Former smokers live longer than continuing smokers. Quitting
smoking has major and immediate health benefits for all, with or
without smoking-related diseases, and regardless of gender and
age.
For a start, smoking cessation decreases the risks of many types of
cancers, heart attacks, strokes and chronic lung diseases within
one short year. Women who stop smoking before pregnancy or in their
first trimester reduce their risks of birth complications to that
of non-smokers.
So why not quit today?
Health benefits of quitting
Within 8 Hours
Carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to
normal.
Oxygen level in your blood returns to
normal.
Within 48 Hours
Your chances of having a heart attack
deceases.
Your sense of smell and taste returns to
normal.
Within 72 Hours
Breathing eases as your bronchial tubes
relax.
Your decline in lung function stops.
Your energy levels increase.
Within 3 Months
Blood circulation improves.
Blood pressure returns to normal.
For men, sperm count returns to normal. For
women, fertility improves.
Your lung capacity increases, making walking and
aerobic activity easier.
Within 1 Year
Your risk of smoking-related heart attack is
reduced by 50%.
Within 10 Years
Your risk of lung, bladder, kidney and
pancreatic cancers decreases.
Quit methods
Gradual reduction
If you feel that you are not ready to quit
immediately, you can try cutting down on the number of cigarettes
smoked each day. Start by cutting down on those cigarettes which
you feel you can do without. Gradual reduction helps to reduce your
body's dependence on cigarettes and will make your quit attempt
later easier.
Cold turkey
For some smokers who have quit successfully,
this is one of the most effective quit methods to start with!
Simply decide to stop smoking on a particular date and stay firm on
that decision! To avoid temptations, clear all your ashtrays,
lighters and cigarette packs and remind yourself of your reasons
for quitting. Arm yourself with practical quit tips and with a good
dose of willpower, you will succeed!
Seek professional help from quit advisors
Quit Advisors will help to assess your level of
addiction, customise a quit plan according to your needs and offer
you useful advice and support during your quit journey. With
professional help and support, you are four times more likely to
quit successfully! You can combine professional advice with any of
the other quit methods.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)
NRT includes nicotine gum, skin patches,
lozenges, nasal sprays or 'inhalers'. They work by releasing small
amounts of nicotine into your body (substituting the nicotine in
the cigarette) to counter cravings and relieve withdrawal symptoms.
This helps you cope better with your day-to-day routine while you
are quitting smoking. NRT is useful for smokers who are highly
addicted to cigarettes.
NRT is widely available at all pharmacies and
does not require a prescription to purchase.
Medication
Medication such as Buproprion Hydrochloride is
nicotine-free and works by boosting the levels of chemical
messengers in the brain. With more of these chemicals at work, you
experience a reduction in nicotine withdrawal symptoms and a
weakening of the urge to smoke. This oral medication is available
only with a doctor's prescription. Consult your doctor to find out
if this is suitable for you.
For useful tips to quit smoking, click here.
There's no magic formula to quitting. Although NRT and medication
can help to relieve some of the withdrawal symptoms, the key to
success still lies with your willpower and determination to
quit.
Kick start your quit journey by seeking advice from our Quit
Consultants from QuitLine or downloading the I Quit Mobile App.
If you haven't already, throw away all your
lighters, ashtrays and cigarette packs! ALL of them, including the
ones you've hidden in your drawer for 'emergency' purposes.
Make it known to everybody that you are quitting
smoking - your friends, colleagues, bosses, family members and even
your neighbours. If you are afraid to tell because you think you
will not succeed in quitting, think of it from another perspective
- making your quit attempt known to everyone will prevent you from
failing!
List your quit buddies. Include smoking buddies
who are also thinking of quitting, and non-smoking friends who will
support you. Save their numbers in your handphone and SMS or call
them whenever you have the urge to smoke.
Put up 'No Smoking' signs in visible areas (on
your desktop, inside your wardrobe, in the washroom) to remind
yourself of your new resolution. Constant visual reminders are
powerful and can give you encouragement when your mind is wandering
on other topics.
Know what you are getting into. You may
experience withdrawal symptoms and you'll almost certainly go
through urges that are difficult to control. Understand what causes
these urges and withdrawal symptoms and have a plan ready for what
you will do when this happens.
Remember the 4 Ds!
Distract yourself by doing something else
Prepare a 'Rescue Kit" to distract you from cravings. Some items
you can put in your kit includes sugar-free sweets, MP3 player and
handheld games to keep your mind distracted
Delay lighting up
Every time you feel the urge to light up, pop a sugar-free mint
into your mouth or drink water to delay the urge. The cravings will
pass whether you smoke or not!
Do deep breathing exercises to help you relax
Concentrating on your body and your breathing is an effective way
to get over cravings
Drink a glass of water or milk slowly
Keeping your hands and mouth busy is often all you need to do to
get over an urge to smoke
Managing your cravings
Nicotine in cigarettes is a powerful drug and can be as addictive
as heroine and cocaine. However, not everyone will experience
withdrawal symptoms. Approximately 20% of smokers will experience
strong withdrawal symptoms. But they often disappear after the
first 2-3 weeks when the feeling of well-being starts to kick in.
The withdrawal symptoms are usually worse in the first 48 hours and
they are normal signs that your body is recovering from the harmful
effects of smoking. Here are some tips to help manage your
cravings.
It's all in the mind
Over the years, you've learnt to use smoking as a coping mechanism
to deal with your daily stresses. You now have to re-program your
mind to use other coping mechanisms instead. Use these tips to
strengthen your mind.
Change your habits
Smoking may have become part of your daily routine and you
automatically reach for cigarettes at certain places, certain times
or even around certain people. The key to changing your habits is
to replace the old habits with new ones. Here are some tips to help
change your habits.
Managing your cravings
If you suffer from withdrawal symptoms, try these to help make them
more manageable:
Difficulty concentrating
Take regular stretch breaks to re-energise your body. To think
better, try sniffing peppermint oil or drink peppermint tea
instead.
Feeling irritable
Relaxation exercises like yoga, meditation and deep breathing
really helps to calm the mind. If you've got time, catch a
feel-good movie or comedy.
Having headaches
Get enough sleep. Stay in quiet, relaxed surroundings. A head and
shoulder massage can ease the pain.
Feeling tired
Get enough sleep and increase your physical activity. Drink ginger
tea to perk yourself up.
Coughing
Sip warm water. Suck on sugar-free cough drops.
Hunger or thirst in between meals
Drink lots of plain water or unsweetened fresh juices. Satisfy your
hunger with low-calorie snacks.
Change your habits
Old habits die hard. So find new habits to replace them!
Got a daily routine? Change it!
Try introducing some changes in your daily
routine. If you tend take a certain route to work every day, take
another path. Have breakfast somewhere else that prohibits smoking
and if you smoke after a meal, eat a fruit or brush your teeth
instead. Try drinking other hot beverages instead of your usual
morning coffee. This will break the associations that you have
formed with smoking.
Keep your hands busy
You can't smoke if your hands are occupied, so
think of ways to keep those fingers moving! Every time you feel
like your hands are 'empty', SMS your friend or play some games
from your handphone.
Fill up with healthy snacks
Replace cigarette toxins with low-calorie
snacks, fruit and vegetables. Fill your mouth with sugar-free candy
or mints, this will give you an excuse to reject cigarette offers
from your friends.
It's all in the mind
Build a strong mind to keep your motivation strong!
Think positive - Visualise yourself as someone
who has overcome quitting. Being able to picture yourself as
someone you want to be helps to shape your attitude towards
achieving it. Smile and use positive words in your inner thoughts
or when talking to others. You'll be surprised how contagious
positive attitudes can be. When you are positive, people naturally
like to be with you and that reinforces your positive
thinking.
Find a listening ear - You don't have to quit
alone. Find support and encouragement from friends, family, a loved
one or even a professional advisor when you feel your resolve
slipping. Share with them your problems and feelings and make a
connection with others. By doing that, you'll lighten your
emotional load and give you more comfort and support in your quit
attempt.
Keep yourself distracted - Always thought about
picking up a new language or a new hobby? Now's the time to do so.
Sign up for class, learn a new instrument (drums might be good for
relieving stress) or start playing some computer games to keep your
mind off smoking.
Get active! - Engaging in physical activity
releases endorphins in your body, giving you a natural feeling of
well-being. If you have no time for a proper game or a swim, try
integrating some simple exercises such as climbing the stair or
brisk walking to the train station.
Find other ways to relieve stress - Relax with
yoga or get your body grooving to a new dance! You can also try
deep breathing exercises and muscle relaxation methods for quick
results. If your schedule allows, you might want to go for a short
weekend getaway to refresh your mind and soul.
Be strong and be positive. Tell yourself you can do it! Quitting
smoking may be a challenge, but positive thinking will help you
achieve success.