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Ten Most Popular Methods To Help You Quit Smoking

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Smoking becomes an addiction which takes a great deal of will power to break. If youve decided to quite the puffing habit (as ordering this report indicates) your next step is to decide how youre going to do it.

As many methods to quit smoking have been devised as there are brands of cigarettes. The ten methods outlined in this report, from the cheapest to the most costly, have worked for millions.

Your best bet is to study these ten methods and decide which one is best for you. You may want to take the following facts into consideration:

- cost usually increases commitment

- programs with follow-up sessions have the best success rate

- shy people do better when they do it alone

- outgoing people do better in the group methods

- young people lean toward the acupuncture and hypnosis methods

- older people very often choose individual counselling

1. ON YOUR OWN

Cost: $0 - $10

Time Commitment: Its up to you.

There are many ways to quit on your own. You may try cold turkey, cut down by one cigarette a day, or make a bet with someone who also wants to quit. Libraries and bookstores are full of advice from published ex-smokers.

Whichever method you choose to go it alone, youll need to be really sure that you do want to quit. If youre sure its what you want, youll be able to quit smoking on your own and save lots of money.

Success Rate: Not too high. About 75% of those who try to go it alone end up failing.

2. CHEMICAL SUBSTITUTES

Cost: Under $10

Time Commitment: Whatever time it takes to obtain them.

Various substances are being tested in an effort to find a bio-chemical method to quit smoking. Silver nitrate, a substance that irritates the mucous membrane, renders smoking chronically unpleasant. Lobeline, a herb used to replace tobacco has not been too successful. Sodium bicarbonate can decrease ones craving for nicotine. However, the most effective chemical substitute to date to aid you to quit smoking is nicotine. Nicotine is, of course, the active drug in tobacco. It has been put in chewing gum, which a smoker would chew when he has a craving for a cigarette. Test show that people find it easier to give up the gum than cigarettes.

Success Rate: About 38%

Contact: The nicotine chewing gum is available non-prescription in Canada, Sweden and England. Otherwise, consult your doctor.

3. THE 5-DAY PLAN

Cost: $5 - $15 donation

Time Commitment: 90 minutes a night for five nights.

This is a group system sponsored by the Seventh Day Adventist Church but is largely non-sectarian.

The idea is to quit cold turkey with group support. The groups vary in size from 15 to 50 and they employ the buddy system. Youll be teamed up with someone with whom you will communicate a couple of times a day for mutual support.

Emphasis is on changing habits. You will be encouraged to also give up coffee, tea, alcohol and salty snacks. You will be encouraged to go for long walks and drink lots of water. The 5-Day Plan does have follow-up programs. Success Rate: About 50% of those who complete the whole five days.

4. AUDIO CASSETTES

Cost: About $50

Time Commitment: Varies depending on how often you repeat the exercises.

This method combines a book, an instructional guide and a series of cassette tapes. You are encouraged to keep a smoking diary and a relaxation diary. The book, entitled Become an Ex-Smoker, is a supplement to the tapes. The four tapes combine lectures with exercises to help you gradually quit smoking.

Success Rate: No studies to show success rate at this time. Contact: BMA Audio Cassettes, 200 South Park Avenue, New York, NY 10003.

5. ACUPUNCTURE

Cost: $50 - $200

Time Commitment: One hour a week for one to four weeks.

There are, of course, various procedures varying with each acupuncturist. But the basic method involves needling or stapling one of your ears at three points related to the areas of your body where smoking urges begin. The needles or staples stay in your ear for one to four weeks and you are advised to tap or press them when you feel the urge to smoke. During your visits to the acupuncturist you will be given verbal instruction to reinforce the effects of the acupuncture, and given facial massages.

Success Rate: 28% - 56%

Contact: The American Journal of Acupuncture, Boulder Creek, CA 95006, or The Acupuncture Foundation of Canada, Suite 302, 7321 Victoria Park Avenue, Markham, ON L3R 2Z8 Canada.

6. HYPNOSIS

Cost: $50 - $300

Time Commitment: One hour a week for one to three weeks.

Soon after visiting your hypnotist you will find yourself in a mild trance which will induce a state of concentration. The hypnotist will then take you through a series of exercises to help you relax and focus on the negative aspects of smoking. Other exercises will be done, depending on the hypnotist. The emphasis will be to teach you to hypnotize yourself, by yourself, whenever you need to.

Success Rate: 25%

Contact: Look in your phone directory yellow pages under Hypnosis.

7. PRIVATE THERAPY

Cost: $150 - $600

Time Commitment: One hour a week for three to ten weeks.

The main advantage of private therapy is that your therapist can assess your situation and design a program specifically for you.

Your therapist will want to know all about your smoking habit - how much you smoke, when you usually light up, how you smoke.

Many therapists encourage you to smoke rapidly, puffing every six seconds. It is believed that this rapid smoking makes it easier to focus on the negative aspects of your habit.

Success Rate: No studies done at this time but success rate is believed to be very high.

Contact: Look in your phone directory yellow pages under Mental Health Professionals and look for behavior therapists.

8. SMOKENDERS

Cost: $345 - $445

Time Commitment: Two hours a week for eight weeks.

During your first few sessions youll listen to ex-hard-core-smokers tell you how they kicked the habit. Youll share your feelings about the smoking habit with the other 20 or so smokers in your group.

Youll be advised to keep a smoking diary of when and where you smile each cigarette. Youll be advised to brush your teeth more and get rid of your lighters. You will smoke your last cigarette at bedtime on the night after the fifth meeting.

Finally, you must deposit each butt you smoke in a water-filled jar - an unpleasant sight!

Success Rate: 39%

Contact: In U.S. call 1-800-642-4772 toll-free to find out about sessions nearest you. In Canada check your local telephone directory or call 604-684-1815.

9. SHICK

Cost: $545

Time Commitment: One hour a day for five consecutive days.

This method uses aversion therapy and rapid smoking techniques. You are treated in a one-to-one situation with a therapist employed by Shick.

You will sit in a booth with wires attached to your forearms. Your therapist will give you a mild electric shock and increase the voltage until you choose a degree which you can handle, but which is annoying.

Next you will light up. One cigarette after another. But you must not inhale. When you inhale, you will get the shock.

These are the basic techniques used in the Shick program. Follow-up meetings are designed to keep you from forgetting what you learned.

Success Rate: Shick claims it is well over 50%.

Contact: Listed in most telephone directories in California, Texas, Florida, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona and Utah.

10. LIVE-IN THERAPY

Cost: About $900

Time Commitment: Five days.

For five days you will take up residence in an environment designed to help you concentrate on one thing - quitting smoking. You will be well away from work and family problems. Individual counseling and group support are a vital part of a live-in program.

Diet, stress management and exercise programs keep you busy during your stay. A follow-up newsletter is sent to you monthly.

Success Rate: about 40%.


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St. Helena Health Center, Deer Park, CA 94576 Florida Hospital, 601 E. Rollins Street, Portland OR 32803 Portland Medical Center, 10123 S.E. Market Street, Portland, OR 97216 Washington Adventist Hospital, Tacoma Park, MD 20012.