Quitting Smoking

by Susan Gayle

The US Surgeon General has said, “Smoking cessation (quitting smoking) represents the single most important step that smokers can take to enhance the length and quality of their lives.”

Mark Twain said, “Quitting smoking is easy. I’ve done it a thousand times.”

Maybe you’ve tried quitting before, too?  If you’re reading this, we can assume your past efforts haven’t been successful. Perhaps you’re looking to try Hypnosis after seeing Matt Damon on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He went for Hypnosis in L.A. to treat his 2-pack-a-day cigarette habit, which he’d had since his teens. He successfully quit and said he’d wished he’d tried the treatment years before.

Hypnosis is a classic, and highly successful way to stop smoking. Usually, treatment consists of only a few sessions. Clients may wish, as Matt Damon does, to get a “booster” session once or twice a year for maintenance, although it isn’t required. With a qualified Hypnotist, there are often no withdrawal symptoms. You simply cease thinking or caring about cigarettes. Or you substitute another behavior or substance (such as water) for the cigarettes. With Hypnosis, you learn to refocus your attention away from smoking to other, healthier, habits.

So what is Hypnosis? Do you lose control when you’re hypnotized? Is it dangerous? What if you think you can’t be hypnotized? Is it possible that you can be hypnotized and never wake up?

Let’s talk about what this natural tool called Hypnosis is.

Hypnosis is a totally natural state that we all move in and out of all the time. You have been self-hypnotized thousands of times in your life. Hypnosis, or trance, is a state you get in when you’re body is doing one thing, but your mind is off somewhere else. Have you ever been so absorbed in a book or movie or so concentrated on a task that you lost track of time? Or forgot where you were for the moment? You were in a trance.

Have you ever daydreamed? And then snapped out of the daydream to find you’d not heard someone speaking to you? You were in a trance.

Were you ever driving home going over things in your mind – perhaps a fight you’d had with someone, or something that happened at the office, or something you were planning to do – and found yourself pulling into your driveway without realizing consciously how you’d gotten there? You were in a trance. And notice how your subconscious mind got you home anyway – safe and sound.

Being in a trance is like sitting in front of the TV – you decide to close your eyes, even though you’re still listening to the show. The phone rings and you think, “I don’t have to respond – someone else will get it or they’ll leave a message” and you just keep sitting there, lost in your thoughts and the feeling of being sooo… relaaxed…. If you were required to respond, you would easily snap out of it and do whatever you had to. But at that moment, you don’t have to do anything – and so you just stay in your “other” world. Here, but not here. That’s a trance. Pretty nice state to be in, yes?

When you’re in that relaxed state, you are more open to suggestions, and it is in that state that you can allow positive changes more easily and effortlessly. It does not require will power. The battle within you disappears and your subconscious mind easily accepts the new choices you wish to make – like taking a glass of water instead of a cigarette. Or…whatever positive change you can come up with.  The important point here is to exchange smoking for something else. That way you are assured you won’t exchange it for another bad habit – like overeating. With a qualified Hypnotist, clients do not normally gain weight when they stop smoking.

Being hypnotized is a choice each person makes, and if someone were to be completely resistant in their minds to allowing themselves to relax, it wouldn’t happen. The only form of Hypnosis that exists is Self-Hypnosis. Your Hypnotist is just your guide, guiding you into a trance. But you either allow it or disallow it. The choice is yours. At NO point are you ever out of control.

Because Hypnosis is a totally naturally occurring state, it is safe. If a person so enjoyed being in trance that they didn’t want to come out of it, the worst that could happen is that they’d go to sleep and naturally awaken from sleep when they were ready.

Trance is a natural way to focus within – to draw forth your own inner strengths and resources, to empower yourself to become the person you would like to be. To empower yourself to make the changes in behavior you wish to make. To quit smoking. And find that you don’t need the crutch after all!

But the key word here is “the changes you wish to make”. The choice to stop smoking must be yours if you wish to be truly successful in the long term. Hypnosis can help you achieve what you wish to achieve, it can take away cravings, it can refocus your thoughts to other more positive habits, it can help you feel good about yourself, it can help you take back your power, but it cannot force you to do anything you do not wish to do. You, and you alone, must decide you want to stop smoking. Although they are good incentives, don’t do it for your spouse, don’t do it for your friends, don’t do it for your children, DO IT FOR YOURSELF!

Why Quit?

(The following is excerpted and reprinted from the site http://www.cancer.org)

Your Health

Health concerns usually top the list of reasons people give for quitting smoking. Nearly everyone knows that smoking can cause lung cancer, but few people realize it is also a risk factor for many other kinds of cancer as well, including cancer of the mouth, voice box (larynx), throat (pharynx), esophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas, liver, cervix, stomach, colon and rectum and some leukemias.

Smoking increases the risk of lung diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. These progressive lung diseases – grouped under the term COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) – are usually diagnosed in smokers in their 60s and 70s. COPD causes chronic illness and disability and is eventually fatal.

Smokers are twice as likely to die from heart attacks as are nonsmokers. And smoking is a major risk factor for peripheral vascular disease, a narrowing of the blood vessels that carry blood to the leg and arm muscles.

Smoking also causes premature wrinkling of the skin, bad breath, bad smelling clothes and hair, and yellow fingernails.

For women, there are unique risks. Women over 35 who smoke and use “the pill” (oral contraceptives) are in a high-risk group for heart attack, stroke and blood clots of the legs. Women who smoke are more likely to have a miscarriage or a lower birth-weight baby.

Based on data collected from 1995 to 1999, the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently estimated that adult male smokers lost an average of 13.2 years of life and female smokers lost 14.5 years of life because of smoking.

No matter what y our age or how long you’ve smoked, quitting will help you live longer.

Ex-smokers also enjoy a higher quality of life with fewer illnesses from cold and flu viruses, better self-reported health status, and reduced rates of bronchitis and pneumonia.

For decades, the Surgeon General has reported the health risks associated with smoking. Regardless of your age or smoking history, there are advantages to quitting smoking. Benefits apply whether you are healthy or you already have smoking-related diseases. In 1990, the Surgeon General concluded:

• Quitting smoking has major and immediate health benefits for men and women of all ages. Benefits apply to people with and without smoking-related disease.
• Former smokers live longer than continuing smokers. For example, people who quit smoking before age 50 have one-half the risk of dying in the next 15 years compared with continuing smokers.
• Quitting smoking decreases the risk of lung cancer, other cancers, heart attack, stroke and chronic lung disease.
• Women who stop smoking before pregnancy or during the first 3 to 4 months of pregnancy reduce their risk of having a low birth weight baby to that of women who never smoked.

When Smokers Quit – What Are the Benefits Over Time?

20 minutes after quitting: Your blood pressure drops to a level close to that before the    last cigarette. The temperature of your hands and feet increases to normal.
(US Surgeon General’s Report, 1998, pp. 39, 202)

8 hours after quitting: The carbon monoxide level in  your blood drops to normal.
(US Surgeon General’s Report, 1988, p.202)

24 hours after quitting: Your chance of a heart attack decreases.
(US Surgeon General’s Report 1988, p. 202)

2 weeks to 3 months after quitting: Your circulation improves and your lung function
increases up to 30%.
(US Surgeon General’s Report 1990, pp. 193,194,196, 285, 323)

1 to 9 months after quitting: Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath decrease: cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs and reduce infection.
(US Surgeon General’s Report, 1990, pp. 304,307,319,322)

1 year after quitting:  The excess risk of coronary heart disease if half that of a smoker’s.
(US Surgeon General’s Report, 1990, p. vi)

5 years after quitting: Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker. 5-15 years after quitting.
(US Surgeon General’s Report, 1990, p.79)

10 years after quitting: The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smoker’s. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decrease.
(US Surgeon General’s Report, 1990, p. 110,147,152,159,172)

15 years after quitting: The risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker’s.
(US Surgeon General’s Report, 1990, p.79)

Visible and Immediate Rewards of Quitting

Quitting helps stop the damaging effects of tobacco on your appearance, including:

• Premature wrinkling of the skin
• Bad breath
• Stained teeth
• Gum disease
• Bad smelling clothes and hair
• Yellow fingernails

Kicking the tobacco habit also offers benefits that you’ll notice immediately, and some that will develop gradually in the first few weeks. These rewards can improve your day-to-day life substantially:

• Food tastes better
• Sense of smell returns to normal
• Ordinary activities no longer leave you out of breath (climbing stairs, light housework, etc.)

The prospect of better health is a major reason for quitting, but there are others as well. Smoking is expensive. The economic costs of smoking are estimated to be about $3,391 per smoker per year. Do you really want to continue burning up your money with nothing to show for it except possible health problems?

Cost

Smoking is expensive. It isn’t hard to figure out how much you spend on smoking: multiply how much money you spend on tobacco every day by 365 (days per year). The amount may surprise you. Now multiply that by the number of years you have been using tobacco and that amount will probably astound you.

Multiply the cost per year by 10 (for the upcoming 10 years) and ask yourself what you would rather do with that much money.

And this doesn’t include the higher costs for health and life insurance, as well as the possible health care costs due to tobacco-related conditions.

Social Acceptance

Smoking is less socially acceptable now than it was in the past. While decisions may not be based entirely on social acceptance, most workplaces have some type of smoking restrictions. Some employers prefer to hire nonsmokers.

Studies show smoking employees cost businesses more to employ because they are “out sick” more frequently. Employees who are ill more often than others can raise an employer’s need for expensive temporary replacement workers. They can increase insurance costs both for other employees and for the employer, who typically pays part of the workers’ insurance premiums. Smokers in a building also typically increase the maintenance costs of keeping odors at an acceptable level, since residue from cigarette smoke clings to carpets, drapes and other fabrics.

Landlords, also, may choose not to rent to smokers since maintenance costs and insurance rates may rise when smokers occupy buildings.

Friends may ask you not to smoke in their houses or cars.  Public buildings, concerts and even sporting events are largely smoke-free. And more and more communities are restricting smoking in all public places, including restaurants and bars. Like it or not, finding a place to smoke can be a hassle.

Smokers may find their opportunities for dating or romantic involvement, including marriage, are largely limited to only other smokers, who make up only about 1/4^th of the population.

Health of Others

Smoking not only harms your health, but the health of those around you. Exposure to secondhand smoke (also called environmental tobacco smoke or passive smoking) includes exhaled smoke as well as smoke from burning cigarettes.

Studies have shown that secondhand smoke causes thousands of deaths each year from lung cancer and heart disease in healthy nonsmokers.

Smoking by mothers is linked to a higher risk of their babies developing asthma in childhood, especially if the mothers smokes while pregnant. It is also associated with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and low-birth weight infants. Babies and children raised in a household where there is smoking have more ear infections, colds, bronchitis and other respiratory problems than children from nonsmoking families. Secondhand smoke can also cause eye irritation, headaches, nausea and dizziness.

Setting an Example

If you have children, you want to set a good example for them. When asked, nearly all smokers say they don’t want their children to smoke, but children whose parents smoke are more likely to start smoking themselves. You can become a good role model for them by quitting now.

Other Available Tools to Quit Smoking

Nicotine Replacement Therapy:

Nicotine Patches (transdermal nicotine systems): Patches provide a measured dose of nicotine through the skin. As the nicotine doses are lowered by switching patches over a course of weeks, the tobacco user is weaned off nicotine. Patches can be purchased without a prescription. Several types and different strengths are available. Package inserts describe how to use the product as well as special considerations and possible side effects.

Some possible side effects of nicotine replacement include:

• Skin irritation – redness and itching
• Dizziness
• Racing heartbeat
• Sleep problems
• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Muscle aches and stiffness

Nicotine gum (nicotine polacrilex): Nicotine gum is a fast-acting form of replacement that acts through the mucous membrane of the mouth. It can be bought over-the-counter without a prescription. It comes in 2 mg and 4 mg strengths.

Some possible side effects of the gum:

• Bad taste
• Throat irritation
• Mouth ulcers
• Hiccups
• Nausea
• Jaw discomfort
• Racing heartbeat

Symptoms related to the stomach and jaw are usually caused by improper use of the gum, such as swallowing nicotine or chewing too rapidly.

Long-term dependence is one possible disadvantage of nicotine gum. In fact, research has shown that 15% to 20% of gum users who successfully quit smoking continue using the gum for a year or longer.

Nicotine inhalers: Introduced in 1998, inhalers are available only by prescription. The nicotine inhaler is a plastic tube with a nicotine cartridge inside.

The most common side effects, especially when first using the inhaler, include:

• Coughing
• Throat irritation
• Upset stomach

Nicotine lozenges: These are the newest form of NRT on the market. After undergoing the appropriate testing, the FDA recently approved the first nicotine-containing lozenge as an over-the-counter aid in smoking cessation.

Possible side-effects of the nicotine lozenge include:

• Insomnia (trouble sleeping)
• Nausea
• Hiccups
• Coughing
• Heartburn
• Headache
• Flatulence (gas)

*Please note that all Nicotine Replacement Therapies assume the smoker needs a continued, if ever decreasing, amount of nicotine. It assumes the quitter is not able to discontinue a craving for nicotine except slowly. In essence, it supports the feeling of dependence the smoker feels for nicotine. (Susan Gayle’s notation)

Substances Not Reviewed or Approved by the FDA

Tobacco lozenges: Lozenges containing tobacco, such as Ariva TM, are being marketed as an alternative way for smokers to get nicotine in places where smoking is not permitted, rather than as a tobacco cessation aid. The FDA has ruled that these are a type of smokeless tobacco, not a smoking cessation aid; therefore, the FDA does not have authority over them. There is no evidence that these lozenges can help a person quit smoking.

Nicotine lollipops and lip balms: In the past, some pharmacies throughout the United States made a product called the “nicotine lollipop”. These lollipops often contained a product called nicotine salicylate with a sugar sweetener. Nicotine salicylate is not approved for pharmacy use by the FDA. In April, 2002, the FDA warned 3 pharmacies to stop selling nicotine lollipops and lip balm on the Internet and called the products “illegal”. The FDA also said “the candy-like products present a risk of accidental use by children”.

Quitlines – Telephone-based Help to Stop Smoking

More than 30 states run some type of free telephone “Quitline”, which links callers with trained counselors. These specialists help plan a quit method that fits each person’s unique pattern of tobacco use. People who use telephone counseling stop tobacco use at twice the rate of those who don’t get this type of help. With guidance from a counselor, quitters can avoid common mistakes that may hurt a quit attempt.

Tobacco users can get help finding a Quitline in their area by calling the ACS at 1-800-ACS-2345.

Support of Family and Friends

Many former smokers say a support network of family and friends was very important during their quit attempt. Other people who may offer support and encouragement are coworkers, your family doctor, your Hypnotist, and members of support groups for quitters. You can check with your employer, health insurance company, or local hospital to find support groups.

Where Can I Go for Help?

You can make positive changes in your life with my help.
Contact me at New Behavior Institute for an Appointment.

American Cancer Society 1-800-ACS-2345

Internet address: www.cancer.org

American Heart Association

1-800-242-1793 (call center) or 800-242-2793
Internet address: www.amhrt.org

American Lung Association

1-800-586-4872 or 212-315-8700
Internet address: www.lungusa.org

National Cancer Institute

Cancer Information Service
1-800-4-CANCER or 800-422-6237
Internet address: www.cancer.gov

Office on Smoking & Health

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

1-770-448-5705
Internet address: www.cdc.gov/tobacco

Nicotine Anonymous

1-877-TRY-NICA (1-877-879-6422)
Internet address: www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Smokefree.gov

(Online materials, including info on state Quitlines)
Internet address: www.smokefree.gov

References

American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures 2003. Atlanta, GA. 2003.

American Cancer Society. Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Facts and Figures 2003. Atlanta, GA. 2003

Agency for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Annual smoking-attributable mortality, years of potential life lost, and economic costs – United States, 1995-1999. MMWR Morb Mort Wkly  Rep. 2002;51 300-303. Available online at www.cdc.gov/mmwr//preview/mmwrhtml/mm5114a2.htm. Accessed October 2003.

Centers for Disease Control. Best practices for comprehensive tobacco control programs – August 1999.  Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, CDC, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 1999.

Fiore MC, Smith SS, Jorenby DE, Baker TB. The effectiveness of the nicotine patch for smoking cessation. A meta-analysis. JAMA. 1995; Jan 18: 273 (3): 181.

Glantz, Stanton. Tobacco Biology and Politics, Health Edco, 1994, 8-11.

Hurt RD, Sachs DPL, Glover ED et al. A comparison of sustained-release bupropion and placebo for smoking cessation, New Engl J Med, October 23, 1997; 337:17.

Joad JP. Smoking and pediatric respiratory health. Clin Chest Med. 2000 Mar; 21(1): 37-46, vii-viii.

Peto R, Darby S, Deo H, Silcocks P, Whitley E, Doll R. Smoking, smoking cessation and lung cancer in the UK since 1950; combination of national statistics with two case-control studies. BMJ. 2000;321(7257);323-9.

Stapleton JA, Russell MA, Feyerabend C, et al. Dose effects and predictors of outcome in a randomized trial of transdermal nicotine patches in general practice. Addiction, Jan. 1995; 90(1): 31-42.

Tonnesen P. Norregaard J, Simonsen K, Sawe U. A double-blind trial of a 16-hour transdermal nicotine patch in smoking cessation. New Engl J Med. 1991; 325: 5: 311-315.

Tonnesen P  et al. Two and four mg nicotine chewing gum and group counseling in smoking cessation: an open, randomized, controlled trial with a 22 month follow-up. Addictive Behaviors. 1988; 13(1): 17-27.

Transdermal Nicotine Study Group. Transdermal nicotine for smoking cessation. Six-month results from two multicenter controlled clinical trials. JAMA. 1991; 266 (22): 3133-3138.

US Department of Health & Human Services. The Health Benefits of Smoking Cessation: A Report of the Surgeon General. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Office on Smoking and Health. 1990. Available online at http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/NN/B/B/C/T/. Accessed October 2003.

US Department of Health & Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking: Nicotine Addiction: A Report of the Surgeon General. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Office on Smoking and Health. 1988. Available online at www.cdc.gov/tobacco/sgr/sgr_1988/iindex.htm. Accessed October 2003.

US Department of Health & Human Services. Reducing the Health Consequences of Smoking: 25 years of Progress. A Report of the Surgeon General. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Office on Smoking and Health. 1989. Available online at http://profiles.nlm.nih.giv/NN/B/B/X/S/. Accessed November 2003.

US Department of Health and Human Services. Reducing Tobacco Use: A Report of the Surgeon General. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Office on Smoking and Health, 2000. Available online at www.cdc.gov/tobacco/sgr/sgr_2000/index.htm. Accessed November 2003.