Five years ago, I was advising people that they had a choice in stopping: they could stop suddenly or gradually. Now I’m convinced that the first is the only way, and I advise the “General de Gaulle” method.
General de Gaulle announced to the whole French nation, on television, that he had stopped smoking. After that, he could hardly light up in case a member of the press caught him and exposed him as a fraud or backslider! Most people could do something similar, in front of friends. Today’s antismoking climate will ensure their sympathy and support, rather than sneers or sniggers.
I advise people to take all the cigarettes they possess, in pockets, handbags, at home, or anywhere else, to scrunch them up, and throw them in the trash. They should then resolve never to buy another cigarette, and always say “no” immediately, without even thinking about it, to anyone who offers them one. If they do not wish to argue with smoking friends, a nonsmoking sticker in the car and on the front window of the home can help.
People contemplating suddenly stopping smoking often fear withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms can include agitation, irritability, sleeplessness, and nervousness, but such things may be completely absent. I have found that people who have to give up for serious medical reasons, such as angina, hardly ever have withdrawal symptoms. If you have decided to stop because of your angina, odds are that you will have no bother with withdrawal. You may still have a desire to smoke, but that will subside in a week or two, as your new feeling of well-being, caused by the elimination from the bloodstream of carbon monoxide, nicotine, and tar-linked chemicals takes over. People suffering from depression should be treated before cigarette cessation.
If you must do something else to take your mind off cigarettes, then chew low-calorie gum or, better still, eat pieces of carrot or celery. Get a friend to support you in the effort.
If you find you cannot stop the first time, don’t despair. Try again. Many people find that they have to stop several times before they can do it permanently. You can try acupuncture or hypnosis if you wish, but they do not have any magical properties. They only support your own determination, and cannot overrule weak willpower. If you have angina, you should not use nicotine chewing gum or patches. They work by supplying nicotine to your bloodstream, on the principle that it will stop any craving for tobacco. However, that nicotine can still narrow your arteries, and may even promote a heart attack if you backslide and start smoking again. The combination of nicotine from the cigarettes and from the gum or patches may be too much for your heart.
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