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Most smokers would rather be ex-smokers. They know their habit
is unhealthy, dirty and becoming very costly. Most smokers would
like to do their health and pocketbook a favor and kick the
habit. But its not easy.
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.
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