Calculate your smoking pack years
| Packs of cigarettes smoked per day = 1 pack = 20 cigarettes (e.g. enter 2 for 40 cigarettes/day) | 1 | ↚ enter the value here | |
| Years the patient has smoked = | 5 | ↚ enter the value here | |
| pack years = | 5 | ||
| More pack years correlates with higher lung disease risk, including lung cancer; consider screening with low-dose CT in patients ≥55 years with ≥30 pack year history. |
Develop a quit plan
Your first step to quitting is to develop a quit plan. Here are key elements of a successful quit plan as outlined by the STAR acronym.
- Set a quit date. It is important to set a quit date as soon as possible. Giving yourself a short period to
quit will keep you focused and motivated to achieve your goal. Choosing your birthday or some other meaningful day is a good idea, but you don’t have to always follow suit. You can start quitting today! - Tell your friends, family, and coworkers. It is important to share your goal to quit with those you interact
frequently.
• Ask them for support. They can support you by reminding you of your goal to quit and encouraging you to not give in to temptations like cravings. By telling your friends, family, and coworkers you might also inspire those of them who smoke to create a quit plan with you. Having a “quit buddy” is a great way to keep both of you accountable and on track to quitting.
• Ask them for understanding. If you have friends or family that smoke, it is a good idea to ask them to refrain from lighting up when you’re around! - Anticipate challenges to the upcoming quit attempt. Quitting smoking is no easy feat, so you are brave and courageous for committing to this goal! It’s important that you anticipate triggers and challenges in the upcoming attempt, particularly during the critical first few weeks. The first few days and weeks will be the hardest due to potential nicotine withdrawal symptoms as well as the obstacles presented by breaking any habit (see more information below on how to successfully overcome them).
- Remove tobacco products from your environment. It’s important to minimize exposure to smoking cues. If the tobacco products are still around, you will be more tempted to pick them up and smoke. It’s best to rid yourself of such temptations by making a smoke free house, avoiding smoking areas, and asking your peers to not smoke around you. If you live with other smokers who are not yet ready to quit, ask them to smoke outside the home and cars to best achieve your smoke-free environment.
How to deal with withdrawal symptoms
| Withdrawal symptoms | Cognitive-behavioral therapies |
| Headaches | If you are experiencing frequent headaches, make sure you are getting enough sleep, eating regularly, and partaking in physical activity. These lifestyle changes should help keep headaches at bay and/or lesson their severity. |
| Coughing | Staying hydrated is key to manage any coughing you may experience. A spoonful of honey, warm teas, juices, inhaling vapors, and avoiding dairy are common “remedies” to deal with coughing. |
| Cravings | The 4Ds Strategy to Deal with Smoking Cravings 1) Delay: set a time limit before you give in to smoking a cigarette. Delay as long as you can. If you feel that you must give in to your urge, move on to step 2. 2) Deep breathing: take 10 deep breaths to relax yourself. Try to mediate with deep breathing to relax yourself from within until the urge passes. If the urge does not subside, move on to next step. 3) Drink water: drinking water is a healthy alternative to sticking a cigarette in your mouth. Water also helps flush out toxins to refresh your body. If you still crave for cigarettes, move on to next step. 4) Do Something else to distract yourself: read, go for a walk, listen to music, watch TV- engage in any hobby other than smoking. |
| Increased appetite or weight Gain | Weight gain is one of the most common roadblocks and side effects responsible for derailing smokers trying to quit. It is true that when you quit, you are likely to have a larger appetite and be tempted to replace cigarettes with food. However, you can avoid weight gain by making healthy eating choices (fruits, vegetables, and other healthy snacks) and drinking lots of water, which will also help you make an important step towards a healthier lifestyle as well! |
| Mood changes (sadness, irritability, frustration, or anger) | Try focusing on positive thoughts about quitting or filling your head with happy, uplifting music to drown out the negative thoughts and emotions that you are experiencing. Remind yourself of all the benefits of quitting smoking; think of how much better you will physically feel, think of all the extra energy you will have. |
| Restlessness | The best way to deal with restlessness is to get up and move around! Engage in physical activity, go for a walk! |
| Decreased heart rate | See the NOTE below |
| Difficulty concentrating | The best way to deal with difficulty in concentrating is through your mind. Yoga, meditation, and mental imagery are great ways to focus on concentrating and regain your abilities to function normally. Think of it like exercising for you mind! The only way to improve concentration is to practice it! (Also see the NOTE) |
| Flu-like symptoms | As is with any case of the flu, or common cold, the best “medicine” is rest and hydration. Keep drinking water and making sure your body is getting enough sleep. |
| Insomnia | Relaxation methods and regular exercise are good for overcoming your sleeping problem. Common practices to overcome insomnia also include counting sheep, guided meditation, and self-guided imagery. |
| NOTE: All symptoms can be managed with a healthy lifestyle. Make sure you are eating and sleeping enough, take a multivitamin, exercise, make good eating choices, develop relaxation mechanisms (whether it’s utilizing a stress ball, deep breathing, yoga, or something of your own creation!), and reward yourself with things such as a new book or a hot bath to not only help relax you, but to also distract you from your current urges and cravings. |
Medications
Pharmacological therapies:
In addition to behavioral therapies, there are also pharmacological therapies available to help overcome
nicotine withdrawal symptoms. There are two major types of medication available that may be able to
relieve withdrawal symptoms: nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) and non-nicotine replacement therapies.
NRTs include things such as nicotine gum and patch whereas non-nicotine therapies include medications
like Bupropion and Varenicline. Table 2 can help you better understand the available dosage, proper usage
and side effects of the aforementioned medications.
