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ENLARGE
DR. RAZVAN GOSMAN
Jan. 1 not only marks the beginning of a new year, but the first day of a new decade — the 2010s. Many of us will celebrate this calendar change by trying to make a change in ourselves, such as exercising more or eating better. Some of you may even try to make one of the most difficult changes of all: beginning your new life as a nonsmoker.
If you still smoke, I don't need to tell you how bad it is. You already know that smoking dramatically increases your risk of heart attack, stroke and respiratory diseases like emphysema and lung cancer. You know cigarette smoke deteriorates your basic health and sense of well-being and can cause adverse health effects in loved ones around you.
There is no new information that will likely convince you to quit smoking. You know how bad it is, you want to quit and you may even plan on quitting smoking as your New Year's resolution this year.
If you smoke, none of this is news. What you may not know though is the emotional journey you are about to begin when you quit smoking.
During your first day as a non-smoker, you'll likely get a headache and feel cranky, but you are probably expecting that. Even if you use aids like the nicotine patch, you are still going to experience some form of withdrawal. Most people who try to quit can handle these side effects.
The real trouble comes when you are tested. You see a friend smoking and you think, “If he/she can smoke, I don't see why I can't.” You might have a hard day at work or be out having a drink and think, “I'll only smoke when I'm drinking,” or “I can't get through a day like today without a cigarette!”
They say a chain is only as strong as its weakest link and it's the same with quitting smoking. You are only as strong as your weakest moment. A little voice is going to tell you it's OK. It will invent every reason to make it seem OK to smoke and unless you are ready for that, it is going to trick you.
Cigarettes are the way smokers comfort themselves during difficult or painful situations. To get through those moments, you need to be prepared in advance. You need to get to know the weakest links in your chain and reinforce them ahead of time.
If stress from work is your biggest trigger, plan on going running after work or calling a friend to talk about your day. If alcohol is a trigger, consider not drinking for a month. If you have friends who smoke, ask them not to smoke around you for a little while.
Stress and frustration are not going to go away so you'll need to find new ways to cope with them. Luckily, there have never been more resources available for people who want to quit smoking. If you're serious about quitting, talk to your doctor. He/she can help you. Additionally, make use of other resources like the Web site, www.becomeanex.org, which is specifically designed to help you relearn how to live without cigarettes.
With the dawn of a new decade, get serious about quitting by planning ahead for those difficult moments. You can spend the rest of your (long) life thanking yourself.
• Dr. Razvan Gosman is a board certified Roseburg pulmonologist and a member of DCIPA, The Physicians of Douglas County. If there's a health care topic you would like to see covered, please contact Dan Hern at dhern@dcipa.com.
If you still smoke, I don't need to tell you how bad it is. You already know that smoking dramatically increases your risk of heart attack, stroke and respiratory diseases like emphysema and lung cancer. You know cigarette smoke deteriorates your basic health and sense of well-being and can cause adverse health effects in loved ones around you.
There is no new information that will likely convince you to quit smoking. You know how bad it is, you want to quit and you may even plan on quitting smoking as your New Year's resolution this year.
If you smoke, none of this is news. What you may not know though is the emotional journey you are about to begin when you quit smoking.
During your first day as a non-smoker, you'll likely get a headache and feel cranky, but you are probably expecting that. Even if you use aids like the nicotine patch, you are still going to experience some form of withdrawal. Most people who try to quit can handle these side effects.
The real trouble comes when you are tested. You see a friend smoking and you think, “If he/she can smoke, I don't see why I can't.” You might have a hard day at work or be out having a drink and think, “I'll only smoke when I'm drinking,” or “I can't get through a day like today without a cigarette!”
They say a chain is only as strong as its weakest link and it's the same with quitting smoking. You are only as strong as your weakest moment. A little voice is going to tell you it's OK. It will invent every reason to make it seem OK to smoke and unless you are ready for that, it is going to trick you.
Cigarettes are the way smokers comfort themselves during difficult or painful situations. To get through those moments, you need to be prepared in advance. You need to get to know the weakest links in your chain and reinforce them ahead of time.
If stress from work is your biggest trigger, plan on going running after work or calling a friend to talk about your day. If alcohol is a trigger, consider not drinking for a month. If you have friends who smoke, ask them not to smoke around you for a little while.
Stress and frustration are not going to go away so you'll need to find new ways to cope with them. Luckily, there have never been more resources available for people who want to quit smoking. If you're serious about quitting, talk to your doctor. He/she can help you. Additionally, make use of other resources like the Web site, www.becomeanex.org, which is specifically designed to help you relearn how to live without cigarettes.
With the dawn of a new decade, get serious about quitting by planning ahead for those difficult moments. You can spend the rest of your (long) life thanking yourself.
• Dr. Razvan Gosman is a board certified Roseburg pulmonologist and a member of DCIPA, The Physicians of Douglas County. If there's a health care topic you would like to see covered, please contact Dan Hern at dhern@dcipa.com.
