Quit Smoking

• Everyone has their own reason for wanting to quit, here are some of the most common ones. 
• To improve your health and reduce risk of life threatening diseases.
• To enjoy a better quality of life, to be fitter and healthier.
• To be a better role model for your family and friends
• To have more money in your pocket. Find out how much by using the cost calculator in the quit plan
• To regain control over your life – smoking won’t dictate your daily routine.
• To improve your image, have better skin, teeth, hair and nicer smelling clothes.
• To reduce the work you have to do to keep your home and car clean.
• To improve the quality of the air in your home for your family and friends.
• To improve your self-esteem and to be better able to deal with the daily stresses of life.

• 1 in every 2 smokers will die of a tobacco related disease
• Most smokers (83%) regret that they ever started smoking and would not smoke if they had the choice again.
• Smoking takes 10 to 15 years quality years off your life.
• Every 6.5 seconds someone in the world dies from tobacco use = 1.5 million people dying needlessly each year.
• Every cigarette a person smokes reduces his/her life by five and a half minutes.
• In Ireland, smoking is the leading cause of avoidable death. Nearly 5.,500 people die in Ireland each year from the effects of smoking and thousands of others are ill because of smoking-related diseases.

To start your quit journey today go to https://www.quit.ie/ or for more information continue reading below

• Within 20 minutes your circulation will improve, your heart rate and blood pressure will get lower. This reduces your risk of heart attack straight away.
• Within 8 hours the carbon monoxide level in your blood will drop and the oxygen level will go up.
• Within 24-48 hours all the carbon monoxide will have left your body.
• Within a few days your sense of smell and taste will start to improve. 
• After 72 hours your breathing will improve and your energy levels will increase.
• Within 2 or 3 months your lung capacity can increase by up to 30%. 
• Within 1 year your chance of heart attack drops by half and within 10 years the risk drops to almost the same as a non-smoker.
• Within 5 years the risk of smoking related cancers will be greatly reduced.
• Once you give up, your lungs start to fight back by coughing up tar. A mug full of tar builds up in the lungs of a 20 a day smoker over the period of a year. It is the toxic chemicals in tar that cause cancer.

• Look and feel better
• Have fresher breath and cleaner teeth, hair, skin and fingers
• Have more control of your life
• Be fitter and have more energy
• Reduce your risk of illness
• Reduce the complications of existing illnesses
• Have a better quality of life
• Be a good role model for your children or grandchildren
• Have more money
• Have a healthier family as they will not be exposed to your second-hand smoke

• Have you ever felt a need to cut down or control your smoking, but found it hard to do so?
• Do you ever get annoyed or angry with people who criticise your smoking or tell you that you should give up?
• Have you ever felt guilty about your smoking or about something you did while smoking?
• Do you smoke within half an hour of waking up?

What's in a cigarette

1. Look at your desire and readiness to quit,
2. Take a history of your smoking habit, 
3. Assess your nicotine addiction, 
4. Identify your reasons for quitting and any difficulties or risks of relapse,
5. Create a personal plan for your quitting, 
6. Measure your carbon monoxide levels, 
7. Recommend suitable medical treatment, refer you to doctor for prescription and follow-up. 

• how addicted you are to nicotine,
• your smoking habit and routine,
• your lifestyle and how well each treatment would fit in with this.

• Are pregnant 
• Are under 18 
• Have had a recent heart attack.

1. You continue to smoke for the first 10-14 days of the treatment. As the drug builds up in your system, you will notice that you do not get the same enjoyment from your cigarettes and you will not smoke as often. 
2. When you quit smoking completely, the drug takes over the role of nicotine by stimulating the brain to release the chemical dopamine. This makes you feel good and reduces your withdrawal symptoms – cravings, restlessness, irritability, low mood and weight gain. 

• Work it off by taking a walk in the fresh air or a run around the house. 
• Talk to someone you really trust.
• Learn to accept what you cannot change.
• Don’t self-medicate with alcohol, cannabis, too much coffee or tranquillizers.
• Get enough sleep and rest to recharge your batteries.
• Take time out for activities that you really enjoy or try out some new ones such as yoga, Tai Chi, aromatherapy.
• Doing something for others can make you feel good too.
• Take one thing at a time.
• Sometimes it’s best to agree with someone instead of life being a constant battleground. 
• Prioritise your day ahead and only do the things you have to do.
• Don’t be afraid to say ‘no’.
• Plan ahead by saying ‘no’ now.
• If you are ill, don’t try to carry on as if you’re not.
• Develop a hobby. It’s important to have time out from your family and your work. 
• Only you can change the way you react to stress. Think creatively about how to manage your life better and get on with it!
• Eating good meals at regular times will help your mood.
• Use a stress reduction technique every day, such as deep breathing. 
• Know when you are tired and do something about it.
• Delegate responsibility. A few minutes spent getting someone else to help you will be time well spent if it makes your day less hectic.
• Be realistic about what you can achieve. Forget perfection.

• Remind yourself that your choice to smoke or not to smoke is still there.
• Discover new ways of dealing with negative feelings rather than reaching for a cigarette.
• Remind yourself that the feeling is temporary; it will go away.
• Congratulate yourself for coping with life without smoking.
• Ask others to understand and be patient.
• Do things that make you feel good.
• Get a good night’s sleep.

• Keeping a pack of cigarettes in the house
• Buying cheap tobacco ‘for friends’ while on holiday
• Lighting or holding other people’s cigarettes
• Getting so drunk that you forget you are trying to quit
• Sitting in smoking areas ‘just for a chat’
• Thinking that smoking ‘doesn’t count’ if: 
• It is a joint
• It is an ultra-light cigarette
• It is someone else’s cigarette
• No-one sees you smoke it
• You didn’t actually buy any cigarettes
• You are on holiday
• Offering to ‘look after’ someone else’s cigarettes
• Thinking. ‘There’s so much smoke in here, I might as well smoke myself’
• When craving, going to see a smoking friend for a ‘heart to heart’
• Picking an argument with your partner or friend who smokes, knowing that in the end they will tell you to shut up and have a cigarette (and give you one)

• Smile! Say ‘NOPE’ – Not One Puff Even!
• Practice saying ‘No thanks I don’t smoke’ in front of the mirror each day. 
• Ask friends and family who smoke to help you by not offering you cigarettes and not smoking around you. 
• Ask them to smoke outside.
• Move away from smokers until you feel in control of yourself again. Look around for people who are not smoking.

• Don’t feel a failure.
• Congratulate yourself on what you have achieved so far.
• Get back on the non-smoking track immediately – if you are determined to stop smoking you can do it.
• Ask yourself what caused the slip and decide how you will handle this differently in the future. Promise yourself that you won’t take the same risk again.
• Look at your quit plan again and look at doing something differently. 
• Don’t give up on giving up.

• Cravings
• Moods, Irritability and anxiety 
• Sleep Pattern
• Concentration levels/Problem Solving
• Energy levels
• Digestion
• Signs your body is getting better
• Breathing
• Weight gain
• hunger

• Distract yourself by focusing on something else 
• Delay until the urge passes – usually within 3 to 5 minutes 
• Deep breathe 20 times 
• Drink a glass of cold water or fruit juice

• Remind yourself that your choice to smoke or not to smoke is still there 
• Discover new ways of dealing with negative feelings rather than reaching for a cigarette 
• Remind yourself that the feeling is temporary; it will go away 
• Congratulate yourself for coping with life without smoking 
• Ask others to understand and be patient 
• Do things that make you feel good

• Any activity you enjoy can help you to relax and reduce stress 
• Physical activity can help – walking, jogging, cycling, dancing or swimming. 
• Listen to music, read, sew, woodwork, do a jigsaw or garden 
• Try a relaxation exercise 
• Regular deep breathing exercises x 20 slow breaths are a great way of relaxing and dealing with difficult situations 

• Remind yourself that giving up is the most important thing you can do for your health. 
• Eat three well-balanced meals per day, snack only on healthy foods. 
• Keep low calorie snacks handy such as carrot sticks, celery and fruit. 
• Drink plenty of water and low calorie drinks. 
• Eat more fruit and vegetables. 
• Make a fruit salad each morning and keep it in the fridge.

• Think about why you want to quit
• Tell your friends and family you are planning to quit
• Stop buying cigarettes

• Pay attention to when and where you smoke
• Think of other things to hold in your hand instead of a cigarette
• Think of habits or routines to change

• Think about what you will do with the money you save!
• Make a list of people you can talk to if you need help

• Buy your stop-smoking aid if you're going to use one, or continue taking any stop-smoking aids your doctor may have prescribed.

• Throw away lighters and ashtrays
• Throw away cigarettes and matches
• Clean your clothes to get rid of cigarette smell

• Keep very busy
• Tell family and friends that this is your quit day
• Stay away from alcohol
• Give yourself a treat, or do something special

• Try to set your quit date within the next 10 to 15 days. If you smoke mostly when relaxing or socialising, pick a weekday. If you smoke mostly at work, pick a day on a weekend or during a vacation. Once set, allow nothing to change it. Celebrate the date you became a non smoker every year!

• Identify your personal reasons for quitting. For some, those reasons are to feel better, to live longer, to set a good example for their children, to cut their risk of heart attack or to save money.

• Think of ways to change your routine to make smoking difficult, impossible or unnecessary. For example, ride your bike, go to the movies, walk the dog, try a new recipe, visit the dentist for a cleaning, get a manicure, start a garden, write a love letter . . .

• What sets off cravings? List as many as you can think of, such as drinking alcohol or coffee, being around other smokers or working under pressure. Plan ways to avoid these triggers and quell urges.

• Where can you find support and encouragement? Think of family members, friends and co-workers who are willing to help you if you need them to. Discuss your plans to quit with your doctor and other healthcare providers. Call 1-877-YES-QUIT for support and referrals to services in your community.

• Talk to your doctor about the right medications to ease your symptoms of withdrawal. For example, if you smoke steadily throughout the day, the nicotine patch might be right for you. If you smoke in response to cravings or stress, the gum or spray might suit you best. Your doctor can help find a combination that works for you.