share: Interested in Joining a fellow-EmpowHer woman in Quitting Smoking? If so, I can help!
A recent question on EmpowHer (How Long Does it Take Your Body to Recover from Smoking led to a EmpowHer user to say they want to quit smoking...and are in the process of gaining medication and information to make this happen!
Are you interested in joining her in quitting smoking?!
If so, please respond to this message, as I would love to help a group of women along their journey of becoming smoke-free. I have worked with individuals for the past 7+ years in providing "Preparation for Cessation" workshops, as well as one-on-one and small group smoking cessation consultations. As a Certified Health Education Specialist, I have learned some wonderful pieces of wisdom from my consultations that I would like to share with you, in order to be one piece of the puzzle to help you quit smoking all together, or help you taper down gradually.
Here are a few strategies that others found effective:
1) Pro & Con list. Seems so simple, but write down all the things you love about smoking, your "pro list". Then, write down all the things you dislike/hate about smoking, your "con list". Once your "pro list" in significantly more meaningful/ lengthier /more inspirational than your "con list" is when you know: you are ready to begin the journey to cessation. It's not "rocket science", it is demonstrating to yourself, in black & white, that you are motivated to quit for yourself.
2) Chantix works! (as long as it is recommended for you by a doctor; there are some contraindications that do not allow for this medication to be safe for everyone). People who have used Chantix to quit smoking have actually forgotten to smoke!
3) Quit buddies work! either a person you know or an online support system. Here are a few good ones:
- Quit Net
- American Cancer Society
- Most states have a "quit line". Just google "state quit line" and you will likely find an 800-number that you can call for free support.
- I am available Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays if you would like to contact me, and have an ongoing personal support system. Just respond to this post with your question or comment!
4) Rewards work, too. Save up the money you would be spending on a pack of cigarettes, and place it in a clear jar. Once you have quit for a year (assuming you are a pack-a-day smoker), you will likely have saved up over $1,000.00. You can even place a label on your jar...what would you like to do for a thousand EXTRA dollars? Travel to Europe? Purchase a computer? Buy a new wardrobe? Get a professional massage or spa treatment once a month for the next year?
5) Know your triggers, and plan for them. Do you know why you smoke? I wrote an EmpowHer article, "Why I Smoke Test", where you can find out why you smoke: stimulation, handling, relaxation, craving or habit?
You have undoubtedly heard some of these "effective strategies" in the past, but not sure how they apply to you? If you would like to know how, just take the Why I Smoke Test above, and respond to this post with your "scores". I can provide some real-world ideas and problem-solving solutions for you that might give you and edge to quitting smoking.
Lastly, if you are not ready to quit or taper, I would love to speak with you regarding your love/hate relationship with tobacco. Why do you smoke, and what do you love about smoking? Conversely, what do you dislike/hate about your smoking?
If you are ready to quit/tape, what have you done in the past that was successful in quitting (even if it worked for just a day, or delayed a cigarette for a few hours?).
I look forward to speaking with you soon!
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Add a Comment4 Comments
This is a great idea, Alison!
I smoked from the age of about 13 until age 31 and smoked at least a pack a day.
I never sugar coat what my quitting process was like. For some it was a matter of "oh it was hard for a few weeks but then I was fine!" - for me it was an arduous processes that lasted between 12-18 months.
I did cheat a couple of times (probably about 10 cigarettes over the first 18 months of quitting, less than I'd normally smoke in a day) although ironically it never turned out that I delved back in, like others warned me. The next day I felt guilty and mad at myself instead.
I also had nightmares in my pregnancies that I was drinking and smoking while pregnant (both two things that are just complete no-nos for me while pregnant) and when I woke up I was physically sick from the memory of it! Pregnant women are quite sensitive at times, both physically and emotionally.
Anyway, I am smoke free - I just had my 8th anniversary and I thought it would never happen. I longed for cigarettes for at least two years but now I never give them a second thought. I don't even hate the smell of smoking - I just don't care! Yay!
I kept a journal, during my worst days. That helped a lot. Hopefully it might help others. I also got rid of every single thing in the house that was connected to smoking and I stopped hanging around with people who smoked in front of me. It was temporary but I had to, in order to save my life, so to speak. You can't smoke for 18 years and not expect huge life changes. I also joined a quit smoking group online.
I'm willing to help anyone who wants to quit. I don't mind that it sounds politically correct - smoking ultimately kills most people who smoke. It may takes decades - but in the form of a stroke, many cancers, heart disease, emphysema, and myriad of other conditions, smoking will get to you one way or the other. That and you'll have a face like a leather purse and the cough of a 100 year old by the time you are 50.
For everyone who has a relative who smoked and "lived happily to the age of 90", I'll find a hundred other smokers who did not. There are exceptions to every rule. The truth is that cigarettes are highly addictive killers and quitting is the only way to defeat them.
By the way, my health is fantastic and the health benefits from smoking come very quickly! I had chest pain for the last two years of smoking - it was gone within two months! I smelled great, my skin and teeth looked great and I saved so much money! And the best part was that I was no longer a slave to a small skinny stick!
February 16, 2009 - 12:34pmThis Comment
I had a friend successfully use Chantix. Said it just plain took the urges away and this was from someone who smoked two packs a day. They haven't touched a single cigarette in months and months. Only downside is that it is expensive $100-$120 per month - that's still cheaper than cigarettes I suppose.
February 16, 2009 - 5:36pmAlison - I saw your post and was wondering if you heard from very many people. It seems like that the many costs of smoking - from health risks to the actual dollars they cost - would be an incentive for people to take you up on your offer. Have they?
May 25, 2010 - 6:51pmPat
Pat,
Thanks for asking! I am hoping to hear from some people soon!
Alison
May 25, 2010 - 9:33pm