8 Ways to Quit

A CITATION from King James I (see end of article ) clearly reveals that as far back as the early 17th century smoking was considered to be an unhealthy and unwise activity. With the passing of time and the advent of modern science, overwhelming scientific evidence has verified the viewpoint of King James I. Smoking is believed to cause one-third of all cancer deaths and one-fourth of all fatal heart attacks in the United States. The American Lung Association estimates 350,000 Americans die each year from diseases related to smoking. But that figure is considered conservative by other authorities who claim the US death toll from diseases related to smoking is closer to 500,000. Incredibly, more than 40,000 careful studies have proved that smoking causes disease and death. As a result of all that type of evidence experts say that not smoking, or quitting if you smoke cigarettes now, is the number one thing people can do for their health. Here are eight ways to quit smoking. By doing so you will take control of your health and your life.

Repeat this sentence

If I quit now, I will live longer. Here is a simple but important fact: the body has an amazing ability to heal itself. For example, after fifteen years off cigarettes, the risk of death for ex-smokers returns to nearly the level of people who have never smoked. Male smokers who quit between the ages of 35 and 39 add an average of five years to their lives. Females who quit add an average of three years. These are averages, but for many people they extend their lives by many more years when they quit smoking.

Do some research

 Knowledge is power and information can lead you to liberation. There are many excellent books available dealing with the dangers of smoking and how to quit. Do your own research and find books which ‘speak’ to you and relate most to your circumstances and personality. Visit a library or bookstore to look over some books. Bring them home. Read them, reflect on them and then put the information into action. Philosopher Thomas Fuller observed, “Action is the proper fruit of knowledge”.

Personally motivate quitting

In spite of all the scientific evidence about the dangers of smoking, most people who quit do so for very personal reasons. A man may quit because he witnessed a beloved relative die from a smoking related disease. A woman may quit because she is pregnant and concerned about the healthy of her unborn child. A recently retired man quit because his energy level is getting lower and lower. Another woman was inspired to quit after hearing a Bible reading in church from 1 Corinthians 6:19, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” After hearing that passage, the woman told friends, “Realizing that life is a gift from God and that the Spirit of God resides within me, I just couldn’t continue polluting my body and damaging it by smoking”. It is important to develop your own specific, personal motivations for quitting. “Knowing your own reasons for quitting – and remembering them when times get tough – will be a big help to you in becoming a non-smoker,” says Edwin B. Fisher Jr, PhD, in the American Lung Association 7 Steps To A Smoke-Free Life. Dr. Fisher advises going through a list similar to this one and checking the reasons which would be most important to you:

·            I will have more control over my life.

·            I will be healthier.

·            My heart rate and blood pressure will be lower.

·            I’ll save lots of money.

·            I’m tired of smoky-smelling breath and clothes.

·            I’ll set a better example for my children.

·            I’ll have more energy.

·            The chances of fire in my home will decrease.

·            I’ll lessen my chances of death from heart disease, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and cancer.

·            Add more reasons you can think of.

“Once you have made your list, study it for two minutes a day, every day,” he says. “Keep adding to it as new reasons occur to you. Make this an active process, not just a crumpled list lost in a drawer… Continue to collect reasons to quit. When you have an urge to smoke, ask someone for a reason to quit. Every time you hear one, add it to your list”.

Consult medical authorities

Make an appointment to see your physician, letting him or her know your plan to quit smoking. Most physicians are eager to support you in quitting smoking, and can help you develop a program which meets your unique personal and medical needs. A doctor can guide you through the various ‘nicotine replacement’ products currently available such as nicotine patches, nicotine gum, nicotine nasal spray and nicotine inhalers. Some are available over the counter while others require a medical prescription. If you are uncomfortable with drug therapies, many smokers have experienced success by using alternative therapies such as hypnosis and acupuncture.

Do physical exercises

Fortify your decision to quit smoking by taking up a regular exercise program. Many studies show there is a clear link between exercise and the cessation of smoking. In one study researchers tracked the progress of 281 women enrolled in a smoking cessation program. All the women attended the same behavioural smoking cessation sessions. However, half who were chosen randomly also engaged in three vigorous exercise workouts per week while the other women attended health lectures. The results were impressive. At the end of the 12th week, twice as many exercisers were smoke free as non-exercisers. Additionally, the women in the exercise group had gained less weight. Researchers in smoking cessation believe exercise significantly aids efforts to stop smoking by:

·            Building confidence and boosting motivation.

·            Reducing nicotine cravings, especially in the early weeks.

·            Cutting down stress while promoting relaxation.

·            Improving moods which, in turn, reduce depressive feelings.

·            Assisting in weight management, a concern for many who quit smoking.

Consider the experience of Judith Knauer, who wrote a letter to Prevention magazine in September 1978 saying, “I am 45 years old, and I had been a smoker for 27 years. Since I began to jog in late November 1977, I haven’t touched or wanted a cigarette. The mere thought of inhaling cigarette smoke, now, fills me with revulsion. I suspect that there is some biochemical or physiological connection between jogging (or running) and no desire to smoke”.

Smoking cessation courses

 Counsellors and therapists offer ongoing classes specifically designed to help people stop smoking. These classes are usually highly effective but a fee is charged to attend. Don’t be like some people who hesitate to pay for help to quit smoking. The modest fees charged will yield large and lifetime benefits. “You may not want to pay for a stop smoking program, but if you’re a typical smoker, you’re going to pay somebody,” Patricia Allison points out in her book Hooked But Not Helpless. “Right now you’re paying the cigarette companies anywhere from 60 to 100 dollars a month. And what about the throat lozenges, special toothpaste, sinus medication, aspiring and nasal sprays? What about the extra cleaning bills and higher insurance rates?… That’s what smoking is costing you now. Eventually, you’ll be paying hospitals and surgeons. Doesn’t it make sense to invest a modest sum now to save yourself thousands of dollars in the future? Money spent to stop smoking is an investment – one of the best you will ever make”.

Don’t hesitate to pray

Recall and apply this Biblical promise to yourself, “I will restore you to health and heal your wounds.” (Jeremiah 30:17) To break your addiction, turn to God in prayer asking for help and strength. Remember that Jesus said He came to bring “deliverance to the captives” (Luke 4:18). Here are some prayer sentences you can offer:

-         Loving God, I pray for my release. May this unclean habit cease.

-         Dear God, restore me to health and heal the wounds I’ve cause by smoking.

-        Give me your strength and grace, Dear God, so that I will no longer be a slave to cigarette addiction.

-         Loving God, help me respect my body as a temple of your Holy Spirit, and to treat it with respect and dignity.

Prepare for stress

Beating an addiction is not an easy task. Be prepared to deal with the stresses connected to smoking cessation by making some advance preparation. The American Heart Association (AHA) offers these tips for handling the stress on non-smoking: “Don’t talk yourself into smoking again. When you find yourself coming up with a reason to have ‘just one’, stop yourself. Think of what triggered you and come up with a different way to handle it. For example, if you feel nervous and think you need a cigarette, realize that you could take a walk to calm down instead. Be prepared for times when you’ll get the urge. If you smoke when drinking, cut down on alcohol so you don’t weaken your promise to yourself.” The American Heart Association also suggest changing your habits. Instead of having a cigarette after dinner, go for a walk. Frequent places where there is no smoking allowed. In restaurants, ask to be seated in the no smoking section. Spend your time with people who don’t smoke. Ask others to be supportive.

A COUNTERBLAST TO TOBACCO
       Puffing of the smoke of tobacco one to another, making filthy smoke

       and stink thereof, to exhale athwart the dishes and infect the air,

       when very often men that abhor it are at their repast? . . . Have you

       not reason then to be ashamed, and to forbear this filthy novelty . . .

       a custom loathsome to the eye, hateful to the nose, harmful to the

       brain, dangerous to the lungs.

–        King James I in a 1604 essay titled A Counterblast to Tobacco