Discover Ways to Quit Smoking and Improve Your Health
Overcoming the Fear of Quitting Smoking
Are you struggling with the decision to quit smoking despite knowing the numerous health benefits? It’s common to have concerns about weight gain, stress management, and losing smoking buddies. However, it’s crucial not to let these worries hold you back from making a positive change in your life.
One common misconception is the fear of gaining weight after quitting smoking. While some individuals may experience a slight weight gain, the health benefits of quitting far outweigh this concern. Research shows that the emotional well-being of individuals improves after quitting smoking, leading to a better quality of life.
Managing Stress and Cravings During the Quitting Process
Smoking is often perceived as a stress reliever, especially during challenging times like the current pandemic. However, it’s essential to understand that the temporary feelings of relaxation from nicotine are outweighed by the long-term consequences of smoking, which include increased stress and anxiety.
To cope with stress and cravings during the quitting process, consider incorporating techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, and FDA-approved medications like nicotine replacements or anti-smoking medications. These strategies can help alleviate withdrawal symptoms and support you on your journey to a smoke-free life.
Summary
In conclusion, making the decision to quit smoking is a significant step towards improving your overall health and well-being. While the fear of weight gain, stress, and cravings may be daunting, it’s essential to prioritize your long-term health over temporary concerns. By seeking support from healthcare professionals, utilizing effective strategies to manage withdrawal symptoms, and staying committed to your quit plan, you can successfully overcome the challenges of quitting smoking and enjoy a healthier lifestyle.
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You would love to quit smoking. Health reasons are a mile long and your body (between coughs) is telling you it’s time. But you are afraid to quit smoking. Will you gain weight? How can you control stress and cravings? Will you lose your smoking buddies?
Don’t let those worries keep you from quitting. Some are false or exaggerated. Others can be overcome. But you can calm your worries and finally leave cigarettes behind.
Smoking a cigarette may seem like a much-needed stress reliever, especially during the pandemic.
“People are dealing with unprecedented levels of stress. Everyone is stressed,” says Pamela Ling, MD, an internist and director of the Tobacco Control Research and Education Center at the University of California, San Francisco.
“Some people feel that having a cigarette is the way to cope.”
However, this is a false idea, says Ling. Yes, the nicotine in cigarettes can create a feeling of well-being, relaxation and improved concentration. But these are just short-term feelings, rewards your brain gives you for feeding you the nicotine you crave. The longer you go between cigarettes, the more nervous and stressed you will feel. In the long term, smoking increases stress and anxiety.
If you can quit smoking for a year, research shows that you’ll probably feel better emotionally than when you smoked, says Michael Fiore, MD, an internist and director of the Tobacco Research and Intervention Center at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
“The average smoker a year after quitting is less depressed, less anxious, and their mood improves,” says Fiore.
To help relieve the stress caused by quitting smoking, try things like deep breathing, meditating, and reciting affirmations (such as “I am strong enough to beat this”). FDA-approved medications can also help, Ling says. These include nicotine replacements (available in the form of patches, gum, lozenges, sprays, or inhalers) or two anti-smoking medications: bupropion (Zyban) and varenicline (Chantix).
Weight gain after quitting smoking is real for most people, says Fiore. But the average gain is only between 5 and 10 pounds.
To prevent the pounds from piling on from quitting smoking, you may need to exercise more while ditching the donuts and French fries at the same time. You can also avoid sugar cravings by drinking more water and chewing sugarless gum.
Another option: a 3-month prescription for bupropion. This medication is known to facilitate withdrawal without gaining weight, Ling says.
Keep in mind that adding a few extra pounds pales in comparison to the benefits that quitting smoking brings to your body.
“The health effects of a small weight gain are really outweighed by all the benefits of quitting smoking,” says Ling.
It’s true that nicotine withdrawal symptoms can be powerful and unpleasant, although this varies from person to person.
Can:
- Feeling restless or nervous
- be irritable
- You have trouble concentrating
- Feel sad
- have trouble sleeping
- Having intense cravings to smoke
To lessen these symptoms, Fiore recommends over-the-counter 2-milligram nicotine mini-lozenges, which he says can be “remarkably helpful.”
Some people try electronic cigarettes (vaping) to help taper off nicotine, but research has shown mixed results. The FDA does not recommend e-cigarettes for this purpose.
Keep in mind that withdrawal symptoms in most people peak within the first 3 days. The first week is usually the worst. Most symptoms go away in, at most, 2 to 3 months, Fiore says.
The longer you have smoked, the more likely you are to have developed pleasurable smoking habits. You may be used to smoking a cigarette with coffee or alcohol, after a meal, or after sex. Or you may have daily routines associated with smoking, such as driving to work.
If you quit smoking, you may feel stimulated (that is, want to smoke) when remembering these experiences.
Controlling triggers is key to quitting smoking. But this doesn’t mean giving up what gives you pleasure, says Fiore. It is possible to separate smoking from the activities and habits you enjoy.
To do this, try replacing smoking with another activity, such as chewing carrots, apples, celery, or gum. Breathing exercises can help, as can medications. You may also need to temporarily avoid or change routines and other triggers.
It can be difficult to be around people who smoke when you are trying to quit smoking. You may need to set limits with your friends and ask them not to smoke around you.
This is especially difficult if you live with a smoker. It is best to prohibit smoking in closed spaces. If that’s something you can’t do, try creating a non-smoking area where you can stay. Even better, if possible, get your spouse or partner to quit with you.
You can also consider adding non-smoking friends to your circle. Fiore says her institute’s research shows that after a year, ex-smokers have expanded their social networks.
“It just makes practical sense,” Fiore says. Since only 14% of Americans smoke, “there are many more non-smokers than smokers.” If you don’t smoke, you may be more open to relationships with non-smokers.
If you’re like most smokers, you started as a teenager. In middle age or old age, you may fear that you have caused permanent damage. So why bother quitting smoking?
“No matter how old you are, you will feel better when you quit smoking,” says Fiore.
This is because quitting smoking helps your health, regardless of how long you have smoked. Some changes, such as lower blood pressure, begin within 30 minutes of quitting smoking, Fiore says. In a month you will be able to breathe better. In one year, the risk of heart attack and stroke is reduced by 50%. If you quit smoking at age 60, you’ll cut your risk of dying in half over the next 15 years compared to a smoker, Fiore says.
Plus, Fiore says, “it’s not just about more time, it’s about a better quality of life.”
Many former smokers try to quit many times before succeeding, perhaps as many as 30 times or more, according to a 2016 study.
“If someone has tried to quit smoking and isn’t successful, people will say, ‘I feel like a failure. I feel disgusting,'” says Emma Brett, PhD, who studies addiction and co-leads smoking cessation groups at the University of Massachusetts. from Chicago. . The thought of trying again “can be intimidating,” she says.
She encourages framing your past attempts as learning experiences. “You get more information about what works and what doesn’t. That can be used to inform the next attempt and hopefully make it more successful.”
Studies show that combining counseling and medication doubles your chances of success. Ling advises having a plan first, rather than impulsively quitting.
Smoking cessation counseling and medications are covered by the Affordable Care Act. Additionally, free government resources abound, including:
- 1-800-LEAVE NOW (1-800-784-8669), staffed by trained smoking cessation counselors who can provide you with free smoking cessation medications.
- smokefree.gova website run by the National Cancer Institute that offers tips and tools
- A diary to quit smoking text messaging service (text EXIT to 47848)
Consult your doctor for further help. Whatever you do, don’t let your fears of quitting stop you from living a healthier, smoke-free life.
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