Quit Smoking Brisbane Northside
Cigarette smoking in Brisbane is one of the leading cause of chronic illnesses and health conditions such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, asthma, reproductive issues, and blindness, among many risks. Given these consequences, some individuals choose to quit smoking. Going through the process of quitting can be tough since it has already been developed as a habit. Moreover, the nicotine in cigarettes is a reliable way of relieving stress and boosting the mood.
Why Is It Hard To Quit Cigarette Smoking?
Smoking is both a physical addiction and a psychological habit. The nicotine provides temporary mood elevation. However, eliminating the nicotine in the body suddenly can cause side effects such as stress, depression, anxiety, irritability, headaches, tremors, and stomach upset.
Since smoking has been a part of the daily ritual, it may already be an autopilot response after doing certain activities, such as drinking coffee or taking a break after a hectic schedule. Family, friends, and colleagues who are smoking can also contribute to one’s smoking habits because it has been a part of how you relate to them.
To be successful in quitting cigarette smoking, behaviour change and coping with nicotine withdrawal symptoms are factors that need to be dealt with. With the right game plan, the bad habit can be counterattacked until smoking is no longer a part of the daily routine.
Identify Triggers for Smoking
One of the recommended ways to quit smoking is to identify the reasons for smoking and specific activities, feelings, and people that contribute to the habit. It is highly suggested to keep track of the patterns and triggers to identify the root cause of your behaviour. Keep a log of the smoking activities and monitor them until your quit date. Here are some questions that are helpful in tracking the smoking behaviour:
- What time did you smoke?
- In a scale of 1-10, how intense was the craving?
- What were you doing prior to smoking?
- Who were you with?
- How were you feeling prior to smoking?
- How did you feel after smoking?
More often than not, people smoke to manage unpleasant feelings. As much as the cigarettes provide the much-needed comfort to cope with these unpleasant feelings, it is important to remember that there are alternatives to keep oneself in check. These may include, meditation, exercising, and breathing exercises. These options will provide the venue to release the undesirable feelings without turning to cigarettes.
Available Medications and Therapy
There are other available options but these are the most common interventions that medical practitioners recommend.
- Nicotine replacement therapy. This treatment helps in breaking the psychological addiction by introducing alternatives. New behaviours and coping abilities can be acquired by the patient.
- Non-nicotine medications. These help reduce smoking cravings and withdrawal symptoms. However, this is intended for short-term use only.
- Acupuncture. This medical technique releases endorphins and allows the body to relax. It aids in managing withdrawal symptoms.
- Behavioural therapy. This focuses on learning new coping skills and breaking the smoking habit.
At Ubuntu Medical, we also have Naturopaths.