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- Archive-name: support/stop-smoking/faq/part4
- Posting-Frequency: weekly (every friday)
-
- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
-
- FOR
-
- ALT.SUPPORT.STOP-SMOKING (AS3)
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
- Part 4: TECHNIQUES, TROUBLESHOOTING, AND TIPS
-
- "I am definitely gaining weight. The added money in my wallet is
- really weighing me down! Let the weight gain continue!" - Rick Weaver
-
- "I'd rather be chunky than a nicotine junkie!" - MaryJane Patterson
-
- 31. How do I avoid relapsing during stressful times?
-
- You can avoid a lot of the things that trigger the urge to smoke until you
- feel ready to handle them. But stress, bad news, and sad events come on
- their own terms, and when they do, they make many of us return to the
- comfort of that false friend, smoking.
-
- There isn't any technique to guarantee that you won't smoke when the going
- gets really tough, and you'd only be human if you did. But if you can try
- to remember that smoking is only temporary relief and can't really solve
- your problem, you might get through. Here's how Nat <nacjr@iglou.com> put
- it:
-
- "My dad died in March of lung cancer. I had quit a couple of months
- prior to that and started back during the days leading up to the funeral.
- What I'm going to say may sound hard, but I feel more compassion than you
- know.
-
- My daddy died.
- I smoked just one.
- My daddy was still dead.
- I smoked some more.
- He was still dead.
- The estate pressures were still there.
- My momma still needed me.
- My family still needed me.
- I was once again a fully involved addict with a lot of grief and
- pressures.
- I have had to go through the quit all over again.
-
- "We learn to deal with our emotions through smoking. A crisis arises after
- 2-3 years and we want to smoke. The quit process never ends. Every day we
- must make a conscious decision to either win or lose. If you look at it
- right, it's an opportunity that the never-smoker doesn't have: victory over
- the most addictive substance in our culture!"
-
- Another way to deal with a strong urge is to beat it senseless. :) Here,
- Susan <sharpie5@aol.com> describes her battle with what we like to call the
- Nicobeast:
-
- "... in a drunken stupor, I did the only thing I could do. I got in a
- barfight with him. I would have slammed him onto the pool table but it's a
- British Pub, no table. I would have hit him with a beer bottle but I was
- drinking mixed drinks. So I hit him. Hard. Then I kicked him right where it
- hurts. Rest assured my friends, there will be no little nicobeasts running
- around ... if you know what I mean. I was trying not to be too obvious
- about beating him up as I didn't want my friends to notice. Fortunately, we
- were outside. So I pretended to be stomping my feet to keep warm. Really I
- was stomping the nicobeast into so much hamburger helper. I had to sing Ave
- Maria to cover those awful squeals that he made. I can't carry a tune in a
- bucket. It was a little embarrassing, but worth it. I walked away
- unscathed."
-
- 32. I dreamt I smoked!
-
- The 'smoking dream' is a bizarre yet very common phenomenon among
- ex-smokers. It might hit at different phases of your quitting experience;
- it might hit when you think you don't even think about smoking anymore.
- These dreams tend to be very vivid and so realistic that you will probably
- believe you actually smoked; you may even wake feeling raw in your throat.
- But, no matter how real the guilt feels, dreaming about smoking is not
- equivalent to actually smoking! So when the dreams come, try not to be
- bothered by them, just amused at the power of the subconscious.
-
- 33. What about weight gain?
-
- By Michael D. Myers, M.D. <myersmd@weight.com>, as published on his
- homepage. Reused with kind permission.
-
- Smoking and Obesity.
-
- "When people stop smoking, they commonly gain weight. Most people think
- that they are substituting food for cigarettes. This is partially correct.
- Smoking is usually a different form of oral gratification that obviously
- does not involve the consumption of calories. However, smoking does have
- another effect - it actually increases caloric requirements. A person who
- smokes requires approximately 10% more calories to maintain their body
- weight than when they are not smoking. Therefore, if a person maintains
- constant food intake and exercise and stops smoking, their body weight is
- expected to increase between 5% and 10%.
-
- "An excellent way to help counter this is to exercise consistently. For
- example, start walking 30 minutes a day three to four times a week - a very
- feasible goal. Another approach is recording your food intake. If you write
- down everything you eat before you eat it, you will become much more aware
- of what you are eating. This helps you make better food choices, thereby
- helping you maintain your weight.
-
- "It is much more important to stop smoking than to worry about weight gain.
- The deleterious effects of smoking far outweigh the effects of putting on a
- few extra pounds. Some people think that when they stop smoking it is also
- a good time to go on a strict diet. This is not recommended because both
- are very stressful and it is extremely difficult to do both effectively.
- Usually, people do not succeed at either and feel like failures. Remember
- that it is important to stop smoking first. Then you can deal with your
- weight more effectively.
-
- "Disclaimer Statement: The above information is for general purposes only,
- and should not be construed as definitive or binding medical advice.
- Because each person is medically different, individuals should see their
- personal physicians for specific information and/or treatment. For
- comments, please send E-mail to: myersmd@weight.com. I do respond to
- E-mail. Office Address: MICHAEL D. MYERS, M.D. Inc. 4216 Katella Av. Los
- Alamitos, CA (US) 90720 phone: 1-310-493 2266."
-
-
- 34. But I don't *want* to gain weight!
-
- Contributed by Susan <skcroutw@fuse.net>
-
- "Another person in the ng who wanted this information thought others would
- be interested, so I am passing it along. Walking has helped me a lot, both
- on the stress side and to avoid gaining weight.
-
- Smoking fact: A smoker who smokes 20 cigarettes per day burns
- approximately 200 calories more each day than if he/she were a non-smoker.
-
- To eliminate that 200 calorie gain, use the calculation below:
-
- A person weighing 140 pounds who walks 3 miles [roughly 5km] per hour (a 20
- minute mile) will burn about 95 calories per mile. 45 minutes at this pace
- will result in about 2 miles being walked, or 215 calories burned. This
- alone will prevent weight gain after quitting. Just walk a little longer or
- a little faster to lose weight. Also remember that 3,500 calories need to
- be expended or eliminated from the diet per pound of weight. I personally
- much prefer working out to giving up calories!
-
- At 120 lbs, a person walking at 3 mph will burn 80 calories. For every 10
- lbs you weigh over 120, add 5 calories burned."
-
-
- 35. Just how does smoking harm my health?
-
- [This was posted to AS3 so long ago that the source has been lost. If
- anyone knows where this is from, please e-mail liorah@interport.net.]
-
- * Lung Cancer risk increases roughly 50 to 100 percent for each
- cigarette you smoke per day;
-
- * Heart Disease risk increases roughly 100 percent for each pack of
- cigarettes you smoke per day;
-
- * Switching to filter-tip cigarettes reduces the risk of Lung Cancer
- roughly 20 percent, but does not affect the risk of Heart Disease;
-
- * Smokers spend 27 percent more time in the hospital and more than twice
- as much time in intensive care units as nonsmokers;
-
- * Each cigarette costs the smoker 5 to 20 minutes of life;
-
- * A smoker is at twice the risk of dying before age 65 as a non-smoker!!
-
-
- 36. What are some of the less publicized health risks of smoking?
-
- We all know that smoking greatly increases the risk of developing
- emphysema, stroke, heart attack, lung cancer, etc. In addition, there are
- several less publicized health conditions which are linked to smoking:
-
- a. Blindness
-
- In October 1996, results of separate long-term studies linking smoking to
- an incurable form of blindness called age-related macular degeneration were
- published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). In
- this form of blindness, a person's field of vision becomes increasingly
- limited. The research found that smoking more than doubled the risk of
- macular degeneration in women over 50, with similar findings in men over
- 40. While researchers couldn't pinpoint the exact reason for the increased
- risk, they theorized that smoking either affects the blood flow to the eye,
- or causes retinal damage through oxidation.
-
- (source: JAMA. 1996; 276:1141-1146 [study of women]; 1147-1151 [study of
- men]) Thanks to Evan Herberg for calling this study to AS3's attention.
-
-
- b. COPD
-
- From The Lung Association Home Page:
-
- "COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is a term that refers to a
- variety of chronic lung disorders, the most common being a mixture of
- chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
-
- "COPD is the result of damage that has been done to lungs over many years.
- The diagnosis is made when the symptoms become apparent to you and your
- physician.
-
- "COPD results in chronic airflow obstruction, the main symptom of which is
- dyspnea, or shortness of breath, often occurring with cough and wheeze.
- COPD affects both men and women. The average Canadian with COPD is 65 years
- of age and has a long history of smoking. However, COPD can first be
- diagnosed in patients as young as 40.
-
- "COPD progresses slowly and worsens over time. Symptoms can range from
- being barely noticeable to incapacitating. The rate of progression and
- extent of disability vary from person to person.
-
- "While there is no cure for COPD, the progression of the disease can be
- controlled first and foremost by quitting smoking. Appropriate medication,
- exercise rehabilitation and prevention of infection are also important
- factors in the rate of deterioration and symptom control."
-
-
- c. Depression
-
- This is a biggie, and comes up for discussion frequently. The excellent
- discussion below was posted to AS3 on 30 Sept. 1996:
-
- Darcy Binder <DBinder@ifc.org> wrote:
-
- "Does anyone know the connection between smoking (or quitting smoking) and
- depression? I have quit three times in my life, and each time I have been
- getting seriously depressed. Is there a chemical connection? Is it the lack
- of stimulant? I don't want to start again -- its been SIX weeks -- but I
- also would like to stop crying!"
-
- Bob Christofferson <rechris1@facstaff.wisc.edu> followed-up:
-
- "Hi! There definitely *is* a chemical connection between nicotine and
- depression, but as with most matters of brain chemistry, it's less than
- perfectly understood. What is quite certain is that people who are
- depressive find nicotine an especially effective drug, and consequently
- find it especially hard to quit.
-
- "That doesn't mean that *you* are depressive, however. It's a normal
- response to nicotine withdrawal to have some feelings of depression. If you
- read the posts to this group, you'll notice that many people go through
- periods of depression while completing the process of smoking cessation.
- Different people have the experience at different times after they quit,
- and some people don't seem to have it at all. But, for most people, it's a
- withdrawal symptom which isn't too severe and doesn't last too long, and
- they recover from it and feel 'like themselves' again.
-
- "In some people, though, smoking cessation does trigger serious episodes of
- clinical depression which require medical treatment, and which, in the
- extreme, can be life threatening. In recent years, new medication and
- therapies have been developed which can help most people with depression,
- and which often produce dramatic improvement quickly. Many people who could
- benefit from these treatments, though, are reluctant to get help because
- they feel embarrassed or ashamed, because they think they should be able to
- 'snap out of it' or somehow make their illness go away by themselves. Of
- course, there's no reason for anyone to think that, but symptoms of
- depression typically include feelings of guilt and hopelessness, which make
- it hard for the person to see the situation objectively.
-
- "So, how does anyone decide if their symptoms are more than the normal
- consequence of smoking cessation? My advice is that anyone who has any
- doubt should be evaluated *really soon* by a medical professional qualified
- to determine whether medical attention is needed. I say that in part
- because I'm convinced people hardly ever exaggerate the seriousness of
- their own situation but often will *understate* it, even to themselves --
- for perfectly sensible reasons, really. No one I know has ever been eager
- to get mental health treatment (but quite a few people I know have
- benefited by getting it).
-
- "So, my point of view is that if someone feels they may be more depressed
- than 'normal' nicotine withdrawal would explain, then there's a good chance
- that they are -- at least, a good enough chance that they should talk it
- over with someone who can tell."
-
- d. Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disorder (GERD)
-
- Again, I'll let the information come from our impressively well informed
- members. This was posted 22 Oct. 1996:
-
- Luci wrote:
-
- "Hi! I need an info buddy... After years of smoking and sinus problems,
- etc., I've been diagnosed with a new disorder - gastro esophageal reflux
- disorder. Does anybody out there share my problems??? Any advice???"
-
- Ed replied:
-
- "I've had GERD for years ...
-
- "GERD, according to my doctor, is often caused by cigarette smoke
- irritating the valve that separates the esophagus from the stomach. It
- seems that the smoke also goes down the esophagus when we inhale. For some
- not completely understood reason, the smoke irritation causes a loose
- closure of this valve and at times stomach acid can rise into the
- esophagus. The tissue of the esophagus, unlike the stomach, reacts with
- pain when in contact with stomach acid. A prescription drug - PRILOSEC, has
- really helped me. It is time-released and I take one each day. On rare
- occasions, usually at night, I also use liquid GAVISCON and within 20
- minutes the discomfort is gone. PRILOSEC is prescription. GAVISCON is
- over-the-counter. Both are not cheap but they work for me.
-
- "Hope this helps you. GERD is not uncommon. Just another reason for me to
- stop the cigs."
-
- e. "Smoker's Face" and Other Dermatological Ailments
-
- This phrase seems to have been coined in 1985 by Dr. Douglas Model of
- Eastbourne, England, who found, in empirical evidence, that nearly half of
- the smokers he studied looked far older than they were. Similar research
- was conducted by Dr. Jeffrey Smith, a senior resident in dermatology at the
- University of South Florida in Tampa. He found these conditions to be
- directly related to smoking:
-
- (From The St. Paul (Minnesota) Pioneer Press, 23 June 96. Originally posted
- to AS3 by <selmar@concentric.net>)
-
- "Wrinkles: 'For some patients the threat of wrinkles may be a more powerful
- motivator to help them stop smoking than the more deadly consequences of
- smoking,' Smith wrote. He explained that, as with skin that is overexposed
- to sunlight, smoking causes thickening and fragmentation of elastin, the
- elastic fibers that are long and smooth in healthy skin. Smoking also
- depletes the skin's oxygen supply by reducing circulation. It decreases the
- formation of collagen, the skin's main structural component, and may reduce
- the water content of the skin, all of which increase wrinkling.
-
- "Smoking also interferes with the skin's ability to protect itself against
- damage by free radicals, highly reactive substances that are omnipresent in
- tobacco smoke. In women, smoking diminishes the level of circulating
- estrogen, which in turn fosters dryness and disintegration of skin tissues.
-
- "Skin Cancers: Two kinds of skin cancers, the more curable squamous cell
- carcinomas and the often lethal melanomas, are influenced by smoking. Smith
- said that although smoking did not cause melanoma, smokers with melanoma
- were more likely to die of their disease. They are twice as likely to have
- advanced disease at the time of diagnosis and are more likely to have their
- cancers spread within two years of diagnosis, probably because smoking
- impairs the immune system. As for squamous cell carcinoma, even when
- exposure to sunlight was taken into account, smokers were found to be at
- greater risk of developing this cancer. In a study of more than 107,000
- nurses, for example, the risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma was 50
- per cent greater in smokers than in those who had never smoked. Smokers
- also tend to get particularly 'large, bad' skin cancers, Smith said.
-
- "Other Cancers: Cancers of the lip, mouth, penis, anus and vulva are also
- more common in smokers than nonsmokers. For example, in one study of 903
- female cancer patients, 60 percent of those with vulvar and anal cancers
- and 42 percent of those with cervical and vaginal cancers were smokers as
- against only 27 percent of comparable women without cancer. Smoking more
- than 10 cigarettes a day more than doubles a man's risk of developing
- penile cancer.
-
- "Delayed Wound Healing: The problem of slow or incomplete healing of wounds
- associated with exposure to cigarette smoke was clearly demonstrated in
- laboratory animals in the 1970s. Then surgeons began reporting on similar
- problems in patients who smoked: larger scars in women undergoing
- exploratory abdominal surgery, more complications and skin sloughing after
- facelifts and a much higher failure rate of skin grafts, for example. The
- more and the longer patients had smoked, the greater the likelihood of
- impaired wound healing. Even resuming smoking during an uneventful recovery
- could lead to adverse effects. Smith linked the slow healing of wounds to
- known effects of cigarette smoking, which constricts surface blood vessels,
- reduces the oxygen level in the blood, thickens the blood and impedes the
- laying down of collagen needed for healing.
-
- "Psoriasis and related disease: Studies of both men and women with this
- unsightly and discomforting skin condition have shown that smokers are
- about two to three times as likely to develop it as nonsmokers. And the
- more cigarettes smoked, the greater the risk. Palmoplantar pustulosis, a
- difficult-to-treat skin condition that resembles psoriasis, occurs only on
- the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. The skin blisters, then forms
- a scaly rash. It occurs almost exclusively in smokers and it does not
- necessarily go away when the patient quits smoking.
-
- "Oral lesions: In addition to smoker's face, there is also smoker's palate
- and smoker's tongue. The tars and heat of tobacco smoke can cause tiny red
- pimples in the mouth that result from an inflammation of the openings of
- salivary glands. Smokers also often develop depressions on the surface of
- the tongue. Potentially more serious, however, are lesions called
- leucoplakia, which are about six times more common in smokers than in
- nonsmokers. Although benign, these white patches in the mouth can become
- cancerous.
-
- "Buerger's disease: This blood vessel disease results in poor circulation
- in the lower legs, causing skin problems like burning, tingling and
- ulcerations. 'It usually occurs in young men who smoke, men in their 30s,'
- Smith said. 'But now that women are smoking a lot more, we're seeing it in
- women too.'
-
- "Other Skin conditions: Many skin diseases are associated with diabetes,
- which impairs circulation to the outer reaches of the body. A study of more
- than 112,000 female nurses followed for 12 years showed that current
- smokers faced an increased risk of developing noninsulin-dependent
- diabetes, and that the risk rose with the number of cigarettes smoked each
- day. Another study of nearly 43,000 male health professionals showed that
- smoking 25 or more cigarettes a day doubled a man's risk of developing
- diabetes.
-
- "People who smoke are much more likely to develop the bowel disorder
- Crohn's disease, which can cause 'big, ugly-looking ulcerations, most often
- on the legs, and painful red nodules, usually on the lower legs,' Smith
- said. Another condition more common in smokers is systemic lupus
- erythematosus, an autoimmune disease that can cause rashes on the face,
- scalp, hands and elsewhere, ulcerations in the mouth and hair loss."
-
- 37. How do the numbers from smoking-related deaths compare to other causes
- of death?
-
- The statistics which follow were obtained from an American Cancer Society
- pamphlet and are for 1993.
-
- Cause of Death : Number per Year
- (excluding smoking) (U.S.A. only)
-
- Alcohol-related: 105,000
- Car accidents: 49,000
- Suicide: 31,000
- AIDS: 31,000
- Murder: 22,000
- Fire: 4,000
- Cocaine: 3,300
- Heroin/Morphine: 2,400
-
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
- Total (of above): 247,700
-
- Cause of Death: Number per Year
- (Tobacco only) (U.S.A. only)
-
- Total tobacco related: 434,000
-
- 38. What is metastasis?
-
- By Barry Pekilis:
-
- "'Metastasis' is defined as the transfer of a disease-producing agency from
- the site of the disease to another part of the body. One of the mortal
- threats of cancer is metastasis. Early detection of cancer can be the
- difference between life and death. Most cancers can be detected at an early
- stage mainly because of physical symptoms such as lumps, bleeding, or some
- other clue.
-
- "Unfortunately there are two types of cancer in which early detection is
- highly unlikely: lung cancer and pancreatic cancer. By a dint of bad luck,
- if an individual has one of these two cancers, they will probably not know
- it until the disease has invaded other vital organs and parts of their
- body. By this time is may be too late for any meaningful treatment or cure.
-
- "The five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is 5% and for lung
- cancer, 10 percent. This compares to a survival rate of 50 80% for most
- other cancers.
-
- "This information is being supplied in this FAQ to help provide motivation
- for those of you who have either quit or are trying to quit. Cigarette
- smoking appears to be a major cause of both of these two malignant cancers."
-
- [For more on lung cancer in particular, including a GIF of a diseased lung,
- try http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/LungCancer/
-
- 39. What if I quit ... will I ever get better?
-
- Smoking cessation has major and immediate health benefits for men and women
- of all ages. These benefits apply to people with and without
- smoking-related diseases. The following information is from a booklet
- produced by the American Cancer Society:
-
- Within 20 minutes of your last cigarette:
-
- * blood pressure drops to normal
- * pulse drops to its normal rate
- * body temperature of your hands and feet increases to normal
-
- Within 8 hours:
-
- * carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal
- * oxygen level in your blood increases to normal
-
- Within 24 hours:
-
- * chance of heart attack decreases
-
- Within 48 hours:
-
- * nerve endings start regrowing
- * your abilities to smell and taste things are enhanced
-
- Within seventy-two hours:
-
- * bronchial tubes relax, making breathing easier
- * lung capacity increases
-
- Within two weeks to three months:
-
- * circulation improves and walking becomes easier
- * lung function increases by up to 30 percent
-
- Within one to nine months:
- * coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath decreases
- * cilia regrow in lungs, increasing ability to handle mucus, clean the
- lungs, and reduce infection
- * the body's overall energy level increases
-
- Five years:
-
- * lung cancer death rate for average ex-smoker decreases from 137 per
- 100,000 people to 72 per 100,000 (... almost half!)
-
- Ten years:
-
- * lung cancer death rate for average ex-smoker drops to 12 deaths per
- 100,000 (... almost the rate for a non-smokers and a full order of
- magnitude less than a smoker)
- * precancerous cells are replaced
- * other cancer rates (e.g., mouth, larynx, oesophagus, bladder, kidney
- and pancreas) decrease as well
-
- In addition:
-
- * ex-smokers tend to live longer than continuing smokers
- * smoking cessation decreases the risk of lung cancer, other cancers,
- heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease
- * women who stop smoking before pregnancy or during the first three to
- four months reduce their risk of having sickly babies, as compared to women
- who continue to smoke
-
- 40. OK, I quit. Why do I feel worse?
-
- [From CancerNet from the National Cancer Institute. CancerNet News.
- Clearing the Air: How to Quit Smoking...and Quit for Keeps. U.S. Department
- of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of
- Health.]
-
- National Cancer Institute, NIH Publication No. 94-1647, September 1993:
-
- "Immediate Effects
-
- "As your body begins to repair itself, instead of feeling better right
- away, you may feel worse for a while. It's important to understand that
- healing is a process - it begins immediately, but it continues over time.
- These 'withdrawal pangs' are really symptoms of the recovery process.
-
- "Immediately after quitting, many ex-smokers experience 'symptoms of
- recovery' such as temporary weight gain caused by fluid retention,
- irregularity and dry, sore gums or tongue. You may feel edgy, hungry, more
- tired, or more short-tempered than usual; you may have trouble sleeping or
- notice that you are coughing a lot. These symptoms are the result of your
- body clearing itself of nicotine, a powerful addictive chemical. Most
- nicotine is gone from the body in 2-3 days."
-
- [To treat these 'symptoms of recovery,' give your body what it really needs
- - NOT the poison which it is working so hard to expel! If you're tired,
- nap; edgy, try camomile tea, warm milk, a soothing bath; when constipated,
- get some exercise and eat some dried fruit. Keep in mind that these
- symptoms are temporary and are steps leading to better health than you've
- known in a long time! -ed.]
-
- 41. On the other hand ... why do I feel so potent?
-
- Smoking robs the bloodstream of oxygen, causing constricted blood vessels
- and reduced bloodflow to the fingers and toes, the brain, and er, other
- extremities. Men who quit smoking have erections which are comparatively
- larger, firmer, and of longer duration than when they smoked. Enjoy.
-
- 42. I've smoked for so many years, what's the point of quitting now?
-
- By Barry Pekilis:
-
- "LOTS! A new study (coordinated by the University of Manitoba and involving
- 10 sites in the United States and Canada) proves for the first time that
- smokers who quit wind up with healthier lungs, no matter how long they had
- smoked. The study involved more than 5,800 smokers who were victims of
- chronic obstructive lung disease: a combination of emphysema and bronchitis
- (the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S.A.).
-
- "The study was the first proof that if you stop smoking at any age, you
- will have healthier lungs.
-
- "It was the largest study ever conducted on the prevention of lung disease
- and showed without a doubt that quitting smoking is the most effective way
- of preventing lung function decline.
-
- "So there you have it, conclusive proof the it worth quitting no matter how
- old you are or how long you have smoked for."
-
- 43. How can I urge someone to quit smoking, or encourage someone who is
- trying to quit?
- * Do not pester someone who is trying to quit smoking or who is in the
- initial stages of thinking about quitting as it is probably the worst thing
- someone trying to offer support can do -- also do NOT nag, insult, or
- attempt to shame a smoker into quitting;
- * Remember that even well-intentioned praise might irritate the quitter
- at any given moment. Do what you can to gauge the quitter's mood, leave a
- wide berth where necessary, and forgive what seem to be irrational
- reactions;
- * Let your spouse/friend/roommate know that no matter what happens that
- you value them as a person (even though you may disapprove of their
- smoking) and that you respect them for trying to break free
- addiction;
- * Learn to listen non-judgmentally and attempt to understand and see the
- problems of quitting a powerful and seductive addiction through the
- smoker's eyes;
- * Remember to praise a smoker for even the smallest effort in trying to
- quit or cut down -- quitting is a process and it takes time!
-
-
- A final thought:
-
- "The hard part is staying quit and to do that, you need an armamentarium of
- alternatives to smoking as long as they aren't other addictions that just
- serve as a substitute 'friend'. It important not to use anything that will
- obscure or divert us from finding out that the best friend that we have, in
- some ways, the only consistent one, is the one inside." - Donna Payne,
- posted March 1996
-
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- End of Alt.Support.Stop-Smoking FAQ.
-
- Good journey, everyone!
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