After you ‘quit’— tackling the tough job of staying smoke free

  • Shelly Webb
  • November 4, 2011
  • 306
                        
Summary—Next Thursday, November 17, 2011 marks the 36th Great American Smokeout. Many smokers will kick the habit for the day, but some will decide to quit for good...how they fair on November 18 and each day after will be the hard part. Story—Quitting smoking isn’t hard for the first ten minutes and some people are okay the first few hours or the first full day, but unfortunately every day after can be a battle. November 17, 2011 will be a day that many attempt to quit. Some will try for the day in honor of the great American smokeout and others will try to quit for good. Area Development & Quality Improvement Officer, Mark Wood, MPPM, MSW, LISW understands the battle that smokers face when they decide to quit, but says it will become easier as time passes. “Seven to ten days after quitting there is no nicotine left in the brain, so the brain chemistry that influences the addiction ceases to be a problem,” Wood shared. “However, there are significant emotional and behavioral connections to smoking (like smoking to relieve stress) that may take much longer to fully address. Generally, if you can make it 3 – 4 weeks without any relapse you have been able to change or deal with triggers enough that relapse is less likely. This is different for each individual though. Some people may still have cravings at a particular time of year, around certain people or when engaging in specific activities.” According to Wood, the typical nicotine craving lasts between seven and eleven minutes, even immediately after quitting, but this length of time starts to decrease as soon as the individual stops responding to the craving. “The problem is that in the initial stages of quitting other stressors are often more significant (perhaps because smoking was being used to alleviate stress before, and now isn’t) and so the cravings, while shorter in duration, may actually feel stronger,” he explained. “Depending on the quit method (e.g. medication, nicotine replacement, cold turkey), the duration and severity of cravings generally decreases noticeably each week.” Many individuals that smoke would like to quit. It is very well-known the health risks that smoking contributes too. Some people quit and are okay for a while, but many begin smoking again. Wood says the most common reason individuals may relapse is stress. Controlling stress and learning new coping skills is very important if you want to remain smoke free. “The most common reason for relapse is stress,” Wood said. “Stress is ubiquitous and often impossible to plan against. Quitters should try to avoid situations that leave them Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired (HALT). Also planning new approaches to common problems can help avoid relapse by dealing with those problems in a new way (i.e. waking earlier to avoid being late for work and having to drive in traffic). People often plan quit attempts during the holidays and this can be an especially difficult time given the extra stress many are under during seasonal holidays.” Another important concept anyone attempting to quit smoking needs to understand is that a relapse is no reason to give up. “Quitters should remember that relapse is not a sign of failure,” Wood added. “The average successful quitter makes NINE attempts before they succeed. A relapse means they are one attempt closer to success.” Quitting is hard but putting yourself in the best possible situation for success can help immensely. Wood says there are some relatively straightforward steps one can take to avoid starting again after quitting. “First, quitters need to recognize that one puff, drag or draw on a cigarette is not a devastating failure,” he said. “When people respond to a craving they need to resume their quit plan as quickly as possible after the relapse. One puff should not be an excuse to smoke the entire cigarette. Take care of the craving, then put it out and start again. Quitters need to address each craving – one at a time. A common pitfall is feeling like a failure because a whole quit day is ruined by one puff. Don’t think like that. Instead, think about not responding to the next craving and then once you’ve made it through that one, make a plan for the next one.” Another simple but logical step to quitting is to remove cigarettes, ashtrays or lighters from your home in the same way you would remove chips, cookies and soda if you were trying to eat more healthy. Also recognize the deeper reasons for smoking. Wood explains that although smoking is certainly an addiction based in the brain chemistry, it often provides relief from other problems such as anxiety, depression or body image concerns. “Dealing with these underlying issues will keep smoking from being a viable option in the future,” Wood shared. “The unfortunate thing about smoking is that it often works, at least temporarily, to alleviate those problems. If a quitter doesn’t address those issues, smoking remains a way to deal with them. So, getting involved in some brief counseling, an exercise program or even discussing the problem with your primary care physician can add more barriers to resuming smoking.” Wood also thinks if you are planning to quit, it is wise to tell people that care about you and support you. Many people choose to keep the fact they’re quitting to themselves, which Wood believes is a mistake. “The first thing someone planning to quit should do is tell people that care about them that they are quitting,” Wood said. “A common quit mistake is keeping it quiet out of fear of failure and disappointing loved ones. But the reverse is true. We feel more accountable when we tell others our plan and they become a resource when we are feeling stuck or struggling with cravings. We need our friends and family to continue to ask how we are doing in our attempt and to check-in; even after we have successfully quit just to, make sure relapse or restarting doesn’t occur.” If anyone is trying to quit there are resources for those who need additional support. Wood said that Nicotine Anonymous is an excellent support system and their website, www.becomeanex.org offers extensive information if interested.


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