How to Stop Using Tobacco
Quitting tobacco is often very difficult for some people, because your body becomes physically dependent on nicotine and can go into withdrawal without it. Some people may feel angry, sad, or weak when they first quit smoking, and have trouble sleeping or getting out of bed.But quitting smoking is vital to your health. Chemicals found in cigarettes include carbon monoxide, arsenic, and methane, chemicals that are harmful to your body. Smoking can damage your lungs and heart and secondhand smoke can be deadly to anyone who lives in your house.
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Instructions
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Prepare yourself for the process of ending tobacco use. Choose a date on the calendar when you will begin your non-smoking program, and stick to it. Make sure it is a date when you won't have any major projects or stressful events in your life, since quitting tobacco can often make you feel stressed out or on edge. There are different levels of commitment to and readiness for quitting tobacco. You may want to take WebMD's online "Are You Ready To Quit" test (see Resources below), which can help you assess your preparations for quitting and suggest things to be thinking about as you being the process.
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Talk to your doctor about quitting tobacco, and ask if she has any suggestions. Your doctor may prescribe medication to help you with withdrawal symptoms, such as Zyban, a medication that releases dopamine in the brain to help you feel better. Your doctor may also be able to help you choose a different kind of medical aid, such as a nicotine patch, a nicotine nasal spray, a nicotine inhaler or nicotine gum. Ask your doctor which one of these aids she would recommend, then obtain the aid and use it when you have an intense nicotine craving.
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3
Remove all outside influences that might encourage you to start smoking again. Tell friends and family members that they may not smoke in or around your house, and request that they refrain from smoking around you at all whenever they can. Most people find that their friends and family members are incredibly cooperative and helpful in this regard. Also try to avoid parties or events where many people may be smoking, as well as smoking areas in airports or restaurants. If you often smoke as part of a routine (when you have an afternoon break at work, or right after you get home, or before dinner), try to break up that routine. Substitute a long walk or a phone call to a friend for your regular tobacco break.
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Find a support program in your area that can help you stop using tobacco along with other would-be quitters. Check your local health department for programs in your area, or call 1-800-QUIT NOW, the national tobacco helpline. You can also visit the American Lung Association's free online smoking cessation program (see link below). Individual or group counseling can really help you reach your goal. Ask you doctor if he or she knows of any programs that might be useful to you.
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Don't ever have another cigarette or piece of chew. Some people think, "Oh, if I just have one cigarette, it'll make this craving go away. Then I can really quit for good." If you quit, you must quit completely, or else you may remain dependent on nicotine.However, if you do fall off the wagon, don't despair. May people try multiple times to quit before finally kicking the habit for real. If you fall back into your smoking habits, just begin once more at Step 1 and try again. It may take a couple of attempts, but you can quit smoking if you work hard at it.
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Tips & Warnings
Many people worry about gaining weight when they quit using tobacco. This only happens when you use food in place of smoking or chewing tobacco, and can be avoided by getting plenty of exercise and eating healthy foods.
If you find that you often have a cigarette right after you eat, try brushing your teeth after a meal instead of smoking. The clean feeling in your mouth will make you feel good, and the routine action will help ease your craving.
When planning to quit smoking, remember that you'll feel pretty awful for about 10 days after your first tobacco-free day.
