Quit those Habits

Yes: We’re Quitters

Welcome to EZ Quit

Hey folks. This is a really new site and basically this introduction is nothing more than to lay out what this site is about, so you can decide if you’d like to bookmark it and come back or not.

I am a smoker. Guilty. I have been smoking since I was 15. Just like everyone at that age I was into trying new things, and especially things that I wasn’t allowed to do. Driving my dads car, drinking, and maybe taking a hit on a bong or two. Of course I had to try cigarettes as well, no kid’s list of sins is complete without smoking. I became addicted without knowing it. I started smoking often and increased the amount I smoked very quickly.

It’s been 12 years since I started. I am 27, and healthy aside from some tar in the lungs and breathing problems when I run or workout. The heavy breathing is just one of the more mild side effects that we all know exist with smoking now.

Another side of the addiciton world I want to jump into is that of drinking. Alcoholism is a very serious problem in the modern world. Some abuse it out of hate and contempt for the world. Others don’t know why they drink… they just do. I am not a drinker myself I never have been. But I want to get my friend Mike to start writing because he drinks a bit too much. Maybe he can shed some light on what it’s like, and I know he wants to quit.

This site will be about my struggle to quit smoking and maybe you can chime in and join me. I want to create a community around this site so maybe we can all help each other do what feels like the impossible: Quit Smoking!


How did you get Addicted?

I want to pose a question to you: When and how did you start with your abuse of substance?

As I said before I started smoking around 15. What I didn’t mention was that both of my parents smoked. Thus access to cigarettes was very easy. All I needed to do was wait for my mom to use the restroom and I could snag a couple cigarettes. Because she never really kept track it didn’t bother her. Either that or she knew all along and just never said anything to me.

The fact that the cigs were in the house made it that much easier to snag them, but I am sure I could have just grabbed quarters from her change to buy my own if I really wanted to. I don’t doubt that is the route the whole thing would have gone had they not been right in front of me. The only people I can blame are my parents and myself. In reality they should have talked to me about the birds and the bees and the cancer. Really though what can we say? When I started up there wasn’t as much knowledge circling about the world about the dangers of nicotine. There were smoking patches sure but nothing like we have today.

The guys got together, drank, smoked and had fun. That’s how highschool was. I gave into the pressure. I had to be part of the group and in order to do that you had to go out for “smoke breaks” while playing nintendo. Do I regret it all? You bet, I could have a lot less health problems today had I not started. But the good news is I am quitting so I have to stay positive.

Why not leave a comment and let me know how you started?


So it’s day 1 officially

Today is day one of the quit smoking marathon. I was going to wait until New Years but you know what? I am tired of people who always use dates as an excuse. What is stopping me from quitting RIGHT NOW? Nothing but my own will. The guys who say “New Year = Resolutions” I say why not just start today? We all complain about needing more cash around the holidays. I figure I can save about $500 from now until Christmas from quitting alone. Frankly I will take it. That’s just free money to me. Cigs are $10 a pack up here. It’s getting completely insane.

Wish me luck, my quest begins.


How day 1 has gone

So as I said I was going to stop smoking today. To be honest things were going fine for a few hours. That is until I went down to get a coffee. I always go to the Starbucks downtown and grab some caffiene before I start grinding and working away (I work from home). I try to make a habbit of this because I don’t want to spend all day inside, knowing how easy it is to get secluded. Anyway I digress.

I got my coffee and noticed a fellow smoking outside. I didn’t have any cigarettes on me because I threw them out this morning (like throwing away money, sheesh). Anyway I must have been staring at the guy for awhile because he said “hey buddy, need a cig?” I couldn’t help it, I took a drag and walked off saying thanks to the guy. I realized what I had done and tossed the thing on the cement angrily.

I wouldn’t say I cheated… I just had a bump in the road. I am counting today as day one still and I will continue as normal tomorrow. But in all honesty I think we need to get a button that says “Don’t give me cigarettes, I’m quitting.” or something. Who would think that’s a good idea? Let me know I might get some buttons or stickers made up.


These statistics are frightening

I was checking out the American Cancer Society website tonight and I ran accross some really sickening numbers…

After
20 Minutes Blood pressure drops to a level close to that before the last cigarette.
- Temperature of hands and feet increases to normal.
8 hours Carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal.
- Oxygen level in blood increases to normal.
24 Hours Chance of heart attack decreases.
48 Hours Nerve endings in the mouth and nose start to re-grow.
- Ability to taste and smell improves.
72 Hours Bronchial tubes relax, making breathing easier.
- Lung capacity increases.
2 weeks to 3 months Circulation improves.
- Walking becomes easier.
- Lung function increases up to 30%.
1 to 9 Months Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, shortness of breath decrease.
- Cilia regain normal function in lungs, increasing ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, reduce infection.
- Body’s overall energy level increases.
1 year Excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker’s.
10 years Lung cancer death rate is half that of a continuing smoker’s.
- Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidneys, and pancreas decreases.
15 years Risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker’s.

So… I made the right choice then? Wow… makes me feel quilty for having a puff today.


Day 2 begins now

Well it is 12:15am on the west coast so this means I am now on day 2 of my stop smoking marathon. I have been edgy all day, and I haven’t picked up the phone in fear of yelling at people. I’ve been drinking a ton of Coke to supplement the decline in caffiene from the cigarettes. This is not the greatest way to go about this because I quit drinking Coke about 2 years ago as well. That stuff is worse than cigs for you. Heck, Coke can eat away at a penny if you let it sit for a few days. Scary.

So I got an email from a reader today [contact me here] talking about some of the products I posted on the quit smoking aids page. I cut down the email a bit but you get the idea:

Hey Danny I have a comment to make on one of the products you posted on your help page. I tried Quit Smoking Right Now and it worked but it was really expensive… glad I did it overall but maybe there was an easier way. not complaining…. just happy to be done with smoking!!
- Tan

Thanks for the email Tan. I think I will personally pass for now simply because I seem to be handling things okay. Maybe someone out there will be happy to see this information though.


Second hand Smoke

I have always felt guilty smoking around friends or family, but after reading this article I feel like a bit of a butthead.

However, Japanese researchers report changes that can lead to heart disease occur in as little as 30 minutes. “Exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke can result in reduced blood flow and an increase in a marker for oxidative stress equivalent to what occurs in smokers,” says Toru Kato, MD, of the faculty of medicine at Saga University in Saga, Japan.

One cigarette (depending on how fast you drag I guess) is all it takes to help increase your friends risk of smoking like problems. Wow that makes me feel great.

You can view the rest of the article by Clicking here.


The cravings AHHHH the cravings!

ALL DAY I have had these insane cravings. I’ve been all over the net looking for other people with the same experiences and they have said that they also got bad cravings. I want to stab someone in the face. I even yelled at the pizza guy by accident, I had to tell him I was quitting smoking or I am sure he would have shanked me. I don’t know what to do, I want to have a cigarette so bad. I think I might have to try a smoking aid because this is so not working. I think any minute I am going to run to the gas station and pick up a pack.

HELP MEE!!!! Also has anyone else noticed the teeth hurting problem? My teeth are killing me, I have to keep brushing them.


Day 3 - I feel terrible

So I am on day 3, and I have to admit I can no longer say I am quitting. I picked up a pack of cigarettes today and started back on it. I was gaining too much weight because I had to drink more caffiene due to the lack of smoking, and Coke is really bad there is way too much sugar in it. So needless to say I am back on it.

I feel pretty guilty which is why I haven’t written anything today other than this. Quitting is not easy and I certainly didn’t believe anyone when they said that. I thought “Hey I am a big tough guy, I can drop it no problem!” well the truth of the matter is that it’s not that simple. So to those who have made it further than 3 days, I salute you. How you did it is beyond me.

However this does not mean I am giving up. It just means I am going to have to run to the pharmacy and pick up some smoking patches. I’ve heard good things about them and with all the advertising they do, a bunch must be sold on a regular basis. So I am going to try them first. If that doesn’t work I will try the gum. But I want to stay optimistic in some sense, so I am going to say that I think the smoking patches will work.

Well I am sorry to let everyone down. I will get back to you when I have grabbed some patches. I might be back in a couple of days. One thing I can say though, eating was a lot more fun when not smoking. I could actually really TASTE things. I guess the tar clogs up the taste receptors or something. I am heading off for the night… be good. And if you read this and felt discouraged please don’t give up too!


Quitting isn’t easy… I need help

So I have been looking around for products and services to help me quit smoking. I’ve been searching like crazy and I can only find a handfull that I think would actually work. As I have gone back up to nearly full smoking strength pre-quitting before I am tempted to just jump up and try one of the items. Do you think smoking patches, smoking inhalers (nicotine delivery) or the quit smoking gum has any impact? Any of you tried it? I am considering trying something very soon here. I don’t want to hit 30 and still be smoking these cancer sticks. They are just so awful for you.

The good news is as soon as I got back on the cigs, I stopped drinking the soda (pop). The sugar in pop is so terrible. Well I guess that isn’t good news, I am still puffing in tar and rat poisen. Still some good came of it.

I am going to go down and check into the smoking aids and such tomorrow morning and find out what would work best for me.


The smoking patch adventure

So as I told you the other day I was considering getting some smoking patches for myself to help me kick the habbit of smoking. I went down to the drugstore and was blown away at the number of products they had. It was unreal! In the end, after talking to the pharmacist for awhile and pondering which would be the most effective - I decided to go with “Zero Nicotine“. It looked like the most solid product on the market, and they have this plan that goes with the patch itself. They call it a behavioral plan. I think this is the best deal for me, because I really do need support of others when I am on the plan.

Their site states:

Zero Nicotine is designed to temporarily replace some of the nicotine that cigarettes would normally supply. While the patch is worn, controlled quantities of nicotine pass from the patch into your skin, and then into your bloodstream. Because some nicotine is left in your skin when you take the patch off, the nicotine will continue to pass into your bloodstream for several hours after patch removal.

So this seems to make sense doesn’t it? The patch has been proven to work, so I am not so worried about that. The plan comes in a 3 step process.

  • Step 1 Wear one patch daily for 3-4 weeks before moving on to Step 2.
  • Step 2 One patch every 2-3 days for an additional 3-4 weeks before moving on to Step 3.
  • Step 3 1 patch a week for 3-4 weeks.

This plan is for people like me who smoke more than 20 cigs a day.


Nicolite - Filter Hole Puncher

I wasn’t going to talk any more today, but I ran accross this awesome little product just looking for stuff to help me out. This is for the person who wants to slowly cut back and not go cold turkey:

NicoliteNicolite is an inventive, patented device that pokes tiny holes in the filter of your cigarette to decrease the amount of nasty stuff you’re inhaling…but without taking away the taste and satisfaction you get from your favorite smoke.
Just insert your cigarette’s filter into the Nicolite and click the button once. Your cigarette is precisely perforated. Click it more than once to make your current cigarette as “lite” as you like.
Nicolite is conveniently designed to fit over your standard Bic lighter, so it’s always ready to “Click”. It’s ruggedly constructed for repeated use.
Get a Nicolite for you home, office and car so you’re always prepared to “liten” your cigarettes.






The patch makes me edgy

I don’t know if these patches are going to work. I mean they might for some people, but I find myself sticking everything I can in my mouth and trying to smoke them. Pens, hotdogs, phones… anything that will fit. I’m a nervous wreck and I am really irritated constantly. I sure hope I am getting the correct dose. I’ll write a bit more later, I need to have a nice long hot bath.


Quit Smoking - In depth article

Giving something up, or even cutting back on something, let’s say sweets or even coffee is difficult. When cigarettes come into play it becomes mountain you have to climb seemly without help.

Choosing to quit is in itself the great achievement because it implies that you are ready to take on a challenge. When you set your mind to do something you can overcome anything, a clich~ but true. You don’t have to succeed the first time; you just need to continue to try to quit and not to give up.

Quitting smoking is extremely difficult because you are addicted to nicotine and the habit of smoking~the routine itself.

Nicotine increases the release of dopamine in your brain and gives you a good feeling. To overcome this you often need to resort to a product that gives you a small dose of nicotine until you can slowly rid nicotine of your system.

There are a number of options to choose from in your selection of a nicotine replacement product, whether it is a nicotine patch or gum, you still need to have a strong mental focus - striving to achieve your goal of quitting.

The smoking routine is the other element that makes quitting smoking so difficult. By smoking you have created strong associations in your daily life that have been surrounded by smoking. For instance, you might have become accustomed to smoking at work during breaks, with coffee in the morning, or while having a drink when socializing with friends.

These events become triggers, whenever you are in one those situations you usually want to light up. To break these smoking associations you must begin by not smoking during those instances.

In the initial stages you don’t have to completely quit cold turkey. Set a quit date and begin by not smoking during those times when you usually smoke, ‘those engrained daily rituals’. Essentially your favorite situations in which you smoke, with friends, while drinking, or when stressed out or bored. These events, the bar and a drink come to equal a cigarette and a lighter, the location or setting a green light for smoke. Your goal is to break these associations and to completely quit smoking in the end.

One of the greatest things about giving up smoking, besides, obviously improving your health and saving your own life - and those around you if you smoke at home, is the fact that you will learn a great deal about yourself.

You will learn that you have used smoking as a crutch in a way. You will come to find that you have more spare time to do things that you have always wanted to do. Also, think of all the money that you will save by not having to buyanymore cigarettes.

When quitting smoking you must stay active and positive. It is a good idea to create a list of things that you would like to accomplish after you quit.

Many of these things you will find you can begin while you are going through the quitting smoking process. Taking up a new hobby or new sport in conjunction with quitting smoking is a good idea–exercise for example will give you the same type of high that you get from a cigarette.
Keeping busy includes keeping your hands busy. While smoking you create a hand to mouth action that is difficult to break. Chewing gum or sucking on a piece of candy can alleviate these cravings.

Also, doing small chores around the house or taking on a project, building something, creating something, and caring for something else will keep you side tracked and allow you to relax and not crave that cigarettes so much.

Quitting is not easy. You will have days that are more difficult than others. The key is to be prepared for thosesituations. Map out a plan when you begin to near your quit date (the day you stop completely, leading up to this day you should be slowly decreasing the number of cigarettes you smoke) that is made up of people you can call or things you can do rather than smoke when you feel like you are about to break down shouting ‘I have to smoke!’ This is when you call a friend or go for a walk.

Again, you are now on your way just by reading this article and thinking about quitting. You will breath easier, have fresh breath again, cloths that smell clean rather than like tobacco, and a basically new set of lungs and heart that beats easier now that it’s not competing with nicotine.

This article courtesy of http://www.health-dir.com.


Drinking Problems - Alcohol Addiction

Drinking is one of the biggest problems in society today, however there is no shortage of booze to be sold in grocery stores and liquor store across the US and Canada, as well as in pockets of Europe. Drinking at one point got so bad in the USA that law makers instituted a prohibition. Although it didn’t last and illegal shipments still travelled around the country it did help. But taxes on alcohol is such a great business for the government that if it was to ban it again, it would cause a serious problem for the government and it would have to shut down major operating sectors.

Here are just some QUICK facts about alcohol - these are not even close to the worst.

  • Each year, a typical young person in the United States is inundated with more than 1,000 commercials for beer and wine coolers in addition to several thousand fictional drinking incidents on television.
  • Alcohol is involved in 50% of all driving fatalities.
  • In the United States, every 30 minutes, someone is killed in an alcohol related traffic accident.
  • Over 15 million Americans are dependent on alcohol. 500,000 are between the age of 9 and 12.
  • Each year the liquor industry spends almost $2 billion dollars on advertising and encouraging the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
  • Americans spend over $90 billion dollars on alcohol each year.
  • On average, Americans may consume over 25 gallons of beer, 2 gallons of wine, and 1.5 gallons of distilled spirits each year.

Drinking and driving is one of the worst side effects of the drinking problem in the world. However people still take it lightly and drive while intoxicated. Did you know that untreated alcohol problems waste an estimated $184.6 billion dollars per year in health care, business and criminal justice costs, and cause more than 100,000 deaths? Now you do.

Drinking is a huge problem that people simply overlook. Maybe it is time you did something about it. Drinking hurts people you will never even meet.

Click Here to Stop Drinking