Quit Smoking Ban 1st July 2007
With the upcoming ban in England smokers are being bombarded left right and center with 'why quit', 'how to quitt' and 'you should quit' campaigns.
But the thing is, you want to have to quit smoking. But I'm sure you already know that. So you know that no ban, a pushy partner or family and certainly no ad campaign with the daughter of a smoker on permanent breathing apparatus is going to have the slightest difference to you. Unless you want to quit.
So when you do decide to quit it's because you want to. Here are the five phases you will go through when you quit smoking.
1. Pre-contemplation: During this phase, you are not thinking seriously about stopping smoking in the near future.
2. Contemplation: Here you are actively thinking about stopping but are not quite ready to make a serious attempt yet. You may say to yourself, “Yes, I'm ready to stop smoking but, I'm under a lot of stress and I don't want to gain weight”, or “I'm not sure if I can do it.”
3. Preparation: When you reach this step you are serious about stopping within the next month and you may have even tried to stop in the past 12 months. You will usually have a plan as to how you will do it.
4. Action - Stopping Smoking with Help: This is the first 6 months when you are is actively finding ways to kick the habit.
5. Staying Stopped: This is the period of 1 week to 5 years after stopping when you as an ex-user are aware of the danger of relapse and you actively take steps to avoid it.
You probably know which of these phases you are at right now. And you will only move on when you are ready.
Keep in mind when you get to phase 4 that you will need a little help - this is important. It can be in the form of a quit buddy, a family member a friend or a professional. The person will be able to provide support and some good ideas and a distraction if things get to you and you are tempted.
Be aware though that with this upcoming ban NRT will be pushed on you as if it is the number one and best cure. When pure and simple - it is NOT. NRT just prolongs the withdrawal symptoms you suffer when you quit because it prolongs the time it takes you to remove nicotine from your system.
Normally this time is 72 hrs when you go cold turkey, but it can be up to 12 months with NRT. If you think that cutting down or NRT is going to help you, think again. Both of these forms just put you under more pressure and on edge.
When you quit smoking with these methods you also put a strong emphasis on your next cigarette - punishing yourself for not being able to have it now. And with NRT you do the same - as the 'hit' or 'buzz' of the nicotine isn't the same in a patch, gum, loznge etc. You are effectively punishing yourself.
To quit in the easiest and quickest and most effctive fashion, you need to do it cold turkey. Then you need to find out how to stay stopped - prevent relapse and how to make it easier by preventing withdrawal symptoms and weight gain. And then you need to find a way to enjoy your life after cigarettes - while removing them from your desires, habits and attitudes.
But the thing is, you want to have to quit smoking. But I'm sure you already know that. So you know that no ban, a pushy partner or family and certainly no ad campaign with the daughter of a smoker on permanent breathing apparatus is going to have the slightest difference to you. Unless you want to quit.
So when you do decide to quit it's because you want to. Here are the five phases you will go through when you quit smoking.
1. Pre-contemplation: During this phase, you are not thinking seriously about stopping smoking in the near future.
2. Contemplation: Here you are actively thinking about stopping but are not quite ready to make a serious attempt yet. You may say to yourself, “Yes, I'm ready to stop smoking but, I'm under a lot of stress and I don't want to gain weight”, or “I'm not sure if I can do it.”
3. Preparation: When you reach this step you are serious about stopping within the next month and you may have even tried to stop in the past 12 months. You will usually have a plan as to how you will do it.
4. Action - Stopping Smoking with Help: This is the first 6 months when you are is actively finding ways to kick the habit.
5. Staying Stopped: This is the period of 1 week to 5 years after stopping when you as an ex-user are aware of the danger of relapse and you actively take steps to avoid it.
You probably know which of these phases you are at right now. And you will only move on when you are ready.
Keep in mind when you get to phase 4 that you will need a little help - this is important. It can be in the form of a quit buddy, a family member a friend or a professional. The person will be able to provide support and some good ideas and a distraction if things get to you and you are tempted.
Be aware though that with this upcoming ban NRT will be pushed on you as if it is the number one and best cure. When pure and simple - it is NOT. NRT just prolongs the withdrawal symptoms you suffer when you quit because it prolongs the time it takes you to remove nicotine from your system.
Normally this time is 72 hrs when you go cold turkey, but it can be up to 12 months with NRT. If you think that cutting down or NRT is going to help you, think again. Both of these forms just put you under more pressure and on edge.
When you quit smoking with these methods you also put a strong emphasis on your next cigarette - punishing yourself for not being able to have it now. And with NRT you do the same - as the 'hit' or 'buzz' of the nicotine isn't the same in a patch, gum, loznge etc. You are effectively punishing yourself.
To quit in the easiest and quickest and most effctive fashion, you need to do it cold turkey. Then you need to find out how to stay stopped - prevent relapse and how to make it easier by preventing withdrawal symptoms and weight gain. And then you need to find a way to enjoy your life after cigarettes - while removing them from your desires, habits and attitudes.
posted by Daniel Fargher at
7:22 AM
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