Šalje: QuitSmokingTips [bwprice@quitsmokingsupport.com] Poslano: 13. siječanj 2001 21:33 Prima: List Member Predmet: QuitSmokingTips - Volume 3 Number 1 QuitSmokingTips - http://www.quitsmokingsupport.com --------------------------- ListBot Sponsor -------------------------- Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/links/joinlb ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ..................................................................... January 13, 2001 *** Volume 3 Number 1 *** ..................................................................... ...IN THIS ISSUE... 1 What's New on QuitSmokingSupport.com 2. Welcome to QuitSmokingTips! 3. Tackling Cravings and Relapse A Message from our Sponsors: ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` QuitSmoking.com Be sure you visit http://www.quitsmoking.com Excellent Information and Products to Help Smokers Quit! ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` "SMOKESAVER" turns your computer into a virtual therapist. By replacing your screen saver, SmokerSaver drops in on you several times a day, every day ? bite-sized instalments that accumulate into a comprehensive 30-day course. This powerful interactive guide shadows you throughout the day, initially assessing your habit, then advising you, monitoring your progress, supporting and inspiring you, until you reach your ultimate goal of being a non-smoker. Visit: www.SmokerSaver.com for more information! ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ========> 1. What's New on QuitSmokingSupport.com Thinking about quitting smoking? Get some of the most interactive online support available at: http://network54.com/Hide/Forum/76750 Purchase "The Complete Idiot's Guide To Quitting Smoking" at: http://www.quitsmokingsupport.com/otherbook.htm Add your name to our growing list of over 2,800 ex-smokers at: http://www.quitsmokingsupport.com/feedback.htm ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ========> 2. Welcome to QuitSmokingTips Welcome to QuitSmokingTips brought to you by QuitSmokingSupport.com If you feel that the material in this newsletter may be of benefit to anyone that you know please feel free to pass it on! Quitting smoking isn't an easy task to accomplish! The experts claim that it takes the average person seven times to quit for good! They also compare quitting smoking to that of stopping a heroin addiction. That's just how powerful nicotine is! You hear of people with emphysema and on their last breathe still smoking. You hear of people suffering a heart atttack starting up smoking again. WOW, if that isn't a powerful drug! I smoked for 22 years, 2 packages a day and I never in my wildest dreams ever thought that I would be able to give up my best friend. My best friend went everywhere I went and he was through all of the good and bad times with me. Always at my side he was! As I look back now, in retrospect, I can see what it was that finally allowed me to break free for good. I was trying too darn hard to quit! When I quit this last time, over 5 years ago, I kept myself as busy as I could be and I kept my mind on other things rather than thinking about my quit! I quess thinking about not smoking so much paved the way for me to have relapse after relapse. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ========> 3. Tackling Cravings and Relapse First, make a contract with yourself to identify six to 12 strategies to use whenever you get a tobacco craving. Try to identify "Pleasure Principle" strategies that are a better substitute for the pleasure of the drug because they provide pleasure or stress reduction. A craving is like a wave on the ocean. As it begins to crest, you might become worried about your ability to resist the urge, and you may focus on anticipating how bad it will get. Remember to stay focused in the present and on the degree of desire that you are currently experiencing -- not on worrying about what it might happen. Anticipated discomfort is often worse that the real experience. Also, remember to give yourself time. Just like a wave, the urge will build, crest, relax and disappear. Your preparation, determination, practice and social support can be very helpful in reducing both the frequency and intensity of your cravings. Tobacco cravings appear to be mild in the morning. The period of most intense craving is between noon and 10 p.m., with the peak between 7 and 8 p.m. Craving is most intense for the first two to three days, then drops off sharply, and substantially reducing by the end of the first week. Both physical and psychological symptoms follow similar trends. Using a nicotine replacement therapy or Zyban can help to reduce the frequency and intensity of tobacco cravings. Tips to Reduce Cravings Take five to 10 gentle, full, deep breaths. Divert your attention to something positive. Wait it out (for at least 5-10 minutes). Remind yourself of the good reasons why you want to reduce or quit. Alter your routines to avoid old tobacco triggers. Go for a walk or get regular exercise. Talk to a friend. Chew gum. Take up a new hobby with the money you save from not using tobacco. Plan something fun or exciting. Listen to or play music. Watch television or a video. Ask yourself: "Do I really want tobacco, or is this just a reflex or habit?" Occupy your hands: Play an instrument, draw or write a letter. Brush your teeth (cigarettes, chewing tobacco and alcohol taste bad afterward). Changing Hand and Mouth Habits Many ex-tobacco users report experiencing strong urges to have something in your mouth or hands. There are a variety of things that can assist with these special types of cravings: A big glass of water. Placebo cigarettes (like the E-Z Quit). Sugarless chewing gum. Carrot sticks, celery and other crunchy vegetables. Apples, oranges, tangerines, bananas and other fruits. Cinnamon or licorice sticks. Toothpicks or swizzle sticks. Jigsaw or crossword puzzles. A diary or journal. Hand-held electronic games (like Solitaire). Play dough or clay. A back-scratcher. Good books and magazines. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` The contents of this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the opinions of QuitSmokingSupport.com. We want this newsletter to be the best one around. If you have suggestions, ideas, or feedback about this newsletter, feel free to email us at support@quitsmokingsupport.com Please feel free to pass this newsletter along to anyone you know who may benefit from it! To unsubscribe to this newsletter, please go to http://www.listbot.com/ (c) Copyright 1995-2001 QuitSmokingSupport.com Take care and have a great week! Blair support@quitsmokingsupport.com QuitSmokingSupport.com http://www.quitsmokingsupport.com ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to quitsmokingtips-unsubscribe@listbot.com