Page 36 - 2024 - Q4 - Minerva in Focus

MINERVA IN FOCUS Health Matters

Quitting There are many benefits to stopping smoking, including improving
What are the benefits of quitting?

your physical and mental health and saving money.
tips • Cut your cancer risk. Stopping smoking reduces your
risk of lung cancer and at least 14 other types of cancer.
• Lower your risk of lung and heart conditions including
heart attack, stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD).
• Feel healthier. Stopping smoking could help you feel
better in your daily life. Many people report breathing
more easily and having more energy after giving up.
• Improve your mental wellbeing. Potential positive feel-
ings from smoking a cigarette only last for a short time.
❶ Pick a date in the future Stopping smoking can lower depression, anxiety, and
you would like to have stress in the long term.
quit by and add it to • Protect your friends and family. There is no safe level of
second-hand smoke, and passive smoking is particularly
your calendar. If you can dangerous for children and those who are pregnant.
make it to 28 days smoke- • Healthier appearance. Smoking can damage the skin and
free, you're 5 times more make it look grey, but stopping can help reverse this. Giving
up smoking also stops your teeth from becoming stained.
likely to quit for good! • Save money. Smoking can cost a significant amount
of money per year.
❷ List your reasons How to stop smoking
to quit.
Many people try to quit smoking with willpower alone, but it’s much
❸ Tell people you're easier to go smoke-free with the right help. The best way to stop
smoking is using a combination of stop-smoking treatment and
quitting. specialist help from free stop-smoking services. You’re up to 3 times
more likely to stop smoking for good if you use a combination of
stop-smoking treatment and support from a stop-smoking service.
❹ If you have tried to quit Stop-smoking services are free to use and offer a range of help
before, remember what including:
worked. • Talking to you about your motivation for stopping and
advising you on the methods that may work best for you.
• Giving you accurate information and advice, as well as
❺ Have a plan if you are professional support, during the first few months you
stop smoking.
tempted to smoke. • Providing stop-smoking treatment to help control crav-
ings (prescription medicines).
❻ List your smoking • Advice on switching to nicotine replacement therapy which
may include nicotine patches, gums, or e-cigarettes.
triggers and how to avoid • Stop smoking advisers can also help you identify difficult
them. situations when there may be a strong temptation to
relapse and start smoking. And they can help you come
up with ways to cope with or avoid these situations.
❼ Keep cravings at bay • Withdrawal from nicotine can be challenging, but it can
by keeping busy. help if you look at the symptoms as signs that your body
is recovering. Common symptoms include cravings,
restlessness, trouble concentrating or sleeping, irritability,
❽ Exercise away the urge. anxiety, increases in appetite, and weight gain. Many
people find withdrawal symptoms disappear completely
after two to four weeks.
❾ Throw away all your • How you choose to stop is up to you, so find the method
cigarettes and tobacco that works for you. Giving up smoking for good might
products before you take a few attempts or involve trying different methods.
start. If you’ve tried to quit before, think about what methods
worked for you and what you might want to do differently.
It can be hard to stop smoking but keep trying.

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