Do You Want To Quit Smoking? Here’s How You Start

 

We all want this quit to be “THE REAL THING”—that one last time of smoking.

But that one last time quickly becomes another last time and before you know it, decades have passed and you’re still hooked on smoking.

A study revealed that while younger people are more likely to try and quit, elderly people are typically more successful in their attempts than younger people. This appears surprising considering the assumption that older age would dampen the odds of one quitting,

 

Remember: It Is Never Too Late To Quit Smoking

 

Your health starts to improve less than 30 minutes after you give up smoking. The American Lung Association detailed what happens in the days, weeks, and years following quitting smoking, including lowering blood pressure and decreasing the risk of heart attacks. 

Timeline of how your life can change when you quit smoking:

• 20 minutes later: Your blood pressure returns back to normal.
•  24 hours later: Go a full day without smoking a cigarette and you’ve lowered your chance of having a heart attack.
•  Three days: Breathing becomes easier due to the absence of inflammation.
• After two weeks: Your overall lung function increases. Moreover making it two weeks is a big step in quitting for good, too!
• A couple of months later: Breathing continues to improve, and your chance of having a heart attack decreases by the week.
• One year later: Your chance of developing CAD is half that of a smoker’s.
•  Three to five years later: Your risk of dying of a heart attack returns to that of a non-smoker.
• 10 years later: Your chance of developing lung cancer decreases to that of a non-smoker.

Tips and Steps – Once you decide it’s time to stop,

Easy Does It:

Going from smoking multiple packs a day to not smoking at all is never easy.

Try limiting each smoking session to one or two cigarettes per session, and less frequently. For example, if you were smoking 4 times a day, try reducing it progressively to 3 times, then 2 times. Proving that old habits can be broken.

Cold Turkey:

I wouldn’t recommend this to the faint hearted but quitting cold turkey is ideal for those that want to power through the whole journey of quitting smoking. While there are no risks that come with quitting in this manner, the abrupt stop of nicotine may cause some harmless side effects.

However If you feel like this is the right method for you, go right ahead.

Medication:

There are medications that help you quit smoking. For instance, Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) are an over-the-counter medication that comes in many forms such as nicotine patches, nicotine gum, and lozenges.

However, non-nicotine medications are on prescriptions, for instance, Wellbutrin and Champix. Wellbutrin (Bupropion) improves mood and feelings of well-being as well as decrease nicotine cravings. Champix (Varenicline) reduces both craving and decreasing the pleasurable effects of tobacco products.

Talk to Your Doctor:

In any case, please consult your doctor. Not only can they give you better-suited options when it comes to treatment, they may also be able to recommend other healthcare professionals such as behavioral therapists who can help you in breaking the habit

Reward System:

Reward yourself for every time you don’t smoke a cigarette.

In the bigger picture, if you physically save up money for every pack of cigarettes you don’t buy, you can see all the money you’ve saved at the end of the year and spend it on something you want.

Quit Smoking Support Services:

Smokers can also seek help and advice from healthcare professionals, ranging from general practitioners, psychiatrists/psychologists to dentists and pharmacists.

In Malaysia, there is an approximate of 300 government-run smoking cessation clinics. Here is one that you can start with at the National Cancer Society Malaysia.

 

And if you’re in Singapore, Health Promotion Board motivational talks and counseling sessions at your disposal. Additionally, look up the National Addictions Management Services.

 

Here’s a link to the smoking cessation brochure by the National Addictions Management Services:https://www.imh.com.sg/uploadedFiles/Publications/Service_Brochures/Smoking%20and%20mental%20health%20brochure.pdf

 

 

 

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