Tuesday August 31, 2010
A reader asks:
I quit smoking 7 months ago. I do feel better, and I don't struggle all of the time now, but I still have days where I find myself missing my cigarettes and wishing I could have just one now and then. Sometimes the urge to smoke is intense, and it depresses me. I wonder if I'll ever be free of this habit! Will I miss smoking forever?
Recovery from nicotine addiction is a process of gradual release over time.
Every smoke free day you complete is teaching you how to live your life without cigarettes. Bit by bit, you're reprogramming your responses to the daily events that trigger the urge to smoke. The more practice you get, the less urges will plague you.
Will I Miss Smoking Forever?
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Monday August 30, 2010
Quit Stories to Inspire You
There is nothing better for a person's motivation to quit smoking than hearing from those who have done just that and are looking back with a year or more of smoke-freedom under their belts.
Settle in with a cup of tea and put your feet up. The stories I've selected for you to read this week are filled with hope, practical tips and inspiration to sustain you on your own journey to leave nicotine addiction behind.
Pancake's Story
"Nicotine addiction controlled every aspect of my day, steadily degrading my health and stealing my life away one hour at a time...all to feed the demon's insatiable appetite for a FIX."
Pacerina's Story
"I quit smoking 10 months ago, on October 12th 2009. Only recently have I installed a quit meter on my computer, and I was amazed to see that these past 10 months smoke-free have signified over 3,000 cigarettes not smoked, over $400 USD saved, not to mention over one week of life saved."
Q.V.'s Story
" This week I am celebrating 14 months smoke-free. While getting to this milestone was not a walk in the park, I can say one thing -- quitting has made me stronger and my self-esteem is through the roof."
Do you have a story or tips to help others quit smoking? Share your thoughts via the links below:
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Take The Quit Smoking Monday Pledge
Healthy Monday encourages us to think of every Monday as a day that we can begin work anew on goals that we have for ourselves. If you're still smoking, put your cigarettes down and get started on your quit program today.
We all have the ability to quit smoking successfully, and we all deserve a life that is free of addiction. Honor your life by choosing Monday as the day to start and reinforce your quit program.
You can quit smoking ... and we're here to help you, one simple Monday at a time.
Image © healthymonday.org
Sunday August 29, 2010
If you are on Medicare and still smoking, this news is for you.
As part of the Affordable Care Act, Medicare will begin to pay for a variety of preventive care services on January 1, 2011, such as colerectal cancer screening, mammograms and now, tobacco cessation counseling.
Under the new provisions, smokers on Medicare will be able to take advantage of 4 evidence-based counseling sessions per quit attempt, and will be covered for two quit attempts per year, (8 counseling sessions total) if necessary. There are two levels of counseling available for ex-smokers:
- Intermediate Counseling
Face-to-face contact with a counselor for three to 10 minutes per session.
- Intensive Counseling
Face-to-face contact between patient and counselor for more than 10 minutes per session.
The type of counseling received will be decided between patient and doctor.
In the past, Medicare covered cessation counseling only after a person had been diagnosed with a smoking-related disease.
HHS Announces Medicare Expands Coverage of Tobacco Cessation Counseling -- U.S. Department of Health and Human Service Press Release
From the press release:
Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable illness and death in the United States and is a major contributor to the nation's increasing medical costs. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that tobacco use causes about one of five deaths in the United States each year and that, on average, adults who use tobacco die 14 years earlier than non-users. It is estimated that between 1995 and 2015, tobacco-related diseases will cost Medicare about $800 billion.
Quit Smoking Resources:
Image © Stockxpert
Wednesday August 25, 2010
Why am I Craving a Cigarette Three Months into Quitting?
An About.com Smoking Cessation reader asks:
"I quit smoking cold turkey almost three months ago. I've had my ups and downs in that time, but feel like I've been making progress overall. However, in the last week or so, I've been thinking about smoking so much and it's getting worse. I know the nicotine is long gone from my body, but I swear I'm having cravings for a cigarette that feel just like nicotine withdrawal. Why is this happening to me, and will I always feel this way?"
The three month mark is a notoriously bad time for quitters. The rush, or excitement of quitting has worn off, but we haven't yet completed the healing process from nicotine addiction. We're still thinking about smoking, and most of us are still feeling the urge to smoke now and then. It can leave a person feeling edgy and sad. We wonder if we'll always be doomed to feel this way.
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