| With the with the onset of the Smoking Ban, it is | | | | and view the cravings as a good thing - it's a sign that |
| estimated that over 2 million people in England, Wales | | | | your body is starting to recover. |
| & Scotland will have tried to quit smoking in the second | | | | Once you've taken the plunge and decided to give up |
| half of 2007. However, even if all of these people | | | | smoking, the key to success is to take small steps. |
| managed to give up and stay off cigarettes, that still | | | | Take each day one at a time and tell yourself you just |
| leaves an estimated 8 million smokers in Britain today. | | | | aren't smoking for today; it will seem far less daunting |
| To give up smoking is one of the most popular New | | | | than never smoking EVER AGAIN. |
| Year's resolutions, with hundreds of thousands trying to | | | | Nicotine replacement therapy could work if you've |
| quit each year. But the sad fact is that a significant | | | | been a heavy smoker, but if you don't want to go that |
| proportion of these people will lapse before the year is | | | | route then distract yourself; drinking water flushes out |
| out and return to their smoking habit. There are | | | | toxins but also gives you something to do with your |
| withdrawal symptoms that will be experienced when | | | | hands. Alternatively, go and do something else - ring a |
| trying to give up smoking - many people suffer from | | | | friend or go for a walk. Finally, sit those cravings out - |
| mouth ulcers, develop a chesty cough and even suffer | | | | the average craving only lasts three minutes and then |
| from disturbed sleep. However as well as these | | | | the urge should disappear. |
| physical symptoms there are also mental side effects | | | | Once you've got this far, you're almost there and you |
| that need to be faced - irritability, restlessness and | | | | just need a few techniques to keep you on the |
| anxiety and it is perhaps these side effects that | | | | straight and narrow. By spotting your trigger points, you |
| contribute more to people succumbing to the craving | | | | can learn to avoid them; so for example if you always |
| for nicotine more than the physical withdrawal | | | | had a cigarette with a glass of wine, have a handful of |
| symptoms. | | | | nuts instead so that you have something else to focus |
| Therefore preparing yourself mentally to quit before | | | | on. If you do have a lapse, keep your resolve - it's only |
| you even stub out that last cigarette could be the key | | | | one and you don't have to have another. |
| to success. Take time to sit down and write a list of all | | | | Smoking was a habit, so help to break it by taking up a |
| the reasons why you want to quit and then put it | | | | new habit (but this time, choose a healthy one!) If you |
| somewhere really obvious to refer back to it in a | | | | think you would benefit from some help as you give |
| moment of weakness. Decide on a day to quit and | | | | up, take advantage of the support that's out there. |
| make a note - only buy enough cigarettes to last you | | | | There are plenty of support groups for people wishing |
| until that time - "emergency supplies" stashed away will | | | | to give up smoking - both online and offline, and |
| call out to you once you've stopped and could be your | | | | anyone serious about giving up can find details of |
| downfall. Tell your family and friends and ask them to | | | | support groups from their local GP surgery. Additionally, |
| support you, maybe even find yourself a friend who | | | | many high street chemists offer help and advice for |
| wants to stop as well. | | | | those wishing to stop smoking. Boots, for example |
| The night before you are due to quit, throw away all | | | | operate their Change One Thing programme, which |
| your smoking "equipment" - ashtrays, lighters, spare | | | | has an action plan containing advice from experts, to |
| cigarettes - they've got to go if you are to succeed. | | | | hold your hand every step of the way. |
| However, perhaps most important of all is to accept | | | | Before you know it, you will start to see the positives - |
| the fact that it won't be easy to give up. If you kid | | | | your clothes will no longer smell, your skin may have |
| yourself that giving up smoking is going to be a walk in | | | | fewer wrinkles, your smile will be brighter once the |
| the park then you will be unpleasantly surprised | | | | cigarette stains start to fade and your heart will be |
| throughout the first few days and you may not have | | | | much healthily. So, take a deep breath (if you can!) and |
| the willpower to see it through. But, if you're feeling | | | | declare yourself a non-smoker in 2008. |
| really strong you could try some reverse psychology | | | | |