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You are not alone! Most smokers want to quit and try to do so every year.
The best reasons to quit are your reasons, but here are some reasons that might be important to you:
- You will live longer
- You will save money (on tobacco, cleaning costs, dental and medical costs)
- You will be a healthier role model for your family
- Your children will be healthier
- Your chance of heart attack, lung disease, cancer and stroke will decrease
- If pregnant, quitting will improve your chance of having a healthy baby
What are your reasons?
It's never too late to quit. Quitting smoking at any age is the single best thing you can do for your health. Your chances of success for quitting tobacco use actually improve each time you try.
Quitting is possible. Over half of all smokers have quit. Even though tobacco may be a big part of your life, you can take steps to live without it. You haven't failed if you keep trying! The first important step is to prepare yourself - and make a plan. Seek the best methods to quit.
Quitting may be hard. People who quit smoking say it was one of the hardest things they ever did. You often hear about the 'habit' of smoking, but it turns out that it is much more complex than that. A smoker becomes physically and psychologically connected to tobacco. The nicotine that is in cigarettes, chew and spit tobacco sends messages to your brain that makes you want to keep using tobacco - to become dependent on it. Smoking and using tobacco become part of your daily activities. You learn to associate having a cigarette with other things, such as driving, having coffee, after a meal, feeling tired, or having a break at work. Soon these activities create an 'urge' to smoke, and you have a cigarette without even thinking about it. For many smokers trying to quit, these cravings can be very hard to get over.
Recognize nicotine withdrawal. Physical symptoms of nicotine withdrawal can occur within 24 hours of stopping smoking or using spit tobacco. These problems may include headache, nervousness, upset stomach, constipation, trouble concentrating, sleeping difficulty, excess hunger, irritability, feeling sad, or dizziness. Symptoms can vary from person to person and are strongest right after quitting. Good news: they decrease over time and go away in 3 to 4 weeks. Cigarette cravings and dreaming about smoking may last longer. Talk to your doctor about using medications to reduce symptoms, and call the Maine HelpLine for more information.
If you have a medical problem, you want the best treatments. When you're ready to try quitting smoking, you should think the same way: find the help that gives you the best chance of success. Research has shown that the most effective treatments are social support, counseling or coaching, and use of medications to help reduce physical symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. You have the best chances of quitting if you have all of these together.
- Medications to Help Quit: Nicotine medications, including nicotine patches, gum, inhaler and nasal spray, and the prescription medication bupropion, (Zyban, Wellbutrin) have been shown to increase success with quitting. Medications can reduce nicotine withdrawal and reduce "the crazies" that people can experience when they stop smoking. There is no known risk of cancer or heart disease from using these medications. Talk to your doctor about using a medication as an aid to quitting. Some products require a prescription. If you don't have health insurance, call the Maine HelpLine for access to nicotine patches or gum.
- Counseling: INCREASE your chances of quitting for good - you can try one-on-one sessions, join a smoking cessation group, or use free telephone counseling. The HelpLine is free, friendly and easy to use. Just call and they will guide you through the steps. Even if you're just thinking about quitting, give them a call. The HelpLine provides services to callers from all counties in Maine.
- Social Support: It is very important to increase support around you while you try to quit. Support can come from family, friends, co-workers and health professionals. Tell people you are trying to quit, and ask for their support and encouragement (not lecturing or nagging!)
If you're ready to try to quit, make sure to take some steps along the path to quitting that will help get you where you want to go. Quitting takes some work, but you can do it. Here are some important steps:
- Set a date to quit. Mark it on your calendar.
- Get support from family and friends, and tell them of your plans. Request they not smoke around you, and ask them to be patient with you.
- Talk to your health provider about medications to help you quit.
- Call or visit a local quit smoking program.
- Call the Maine Tobacco HelpLine at 1-800-207-1230.
- Change your environment. Remove tobacco and smoking materials, and clean up the house and car.
- Change your routine and try new behaviors, like tea instead of coffee, or taking a new route to work.
- Make a list of ways to reduce stress and 'the crazies', like calling friends, having low-calorie snacks, brushing teeth, bathing, exercising, or reading.
- Cravings to smoke are like hunger pains, and will pass. Strong urges to smoke will decrease over time.
- Read more about nicotine withdrawal and quitting. Read "You can quit smoking", and see our Resource Links.
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