May 31 is World No Tobacco Day

The crucial punch: May 31 is World No Tobacco Day

When trying to break a habit such as smoking, that has been with you for ages, it feels like trying to break a chain that’s made impossible to break!

Nonetheless, smokers support their smoking with various physiological and psychological weaknesses.

They start it so that they can gain conformity in the group of friends and are not cast away on periphery. Teenagers, in particular smoke by looking at it as a sign of adult behaviour.

They think smoking helps them to cope up with difficult times. They tend to smoke on regular basis in order to feel better and relieved from heavy emotions. For some it is just an excuse for interrupting work and snatching a moment of pleasure.

"Tobacco is harmful in all forms to each one of us, always and it's never too late to quit,” says Dr Ashok Vaid, head Medical Oncology at Artemis Health Institute.
However, doing away with smoke drag can be a drag! Experts suggest it is essential to combine methods to create a crucial punch which can help one stay focused and quit smoking. Let’s find them out:

Questions to ask yourself

Have a "big enough why"

According to the WHO Report, 2007 tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of cancer death worldwide.

Need more reasons now? Be aware of why you want to quit smoking. Digging for reasons can be a crucial task but is the foremost step towards quitting. Then it is advisable to write down the reasons. One should post one’s written reasons in front of one’s eye and let the list remind him or her everyday of the important reasons such as pin them up on refrigerator or coffee table.

Take time every day to experience the feelings of how important it is for one to quit, once one knows their personal reasons, quitting will become a well motivated task.

Exploring the techniques that work for you

To successfully detach from smoking, one will need to identify and address their smoking habits, the true nature of dependency and the techniques that work for them.

These types of questions can help:

• Are you someone who is open in talking about your addiction?
• Do you feel the need to smoke before or after every meal?
• Are you more of a social smoker or you just need cigarette to drive you through the day?
• How much do you consume in a day?
• Take time to think which moments of your life call for a cigarette and why?
• Is your cigarette smoking linked to other addictions such as drinking and so on?

Expert peek-a-boo

According to Dr Shayam Aggarwal, leading oncologist, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, here are few ways by which you must say no to that drag:

• Schools and colleges should have education programme on the topic so that the young minds do not initiate into such habits
• Nicotine is a substance that is addictive but is not responsible for cancer. So the alternatives of nicotine such as nicotine patches and nicotine gums can be used to keep high but not smoking
• Will power and determination is among the most important factors. One has to remain motivated to quit smoking.
• Consulting a psychologist can help greatly.
• Seeking help and participating in quit smoking plans and activities also can be of great help.
• Yoga plays a significant role in delivering peace of mind and acts as a stress buster (as maximum people are addicted to smoking due to their stressful schedule).

Be Optimistic

Believe that you can quit. Think about some of the most difficult things you have done in your life and realise that you have the guts and determination to quit smoking. Doctors suggest that more than a habit, quitting is simply one’s mental frame of mind.

Dealing with cravings

Replacing cigarettes with healthy snack or water is a good option. Cravings can occur frequently during the first few days after one stops smoking. A craving generally increases in amount over a period of approximately three to five minutes and then begins to subside.

Replacing the cigarettes with something such as drinking small amounts of water or fruits will help to cope with cravings. This will help you to also cleanse your body and eliminate waste and toxics from your body.

Detach yourself with cigarettes and related stuff

Toss all your cigarettes and related items in garbage. Including matches, ash trays, lighters, rolling papers, cigars, hookahs, logo clothing- discard anything to do with smoking. This will give one a burden-free feeling and will help in letting out positive energy.

Set a date to quit and stick to it as far as possible

Determine a definite date when you will quit (or will start a gradual scheduled reduction program). Tailoring a personal game plan to your specific needs and desires can be a big help.

Change your identity and self-image to "I am a non-smoker."
It is essential to change one’s personality to that of a non-smoker so that smoking does not fit with their identity. This kind of change of identity will fill them with positivity and encouragement to further quit smoking from its roots.

Stay a Quitter

Some may slip and puff “just one cigarette”, while others experience total relapse. After sometime, some quitters get back to their smoking habit due to temptation and persistent nicotine carving. Researchers suggest that smokers who quit are at greater risk of relapsing in the first three months of becoming smoke-free.

Psychological Needs

• Remind yourself every day why you are quitting.
• Develop a plan for relieving stress.
• Avoid places you associate with smoking.
• Listen to relaxing music.
• Try diverting your attention into something else which will channelize your energy in positive direction such as watching a funny movie and so on.
• Take your mind off a problem and come back to it later.
• Rely on your friends, family, and support group for help.
• The golden rule is just to remember that every day without a cigarette is good news for your health, your family and your pocket. For life is only life when blest with wellbeing.

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