Stop Smoking Programs - Advice For Smokers To Quit For Good!

Stop Smoking Programs - Advice For Smokers To Quit For Good!
by Linda E. Joy


There are several stop smoking programs, but for millions of smokers, for reasons that they find strange, none of these work. But I am going to tell you that none of this is really a mystery.
Smoking termination programs aren't the answer. I know as a former smoker who has not had a cigarette in at least three years. I tried a slew of stop smoking programs, as well as nicotine gum, cigarette rationing, and switching to lighter and lighter smokes, but nothing worked for me. The reason was that stop smoking programs aren't really the answer.
No, I am not going to pitch some fresh product, or revolutionary fresh program to end smoking. Come on, keep reading - I don't have anything to sell you. The simple truth is the only way to stop smoking is to just discontinue. That's it. No stop smoking programs, no incentive systems, no rules about only smoking with friends, or only smoking one day a week, or only smoking on days you sleep in or are hung over. None of this works.
Whatever stop smoking programs tell you, the thing that is hard about not smoking is the re-arranging of your social routine, not the actual nicotine cravings. It is nice to be able to grab a smoke with friends, nice to be able to take a moment to step outside and enjoy a tasty cancer stick. So, you have to be completely firm with yourself and not give an inch. The only successful stop smoking program is to tell yourself that, from now on, I will not smoke.
Don't be too ambitious all at once. Many people suddenly get an impulse to transform every phase of their life at once, enrolling in stop smoking programs in the same week that they start exercise programs and new diet plans. This is a bad idea, and will not help you quit smoking.
The most excellent way to well and truly end smoking is to let yourself go a little in other ways. Its okay to put on a small number of pounds, its okay to have some junk food, or let your exercise routine go. If you have too many rules for yourself at once, you will lose all of them. And yes, for some people, stop smoking programs can work because they provide a support group. But remember, the only real crucial stop smoking program is your resolution to, once and for all, stop smoking.
About the Author
Linda E. Joy provides readers with up-to-date commentaries, articles, and reviews for home, family as well as other related information.

Why Smoking Is Harmful

Why Smoking Is Harmful
by Kevin Dark


Kid Gyms are going to be added at McDonald's locations nationwide by 2008. That's exciting news for those with one of the estimated 63% of children under the age of 18 in their family who is considered to be obese by the American Foods Standards Industry! There are changes being demanded in other areas too!
The success of tobacco companies to market their products to children has caused concerned for many. From the candy cigarettes that many of us bought at the corner dime store when we were kids to the cool Joe that Camel uses, the marketing industry is demanding changes be made. Why? Because the fact that cigarette smoking (and consuming tobacco products in other forms as well) is harmful to your health.
It is well documented that heart disease, lung cancers and other fatal related conditions can be directly connected to tobacco smoking. Millions die each year from tobacco smoking related illnesses and still many sound as if they'll die any day! The enamel of the teeth are broken down by the over 400 chemicals contained in tobacco. The cells in the body are literally blocked from "breathing" in what they need when tobacco smoke is present in the body. The tobacco smoke is usually replacing food as a source of energy which depletes the body's storages and causes weakness and lack of energy. The lining of the lungs is slowly "smoked" away and there is no longer any protection provided against what the smoke does to the lungs. There are so many reasons that smoking is harmful, and not only to the smoker, but to others who happen to be around the smoker while he/she is smoking!
Second hand smoke has been blamed for the deaths of people who have never had a cigarette in their lives! The same effects listed above that affect the smoker, also affect the non-smokers, only in a more serious way. When a cigarette is smoked, the 400 chemicals contained in the tobacco are in essence "filtered" through the body. However, when someone who is not smoking a cigarette is breathing in second hand cigarette smoke, the smoke going into their lungs is not being filtered, it's just being breathed in. The non-smoker doesn't "breathe" back out the smoke filled air - but the smoker does. This causes the second hand smoker to be a victim who runs the same risks as the smoker of developing lung cancers, heart diseases and other fatal diseases. Kinda gives new light to letting your kids hang around the bowling alley-huh?
There are so many efforts at paying attention to the spoiled, irresponsible lifestyles Americans have become accustomed to, why not stop smoking. It's said that the effects of smoking begin to stop as soon as the smoker stops smoking. Energy is returned, food tastes better (which is why most gain weight when they quit smoking) and the lungs begin to clear, giving back one's ability to breathe deeply! Like the commercial says, would you like a bikini or bronchitis?
About the Author
Kevin Dark is the online shop owner, where discount cigarettes online are available 24/7.

Quit Smoking Shot - Have You Heard Of Shots To Stop Smoking?

Quit Smoking Shot - Have You Heard Of Shots To Stop Smoking?
by Mike Singh


The two medicines involved in a new stop smoking shot - the SMARTTM Shot - has been around for about ten years, Scopolamine and Atarax, and are now FDA approved for stop smoking aids.
SMART stands for Scopolamine Medicated Anticholinergic Receptor Treatment, with Scopolamine as a medicine that contains the ingredient of the seasickness patch, while Atarax is an antihistamine like Benadryl.
Together, they block the brain nicotine receptors and ease the physical withdrawal pains of the nicotine by placing one shot in the hip or buttocks, instead of the older shots which consisted of three shots - two behind the ear and one in the buttock - of other more traditional shot methods.
For the next two weeks, medication and the scopolamine patch are used jointly with a success rate of 70 to 80% while patches have a success rate of 20%, which is considered a normal rate of success. The thing to remember is that it can cause side effects, so doctors advise medical examination before allowing the patients to go ahead with the treatment especially if there are medical concerns or medical drugs being taken.
People who recommend the treatment say that the shots prevent withdrawal symptoms by blocking the nicotine receptors. Others say that this happens only when very high doses of atropine are injected. According to one study, about 40% of the people who took this treatment stopped smoking, though some clinics claim a success rate of 80%.
There are some who are quite critical of anti smoking shots. They believe that more work needs to be done before establishing the efficacy of these drugs. The side effects commonly associated with anti-smoking shots are blurred vision, difficulty in urinating, dizziness, dry mouth, confusion, etc. Hallucinations, heart attack, coma, and stroke may be caused by excessive doses of anticholinergic drugs.
This new shot has been developed by Dr. Voelker, who has spent the last ten years studying and fighting smoking, COPD, emphysema, and lung cancer. He has also pioneered early lung cancer detection and treatment, then taught these methods around the country to other doctors.
A director of the Doctor's hospital pulmonary and critical care department at the Sarasota Memorial Hospital, he is board certified in internal medicine, critical care, and pulmonary medicine - while also being listed in medicine's "Who's Who". The shot or injection treatment is certainly not advisable for women who are pregnant, or for individuals who have heart rhythm problems, prostate problems or are taking mood-altering drugs.
It is best to opt for the treatment as a last resort if you have any of these conditions, while needing to find out the rate of success, the reputation and the support offered by clinics that offer stop smoking shots in comparison.
About the Author
Check out http://www.my-stop-smoking-zone.com/ for more articles on nicrette gum and stop smoking products.

To Quit Smoking You Must be Determined to Succeed

To Quit Smoking You Must be Determined to Succeed
By: Carol Stack


One of the difficulties in trying to quit smoking is that smokers become physically dependant on nicotine. Nicotine causes a lot of different reactions throughout the smokers body (many of them very bad). What it does once it arrives in the brain is responsible for both the good feelings you get from smoking as well as the irritability you feel if you try to quit.That's why most people experience the following symptoms when they try to quit smoking, all arising from the lack of nicotine in their blood stream: Irritability, anxiety, depression, and a craving for nicotine.So if you really want to quit smoking, know in your heart that this time it is for good. Set your date, be committed, and write down your affirmations and scare tactics. This is the first step, and perhaps the most important.Without a set resolve to quit, you will probably fail. If you are completely committed, your chance for success increases dramatically.When you are trying to quit smoking, any method, whether nicotine patches, gum, hypnosis, etc., are only as productive as your willpower allows them to be. Thus, for you the decision to quit smoking must be accompanied by a will that is just as strong, if not stronger, than your current will to quit smoking.The good news is that there are many aids to help you quit smoking. You just need to find out which one will work best for you.If you have a limited budget, there are still many free methods that can help you to quit smoking, including a variety of methods that you can use to help cut down on your cigarette cravings.These include quit smoking groups for men and women wanting to quit. Being in a group of people who are all trying to stop smoking can be a great incentive to stay away from cigarettes.There are also a number of bonafide and medically proven prescription and herbal or natural compounds that can and do often help people to achieve their goal to be smoke free. Calamus and camomile are two natural cures. Ask a health professional or nutritionist for the best dosage and how to use these.Acupuncture is best for those individuals that are heavily addicted to the nicotine, but have clearly made the commitment to quit. Hypnosis is another method, although it is recommended that you use a nicotine patch or gum along with it.No matter what method or aid you use to help you quit smoking, there is nothing that will help more than your determination to quit. Without that determination people fail. With it, you are far more likely to succeed than the average smoker who only wants to "try" to quit.
Article Source: http://www.superfeature.com
Carol Stack has written many articles. She lives in the United States with her husband, three children, and various dogs and cats. Carol has a website dedicated to her grandmother who smoked for almost 50 years before quitting. If you or someone you know wants to quit smoking, visit www.onlinestopsmokingtips.com for tips and encouragement to stop smoking.
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Quit Smoking Injection - All You Need To Know About The Injection to Stop Smoking

Quit Smoking Injection - All You Need To Know About The Injection to Stop Smoking!
by Mike Singh


Today there are 5 million tobacco-related deaths per year, with 1.3 billion people who smoke, and tobacco is the leading cause of death that can be preventable according to the World Health Organization. A thing that used to considered "cool", such as the Marlboro billboards across the country, is now on the tip list of killers.
To combat this, the stop smoking injection, or the stop smoking vaccine, is one of the most successful and aggressive stop smoking aids with a 70-80% success rate of all the available smoking aids. A medical therapy, this type of aid takes place in a medical clinic under experienced physicians with supervision. Counseling and group therapy also work well to combine with the injection aid for smokers who are struggling to successfully quit.
Three injections of Scopolamine or Atropine behind the ears, on the hip, or on the arms, will block the nicotine receptors in the brain. As a part of the treatment, the patient is required to wear a scopolamine patch behind his ear and take atropine tablets for two weeks after getting the shot. The brain will not recognize that it needs nicotine so the nicotine addiction will eventually vanish - as an antismoking aid, these injection chemicals act on the nicotine "sensitive" areas of the brain and reduces the craving for a smoke. A single session may last from an hour to an hour and a half and costs approximately 350-500 dollars, but it usually is covered by health insurance policies.
The drugs involved with the stop smoking injections are medically classified as anti-cholinergics and are mainly used in helping to control neural activity in the brain. They have been extensively used previously in the medical field in the form of anesthetics during surgery or as a temporary means of curing Parkinson's disease. The most common side effects associated with these anti-smoking injections are dizziness, dry mouth, headaches, and problems in urinating which happens soon after the injection is given, if it happens at all.
Long-term effects include hallucination, strokes, and heart attacks. However, these are rare, and are usually observed only in those smokers who are subjected to high dosages. In extreme cases, the person can also end up in coma. A smoker needs to undergo a complete medical check up before treatment. However, this treatment should be avoided for pregnant women or those who suffer from cardiac disorders. People who are using other narcotics also should avoid the anti-smoking injections also. If nothing else is working for you, you should try the injections for quitting smoking before going back to smoking, as your health is very important.
About the Author
Check out http://www.my-stop-smoking-zone.com/ for more articles on side effects Of zyban and nictine patch abuse.

Stop Smoking Support - You Will Need All The Help You Can Get!

Stop Smoking Support - You Will Need All The Help You Can Get!
by Mike Singh


Today, a smoker wanting to give up smoking is not alone as there are several stop smoking support services that will help the smoker. These include self-help groups and stop smoking clinics both online, through the local medical community, or smoking associations. Besides this, there are several professional counselors who are willing to extend a helping hand. All that the smoker needs to do is to reach out to these support services with the desire to quit smoking.
The biggest advantage that these support services offer is counseling to the smoker when they feel they cannot do it alone, or really want to take another cigarette after they have committed to quit smoking, or just simply to take that first step to quit. They advise the smoker of the kinds of treatment available; and even help the smoker select the treatment that will suit him most based on their own needs and lifestyles. They also offer emotional support and guidance when the smoker is struggling to cope with withdrawal symptoms.
The smoker is provided proper guidance in drawing up a quit smoking plan through therapy or counseling sessions, proving a beginning date, and help to follow through until the goal is achieved. This professional guidance includes details of the kind of withdrawal symptoms the smoker will face, and how the smoker should overcome them in the best way possible. The smoker will be advised about the nicotine replacement therapy, and the different products that are available under this therapy. These include nicotine patches, nicotine gum, nicotine tablets, and nicotine inhalers. All these products release a small amount of nicotine in the smoker's bloodstream reducing the smoker's craving for a cigarette.
The smoker is also told of the advantages of drugs like Zyban that create feelings similar to that of smoking. The smoker is advised of the length of the course, the side effects of Zyban and when to start or stop the cure. Zyban prods the pituitary gland to release endorphins in the bloodstream, which, in turn, cause a positive upswing in the smoker's mood. Generally, a Zyban course lasts 8 to 12 weeks and should be taken under medical supervision. But if drugs are not desired by the smoker, then in some cases, the counselors advise smokers to go for acupressure treatment. Such treatment releases positive energy in the body making a smoker feel cheerful and happy even though he may be going through the withdrawal phase.
There are many self-help groups that provide useful literature, and also spend time with the smoker during the withdrawal stages, such as the American Heart and Lung Association. Support is readily available to the smoker, through many avenues along with the therapy classes and counseling, in addition to the support is given by family and friends who help the smoker engage in new activities to keep his mind off cigarettes.
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Stop Smoking Tips - Is There One That Works?

Stop Smoking Tips - Is There One That Works?
by Mike Singh


There are many stop smoking techniques that make the withdrawals of nicotine less painful and stressful, with each one varying upon the individuals and how bad the addiction is. The techniques will not break the smoking habit - only you can - but it will make it easier.
Quitting smoking will be more successful if you make the decision to quit smoking yourself with sheer will and determination. The American Heart and Lung Association has a 24-hour hotline for all kinds of help and support for quitting smoking, along with free quit smoking sessions.
To quit smoking requires changing your behavior, according to the Stages of Change Model. In the pre-contemplation stage, the smoker is not thinking seriously about quitting but just "pondering" it sporadically while in the contemplation stage, the smoker is considering quitting more seriously, but is not ready to make the attempt at that time.
In the preparation stage, the smoker is serious about quitting, thinks about developing a plan, and possibly even has a date in mind. The action stage is exactly what it says; you are going into action to quit smoking for a period of 6 months when the smoker is quitting is known as the action stage. The maintenance stage is the period of 6 months to 5 years after quitting. The ex-smoker is aware of the danger of starting to smoke again and takes steps to avoid it. If you want to quit smoking, you need to have a plan and decide on a date when you want to quit. You can pick a date at random, or a birthday or anniversary.
A lot of heavy smokers will quit abruptly by going cold turkey while others some do it in stages by progressively reducing the number of cigarettes they smoke everyday. You can prepare for the big day by telling everyone about your intention and making a plan about nicotine replacement therapy, support groups, classes, etc. and have an actual date in mind to quit.
On the day when you quit smoking, keep yourself active and busy and drink lots of water and juices. Dispose off all your cigarettes, ashtrays, lighters, etc., and avoid alcohol and situations where you may be tempted to smoke, such as bars or restaurants where you have always smoked.
This will be a difficult phase so it would be a good idea to begin some form of therapy or counseling sessions, beginning some sort of nicotine replacement therapy, if needed. There are many forms of NRT, such as gum, patches, shots, natural, diet, and many new developing methods.
Deep breathing and oral substitutes like carrot sticks, raw vegetables, sunflower seeds, sugarless gum, or hard candy can be useful. If you feel an uncontrollable urge to smoke, abstain for at least 10 minutes and don't give in. This may allow you to regain control of yourself. This will happen for weeks to maybe months and needing to develop a plan of attack immediately is worth it.
Find out what works in the body the best, as you will use it to fight strong urges to smoke, months, or even years after you quit. Even if you do revert to smoking, don't lose heart. Jump back on the bandwagon, learning from your experiences and prepare to make a stronger attempt the next time.
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