Quit smoking for good, on your terms
If you're finding it difficult to quit smoking, it's not "just you." Quitting is extremely difficult. In fact, cigarettes are about as addictive as heroin. Your odds of quitting are the same for both.
According to Dr. Peter Selby, clinical director of addiction programs at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto and the principal investigator of one of the largest smoking cessation trials ever undertaken in Canada, quitting smoking has only a two to three per cent success rate if you simply stop, without any strategy or support. Boost your chance of success to as high as 40 per cent by taking these steps.
1. Listen to yourself and quit smoking your way
"No two smokers are the same," says Selby. People smoke for different reasons in different situations, have different levels of addiction and prefer to quit in different ways. There's no "one size fits all" solution -- so you need to find what's best for you.
Amanda Cooper*, for example, knew she didn't want to stop going places where someone else might be having a cigarette. "I was going to keep participating in life," she says. Her gum allowed her to be around smokers and get past cravings.
2. Strategize to really quit smoking for good
After making the decision to quit, you need to plan for success. Dale Mackey, a registered respiratory therapist and smoking cessation counsellor at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, calls it "preparing for the urge."
Desiree Gaw, for example, created a comprehensive strategy, even though she didn't call it that. Her bet provided incentive. By limiting her clubbing she avoided temptation. By concentrating on her puppy, she found a healthy distraction. And when she got stressed at work, she taught herself to take a break, not a smoke break.
3. Keep going, even if you relapse
Amanda recently attended a wedding, and she had a cigarette. She knew she was on the edge again. "The monster was lurking," she says. "But I'm determined he's never coming here again. Do I have to stop cheating? Absolutely. Did I go buy the gum again? Yes."
Slipping up speaks to the power of addiction. The important thing is not to let it stop you. Forgive yourself, and get back on track. And if you do relapse completely, don't be hard on yourself, but resolve to try again as soon as you can to build on the gains you've already made.
"People say, ‘Well, I've failed so many times,'" says Mackey. "It's always a huge success if you stopped for a period of time. How can that be a failure? And each attempt makes you more prepared. The same feelings are going to happen again -- now you're ready for them, and you will be stronger."
Click to continue to smoking cessation products and medical treatments...
Page 1 of 3
According to Dr. Peter Selby, clinical director of addiction programs at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto and the principal investigator of one of the largest smoking cessation trials ever undertaken in Canada, quitting smoking has only a two to three per cent success rate if you simply stop, without any strategy or support. Boost your chance of success to as high as 40 per cent by taking these steps.
1. Listen to yourself and quit smoking your way
"No two smokers are the same," says Selby. People smoke for different reasons in different situations, have different levels of addiction and prefer to quit in different ways. There's no "one size fits all" solution -- so you need to find what's best for you.
Amanda Cooper*, for example, knew she didn't want to stop going places where someone else might be having a cigarette. "I was going to keep participating in life," she says. Her gum allowed her to be around smokers and get past cravings.
2. Strategize to really quit smoking for good
After making the decision to quit, you need to plan for success. Dale Mackey, a registered respiratory therapist and smoking cessation counsellor at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, calls it "preparing for the urge."
Desiree Gaw, for example, created a comprehensive strategy, even though she didn't call it that. Her bet provided incentive. By limiting her clubbing she avoided temptation. By concentrating on her puppy, she found a healthy distraction. And when she got stressed at work, she taught herself to take a break, not a smoke break.
3. Keep going, even if you relapse
Amanda recently attended a wedding, and she had a cigarette. She knew she was on the edge again. "The monster was lurking," she says. "But I'm determined he's never coming here again. Do I have to stop cheating? Absolutely. Did I go buy the gum again? Yes."
Slipping up speaks to the power of addiction. The important thing is not to let it stop you. Forgive yourself, and get back on track. And if you do relapse completely, don't be hard on yourself, but resolve to try again as soon as you can to build on the gains you've already made.
"People say, ‘Well, I've failed so many times,'" says Mackey. "It's always a huge success if you stopped for a period of time. How can that be a failure? And each attempt makes you more prepared. The same feelings are going to happen again -- now you're ready for them, and you will be stronger."
Click to continue to smoking cessation products and medical treatments...
Page 1 of 3
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