I am 43, primary hypertensive. Been smoking like 15 - 20 cigs almost for past 20 odd years. Now I want to quit - for reasons of primarily physiological health but also to achieve greater harmony and reduced life friction over domestic, psychological and financial areas, as well as to boost self-confidence and maybe even personal dignity. I come from a Sikh family, though clean shaven and liberal. How can you help me quit smoking?

Dr. Saranya DevanathanPsychiatrist48yrs exp

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Dear lybrate-user, Congratulations for quitting smoking. You have already listed out its many benefits. Please try to stop smoking at the earliest. It has many health benefits in the long run. When you stop suddenly, you may get withdrawal symptoms like restlessness, irritability, lack of concentration, increased hunger, sleep disturbance, headache, impatience, anxiety, depression, etc. If you have them please don?t get back to smoking, take nicotine gum or lozenge or patch. They are available in all medical shops. You don?t need a prescription from doctors. Use 2 mg gum if you smoke less than 25 cigarettes/day. Use 4 mg gum if you smoke more than 25 cigarettes/day. First 6 weeks, use 1 gum every 1 ? 2 hours. Reduce it in week 7 ? 9 to one gum every 2 ? 4 hours. In week 10 ? 12, reduce it further to 1 gum every 4 -8 hours. By 3 months, you will be able to stop both cigarettes and gum fully without any withdrawal symptoms. Please feel confident that you can do it and give yourself some gift for doing it like vacation or books or new mobile. Smoking is a chronic relapsing condition like diabetes and B.P. So please don?t worry if you restart smoking. Start all over again to stop. You will learn the situations that make you smoke and avoid them. Please think of health benefits and money saved often. Plan how to avoid relapsing situations, like smoking friends, use of alcohol, stressful feeling or depression. Delay, drink, deep breathe, distract and discuss are the helpful tips. Increase of non smoking zones, gift yourself for stopping smoking. Even chewing cinnamon may delay. Please remember that the urge to smoke comes and goes like waves. Delay and see whether it goes away. It will be like a passing cloud.  

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