I have been smoking for several years and know it is contributing to my chest problem. I must stop, but dread the withdrawal and side-effects. What help can I get to kick the habit?
Conventional Remedy: Congratulations on making the decision to quit smoking. Tobacco smoke contains approximately 4,000 chemicals. One of them, nicotine, is a powerful drug which affects the brain and is highly addictive. Carbon monoxide is a gas released from burning tobacco. When it is inhaled into the body and enters the bloodstream, it interferes with the circulatory system, the heart and the lungs.
Other chemicals contained in cigarettes include acetone, butane, hydrogen cyanide, radon, ammonia and sulphuric acid. Cigarette smoking is the most important preventable cause of cancer. According to the Irish Cancer Society, one Irish person dies every six hours from lung cancer, 90 per cent of which is due to smoking. Considering the known health risks associated with smoking, you are wise to give it up.
The good news is that there is plenty of help out there for you. First stop is your family doctor. The Irish College of General Practitioners provides training courses for GPs aimed at helping patients to stop smoking. Your GP is ideally placed to help you kick the habit.
He/she will also help you understand the need for a structured approach to stopping, as well as emphasising the support of family and friends.
Smoking is often linked to certain times of the day and certain situations. These are known as triggers. The trick is to replace the triggers with new activities not associated with smoking. So if you always have a cigarette at coffee times, switch to orange juice or go for a quick walk.
You are quite likely to experience withdrawal symptoms. This is not a sign of weakness, but rather the result of the addictive chemicals in cigarettes. You may feel irritable, dizzy and light-headed, and develop a cough and increased phlegm. Some people have increased appetite, feel extra tired or experience sleep disturbance.
These are common symptoms and will disappear within a few weeks, so don't be tempted to give in. Your doctor will also help you to understand cravings and how to overcome them. You will be given advice on nicotine replacement therapies, which many smokers find are a help when quitting.
Nicotine replacement therapy works by introducing nicotine into the body in small quantities but without the harmful chemicals contained in cigarettes. By providing the body with slowly decreasing quantities of nicotine, you can gently wean yourself off this addictive drug. The therapy is available in several forms, including gum, inhalers, patches, tablets and, since last year, an oral preparation, bupropion hydrochloride.
Useful sources of information and advice on quitting smoking are the health promotion office of your local health board, the Irish Heart Foundation, pharmacists and the Irish Cancer Society Quitline (1850201203). Dr Muiris Houston
Alternative Remedy: As a hypnotherapist, I help clients identify what needs are being met by smoking in their lives. I need to know what the main triggers are for lighting up, as these have to be addressed. If you deal with the "cravings" and ignore the social needs, then hypnosis (or any other intervention) is unlikely to be successful.
Another vital element is understanding how a client's life will change when free of the habit. If there is no perceived positive pay-off, there is no motivation, and less likelihood of success.
Heavy smokers with health problems are advised to consult a GP before stopping abruptly. Many hypnotherapists devise a cessation plan tailored to individual needs, using a variety of techniques including NeuroLinguistic Programming (NLP) and also the more recently developed Thought Field Therapy (TFT).
The latter is simple to learn and very effective in dealing with all aspects of withdrawal, including the social ones.
It is realistic to expect to visit a therapist for at least three sessions. In spite of the apparent "magic tricks" of stage hypnotists, hypnosis remains an important aid to smoking cessation and is not a quick-fix therapy.
The Irish Institute of Counsel- ling and Hypnotherapy can be contacted at tel: 01-2600118.