When I asked that someone who is near and dear to me, why do you smoke, the answer is "Because I like to smoke."  Well, that answer is brutally honest in their mind. However, it is a lie. This is very misleading. This person, name unmentioned, does not smoke because they enjoy smoking, rather they enjoy not smoking. Nicotine is powerfully addictive.  What the smoker is saying is that I don't like the way I feel when I don't smoke. It helps me calm my nerves, it takes the edge off, and therefore, I enjoy smoking.  If the nicotine level decreases below a certain threshold in the smoker's body, that person will become more irritable, anxious, tense, and even show some physical signs such as sweating and heart palpitation.  You are darn skippy, they do enjoy smoking. They sure don't like it when they are not smoking. It is quite miserable to not smoke (for a short time).  There is a fear that the smoker's life will become as miserable as the first few days of not smoking. This does not occur.  There will be those occasional urges of wanting a cigarette. Remember, this is the usual way out in a time of stress, "I have to have a cigarette!"  This is the default. The smoker is able to get away from everyone for a few minutes and go outside to smoke. 

However, when people are alone at the end of the day, they want to quit smoking. They want another way.  Who in their right mind wants to spend the money to smoke?  Sure it is cool to some when you smoke as a teenager and then all of the sudden you are grown up, got bills to pay, gas to buy, diapers and food to provide. Then what?  Who wants to spend five bucks a day on cigarettes if they had another choice?  Nobody, really.  Oh yeah, you will find those few that are die hards, the pleasure of smoking for them far outweighs the pains and risks of smoking. However, in the end, at the end of the day or at the end of life, there infinitely more people that say, "
I wish I had never smoked."  I don't think I can ever recall anyone saying on their deathbed, "Boy, I wish I were a smoker!"  No, it just does not happen.  If you want help in quitting smoking there are many resources. I have narrowed it down to some key items.  There is hope. I want to give you some ideas to quit smoking.

• Ask ex-smokers what they did to quit smoking.  Repeat the successes.  Don't reinvent the wheel.
  
• A slip actually kills a quit.  In other words, a quick little puff will kill the desire to quit smoking. Don't take that puff.
• Quit -- just don't buy another pack.  Go Cold Turkey
• Do not buy cigarettes
• Do not carry cigarettes
• Don't hang out with a group of smokers for the short term.
  
• Go day to day as a non-smoker. Do not think about next week or next month. Quit today and then quit tomorrow
• Draw near to you the health of not smoking.
• Push away from you the dangers of smoking
• Understand the difference of the two above.
• Take pride in quitting.  This is a huge life achievement.  You should be proud and so should those that love you.
• Ignore the "they" or the nay-sayers.  This is the group of people that say, "Oh come on, one little puff won't hurt you" or "You know you are going to fail.  You LOVE to smoke".  This is your obstacle.  All obstacles can be moved or gone around.
  
• Avoid those triggers that instigate a desire for a cigarette.  Don't go to parties or bars for a period of time.
• Trigger events are to be limited. In other words, if you like to go out and party or go to card games where smoking always occurs, try and limit those activities for the time being.  Protect yourself from profound trigger events.
• Make a list of all the reasons that you want to quit smoking.
• You must know that the only person that you can quit smoking for is yourself. 
• Just like an alcoholic, one puff can and will trigger a relapse. 
• When you think about that one puff, ask yourself if you are ready to be a full-fledged smoker again. Smoking is really a all-or-nothing event.  Either you are a smoker or you are not.
• Save the money you spend on cigarettes and put it away for yourself.  Make a pledge to yourself that you are going to do something nice for yourself that you have not been able to afford.
• Practice deep breathing when the cravings are really high
• Seek medical help to quit the smoking addiction
• Find and go to places where you are not able to smoke:  Movies, libraries, restaurants, and other public venues
• Tell people that are around you that you have quit smoking and ask them, point blank, for their support
• There are only two reasons to start smoking again
• You have decided that you want to go back to the old level of smoking so that you can become ill, spend more money, and become an addict again, or
• You really enjoy withdrawing and you want to make it last forever.
  
• If neither of these options appeal to you, then kick the habit.  

If you do need help to quit smoking, seek the support of a pastor, a physician, a therapist, an acupuncturist, support groups, hypnotist, and anyone else you can think of to help you.

Remember, pass this on to anyone and everyone that you can think of that may benefit from the Daily Dose.  I do appreciate your help in getting the message out. If your friends or family members are in Oregon, that's okay. They can benefit from this information.  Remember, they can always opt out if they don't want to receive the Daily Dose anymore.

I want you to be in good health.

Remember, it is easier to maintain good health than to try and obtain good health.

To your healthy,

Dr. Michelle Haendiges