Quitting Phase
- Get plenty of sleep
- Throw away all the cigarettes, lighters and other paraphernalia
- Get a good breakfast
- Drink lots of water
- Send your cloth to the laundry or clean them to rid them of the cigarette smell, which can linger a long time.
- Get a tooth cleaning and or whitening session
Keep very busy on the big day. Go to the movies, exercise, take long walks, go bike riding or the gym.
Craving a cigarette: do your deep breathing exercise
Think how free you will be. Stay busy but avoid stress, smokers and things that make you want a cigarette. Keep you hands busy. Get plenty of sleep.
Do not think that you will never have a cigarette. Think that you will not smoke today.
Deep breathing is perhaps the single most powerful and important technique Every time you want a cigarette, do the following. Do it three times.
Inhale the deepest lung-full of air you can, and then, very slowly, exhale. Purse your lips so that the air must come out slowly.
As you exhale, close your eyes, and let your chin gradually sink over onto your chest. Visualize all the tension leaving your body, slowly draining out of your fingers and toes, just flowing on out. Learn to relax quickly and deeply. Make yourself limp, visualize a soothing, pleasing situation, and get away from it all for a moment. Concentrate on that peaceful image and nothing else.
This is a variation of an ancient yoga technique from India, and is very centering and relaxing. If you practice this, you'll be able to use it for any future stressful situation you find yourself in. And it will be your greatest weapon during the strong cravings sure to assault you over the first few days.
This deep breathing technique will be a vital help to you. Reread this point.
- Remember that the urge to smoke only lasts a few minutes, and will then pass. The urges gradually become farther and farther apart as the days go by.
- Do your very best to stay away from alcohol, sugar and coffee the first week or longer, as these tend to stimulate the desire for a cigarette. Avoid fatty foods, as your metabolism will slow down a bit without the nicotine, and you may gain weight even if you eat the same amount as before quitting. So discipline about diet is extra important now. No one ever said acquiring new habits would be easy!
- Nibble on low calorie foods like celery, cherry tomatoes, air-popped popcorn without butter, apples and carrots. Chew a sugarless gum.
- Stretch out your meals; eat slowly and wait a bit between bites.
After dinner, instead of a cigarette, treat yourself to a cup of mint tea or a peppermint candy. Get up from the table and brush your teeth or go for a walk.
If you miss having something in your mouth, try toothpicks or a fake cigarette.
If you miss the sensation of having a cigarette in your hand, play with something else - a pencil, a paper clip, a marble. Try crossword puzzles, needlework, gardening, or household chores.
- Nicotine patches are associated with better patient compliance and hence slightly higher success. However the highest success is achieved when combining Zyban or Champus, Nicotine patches, deep breathing exercises and physical exercise.
- The first few days, drink lots of water and fluids to help flush out the nicotine and other poisons from your body.
- Go to a gym; sit in the steam, exercise. Change your normal routine – take time to walk or even jog around the block or in a local park.
- Ask for support from coworkers, friends and family members. Ask for their tolerance. Let them know you're quitting, and that you might be edgy or grumpy for a few days. If you don't ask for support, you certainly won't get any. If you do, you'll be surprised how much it can help. Take a chance -- try it and see!
- Ask friends and family members not to smoke in your presence. Don't be afraid to ask. This is more important than you may realize. Until you're confident of your ability to stay off cigarettes, limit your socializing to healthful, outdoor activities or situations where smoking isn't allowed.
If you must be in a situation where you'll be tempted to smoke (such as a cocktail or dinner party), try to associate with the nonsmokers there.
- Write down ten good things about being a nonsmoker -- and then write out ten bad things about smoking. Do it. It really helps.
- Don't pretend smoking wasn't enjoyable – it was. This is like losing a good friend – and it's okay to grieve the loss. Feel that grief, don't worry, it's okay. Feel, and you heal. Stay with it -- you can do it!
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