risks for those around you including children & co-workers. Even if you smoke outside, when you come indoors the smoke lingers on your clothing & skin & other family members are still being exposed to the harmful effects of these chemicals.

It accelerates the signs of aging on the skin, causes discolouration of the teeth & skin & causes the smoker's clothing, hair & body smell. Smoking diminishes the sense of smell & taste.

Benefits of quitting:    [2]

As soon as you put out your last cigarette your body begins to heal itself.

• 20 minutes; heart rate drops

• 12 hours; carbon monoxide levels return to normal

• 2 weeks - 3 months; lung function improves, risk of heart attack decreases

• 1 month

• 1 year; your risk of a heart attack is half that of a smoker

• 5 - 15 years; your risk of a stroke is reduced to that of a non smoker

• 10 years; your risk of lung cancer is half that of a smoker

• 15 years; your risk of a coronary heart attack is the same as that of somebody who has never smoked

Different ways to help you quit smoking:

It is strongly urged that you speak to your doctor prior to quitting. They can offer you advice on the many methods to assist you quit & can provide you with information & support.

Some of the methods used to quit include;

Cold turkey; This is the abrupt cessation without other help such as smoking cessation aids.

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT); This can come in the form of patches, chewing gum or lozenges. You still receive nicotine while you work to break the psychological dependence to cigarettes.

Bupropion (Zyban); This prescription medication was originally an antidepressant but it was found to assist with smoking cessation.

Varenicline (Chantix): This is another prescription medication which can be prescribed to assist smokers quit. It is a nicotinic receptor antagonist, that is it blocks the pleasant effects of smoking on the brain. 

Hypnotherapy; This involves the use of hypnotism to help improve focus & concentration by inducing a relaxed state.

There are many support groups which can be found online & also 'quit lines' for smokers & those giving up can call for help & support.

Withdrawal symptoms:

You may experience withdrawal symptoms when you quit smoking. Some of these may include;

• Constipation

• Coughing & mucus

• Depression

• Difficulty concentrating

• Headaches

• Increased appetite

• Insomnia

• Irritability, anger, anxiety

• Tension

Tips to help you quit & stay off the cigarettes:

• Set a quit date. My preference was to avoid quitting around times when I'd normally smoke more such as Christmas. This usually involved more alcohol, food & celebrating than usual, which all went hand in hand with smoking.

• Throw away cigarettes, lighters & ashtrays.

• Avoid situations where you would usually smoke such as parties, going out for coffee etc., for the first few weeks.

• Have a list of reasons  you are quitting. Write them down & during times of weakness read the list.

• If you do feel yourself needing a cigarette try to distract yourself. Go for a walk, do some housework, eat a piece of fruit, call a friend or a quitline for some support.

• Don't be discouraged if you fall off the wagon. It is common for somebody to attempt to quit several times before succeeding.

How to support a smoker who is quitting:

• The biggest annoyance I found was people who just had no faith in my ability to quit. So if somebody close to you has quit, instead of offering negative comments such as 'you'll never do it' try to support them. Tell them how proud you are of them, how they can do it.

• If you are a smoker, avoid smoking around those who have recently quit smoking.

• Be patient with them if they are a bit irritable. It is only temporary & it won't last forever.

• If they are having a moment of strong cravings try to distract them. Offer them support & encouragement. Remind them of how well they've been doing.

References:

[1] Health Insite

[2] CDC