Kick the habit and get your health back
Join the 11 million people in the UK who have stopped smoking. It's never too late to quit!
Smoking is one of the most harmful habits you can pick up. It stains your teeth, causes premature ageing and lowers fitness, not to mention the fact that it costs a fortune. Yet in the long term the associated health risks of smoking are far more serious.
Smokers are exposed to a greater risk of developing heart disease, cancer of the throat and lungs, and a 50% increased risk of suffering a heart attack. In most cases the habit extends to damaging the health of those around you, who can end up with a 30% increased chance of developing conditions such as coronary heart disease. And, if this isn't incentive enough to quit, read these shocking statistics:
- Smoking is the greatest cause of illness and premature death in the UK
- It causes about 100,000 deaths each year
- It cuts ten years off your life expectancy
- Whereas 80% of non-smokers live past the age of 70, only 50% of long term smokers do
- 8 in 10 instances of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are directly related to smoking
- Half of all smokers die of smoking related illnesses
But there is light at the end of the tunnel! Giving up smoking, even in middle age, prevents 90% of the associated health risks. It takes only 20 minutes to feel the first benefits of having quit, and these will continue to be felt for more than a decade after. For a step-by-step account of the body’s recovery process after having quit smoking, read The British Heart Foundation’s "Feel healthier Faster" sequence.
How to quit
There are various ways to give up smoking, but not everything will work, so it’s a good idea to experiment with different methods until you find something which suits you. The most important thing, however, is don't give up giving up! Here are a few tips to help you quit:
- Before you decide to quit, try to come to a better understanding of your smoking habits. Ask yourself why you started, why you have decided to quit, and when you are most likely to give into cravings. For example, if you smoke when stressed, quitting will necessitate finding a more positive form of relief. Knowing why and when you smoke will not only encourage you to address underlying issues such as these, but will also enable you to plan ahead, so as to try and avoid situations which might tempt you to light up.
- Set a date. Sometimes it's more difficult to give up on the spur of the moment, and setting a date will allow you to gear yourself up mentally for the challenge.
- Seek professional advice. There are many channels which offer support for smokers trying to quit; these include your local GP, community support groups, and helplines, to name a few. The NHS has a range of services to help you give up, which include stop smoking groups, one to one counselling and the ‘Together’ programme which aims to help you give up at home. Research has shown that you are much more likely to suceed with profesional support, and as most of it’s free, it’s a good idea to get informed and take advantage of the help on offer.
- Use your family and friends. Often social situations can be the most challenging, and family and friends can provide much-needed encouragement, as well as a watchful eye, if and when you feel it's needed.
Medication to help you quit
Nictoine Replacement Therapy
If you feel, as many people do, that simply going ‘cold turkey’ is not an option, there are various means by which you can control and hence gradually reduce your nicotine intake. Nicotine Replacement Therapy works by helping to manage your withdrawal symptoms; it slowly reduces cravings by providing you with ‘clean’ nicotine, free of all the toxic substances contained in cigarettes. NRT has been found to double a person’s chances of quitting; as it reduces relapse and induces coping behaviour. This treatment comes in the form of patches, pills, gum, tablets, lozenges, inhalators and nasal sprays, and these have shown a higher rate of success if used in conjunction. Some treatments are available free on prescription, so make sure you see your GP or pharmacist to find out more.
Alternatively, if NRT does not work for you there are a number of prescription drugs which are available, and you should see your GP for advice. However, if you are averse to medication, both hypnotherapy and acupuncture have been hailed by many as having helped them quit, as well as behavioural therapy and aversive therapy. Self-help books and tapes can also be successful as supplementary tools in helping you quit.
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