Tips To Quit Using Tobacco

Before you make the decision to quit consider the following:
How long have you been using tobacco?
How much do you smoke or chew a day?
What triggers you to use tobacco?
Do you smoke on a regular schedule or randomly?
Have you tried to quit in the past?
Do you experience intense morning cravings?
What problems did you have quitting or staying off tobacco in the past?

Cold turkey - with this method, you completely stop your tobacco all at one time, relying on your willpower to fight your nicotine addiction.
Gradual - decreasing the number of cigarettes you smoke over time.

Chantix - cessation medication available only by prescription with a very high success rate.
Zyban - anti-depressant available only by prescription that helps reduce nicotine withdrawal symptoms and the urge to smoke.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy - helps reduce nicotine cravings and eases symptoms of withdrawal without exposing you to tar, carbon monoxide, and other harmful components of cigarette smoke. Recent federal guidelines suggest using a therapy that gradually reduces the amount of nicotine over the course of treatment.

Not all nicotine replacement therapies work the same way, so consult with your pharmacist or other health care professional about your tobacco cessation needs.

Pick your Quit Day - make it special, a day with meaning for you. Determine if holidays, birthday or anniversaries are best for you. Join a community-wide quite smoking day. (safety in numbers). A change in scenery, such as a vacation or weekend of camping may help make it easier to stop. Choose a method with your pharmacist or doctor. Write your intention to quit down on paper, and sign it.
Prepare yourself for quitting - two weeks before quitting make a list of reasons for quitting. Read it out loud before bed every night. Ask friends and family to give you support. Ask other smokers to quit with you to encourage each other. Slowly reduce the number of times you use tobacco each day. Plan alternative activities.
The night before you quit - Throw away your cigarettes, matches, lighters, and ashtrays. Remove as many triggers as possible. Tobacco smells may be in your home, car, office or clothes. Wash clothing, hair etc. to remove tobacco smells allowing you to wake up to clean fresh day.
Following through - fight cravings by practicing the 4 D's. Reward yourself for not using tobacco. Remind yourself why you quit. Plan alternative activities.
Within 24 hours you will feel benefits of quitting tobacco: Cold hands and feet will warm up. Your blood pressure and pulse rate will go down. Your heart and lungs begin to heal.
Common side effects of quitting tobacco - Don't worry if you feel sleepier or more irritable than usual. These feelings will pass. Cravings are common. Keep hard candies, gum and carrot sticks on hand. Drink lots of water and juice. Avoid places you used to smoke. Or, visit places where smoking is not allowed. Calm your first-day jitters with exercise (simple exercise). Talk with your health care provider about nicotine gum, patches and other stop-smoking aids.

Cope with cravings by practicing the 4 Ds:

Deep breathing-- Slowly inhale and exhale.
Drink lots of water throughout the day (especially during a craving).
Do something else to get your mind off the craving. Call a friends,

go for a walk, chew on a carrot stick.
Delay reaching for a cigarette. The urge will pass (cravings

typically only last 10 minutes).