What is the Single Best Thing You Can Do to Quit Smoking?

Summary

Dr. Mike Evans discusses the challenging journey of quitting smoking, highlighting it as a process filled with relapses and resilience. He emphasizes understanding one's stage in the readiness to quit, from pre-contemplation to maintenance, and underscores the importance of personal motivation and confidence. Evans explores the mechanics of change, including breaking habits and forming new, healthier relationships. He debunks common myths about smoking, presents evidence-based strategies for quitting, such as nicotine replacement therapy and behavioral support, and encourages a patient and forgiving approach to overcoming addiction, stressing that multiple attempts are often part of the journey to success.

Takeaways

• 😃 Quitting smoking is often a long journey involving a cycle of quitting and relapse, highlighting the complex relationship between a person and smoking.
• 🙏 Approximately 75% of smokers want to quit, but many are not ready to take action, illustrating the stages of change from pre-contemplation to maintenance.
• 📝 Stopping smoking requires understanding what has worked in the past and preparing for potential relapses, emphasizing the importance of the preparation stage.
• 💡 Success in quitting smoking is influenced by self-efficacy, or one's confidence in their ability to make a change.
• 💧 Nicotine addiction plays a significant role in the smoking habit, with the brain requiring more nicotine over time to achieve the same effect.
• 🙌 Behavioral changes and understanding one's triggers, such as coffee or stress, are crucial in breaking the smoking habit.
• 💰 Nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) and medications can double the chances of quitting successfully, highlighting the effectiveness of medical support.
• 📚 There are many resources available for quitting smoking, including government programs, support groups, and counseling, providing a wide range of support options.
• 🚴 Behavioral interventions and planning for high-risk situations can significantly reduce stress and increase the likelihood of quitting success.
• 🙊 Nicotine withdrawal can cause various symptoms like cravings, headaches, and irritability, but understanding and preparing for these can help manage them.
• 👍 The journey to quitting smoking may involve setbacks, but perseverance and learning from each attempt are key to eventual success.

Q & A

What are the stages of change that people go through when quitting smoking?

The stages are pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. Most people start in pre-contemplation where they aren't thinking about quitting. They then move to contemplation where they consider quitting but aren't ready to act. Preparation involves getting ready to quit. Action is when they actually quit smoking. Maintenance is about staying quit long-term.

What are some of the perceived benefits of smoking that the doctor recommends reframing?

The doctor mentions reframing the ideas that smoking de-stresses you, smoking relaxes you, smoking improves concentration, and smoking provides satisfaction. He explains these are really just reducing nicotine withdrawal, not actual stress.

What are some of the behavioral interventions recommended for quitting smoking?

The doctor recommends getting counseling, using text messages or emails for support, connecting with others going through the process, calling quit lines, reading books, and accessing other resources available through governments.

What are some of the treatments found to be ineffective for quitting smoking?

The doctor states that laser therapy, acupuncture, and hypnosis do not appear to improve quit rates compared to placebo or control groups.

What are some of the medications that can help with quitting smoking?

The doctor mentions nicotine replacement therapy (gum, patch, lozenge, inhaler), Zyban/bupropion, and Chantix/varenicline as options that may double quit success rates.

What are some tips for using nicotine replacement therapy effectively?

The doctor recommends getting advice from a pharmacist to design a personalized NRT program. He also notes you don't need a prescription, can combine patch with other forms, don't need to quit cold turkey, and it's cheaper than smoking.

What are some ways to deal with stress while quitting smoking?

The doctor advises avoiding high-risk stressful situations, managing expectations, and practicing acceptance of things out of your control. Doing stress reduction activities can also help.

What are some withdrawal symptoms to expect when quitting smoking?

Common withdrawal symptoms include cravings, headaches, nervousness, irritability, trouble sleeping, coughing, and increased appetite.

What are some tips for changing routines and triggers related to smoking?

Ideas include changing coffee routines, planning distractions after meals, getting rid of smoking-related items like car ashtrays, and preparing for smoking triggers like alcohol, parties, and free time.

What should you do if you relapse when trying to quit smoking?

The doctor emphasizes not feeling guilty and seeing relapse as part of the journey. He recommends learning from the experience about triggers and getting ready to try again.