Process Analysis Essay: How To Quit Cigarettes
Judith Taylor
October 13, 2010
Process Analysis Essay
Nicotine is a drug found in tobacco. It can be as addictive as heroin or cocaine. Over time, a person becomes physically and emotionally addicted to nicotine. There are studies that have shown that smokers must deal with both the physical and psychological dependence to quit and stay nicotine free. Quitting smoking is a step by step process that will enhance and prolong lives. Smokers often say that they want to quit, but do not know how. There is no one right way to quit, but there are some key elements in quitting with success. A smoker has to make the decision to quit smoking first. There are questions a smoker could ask himself to help make that decision easier, such as does …show more content…
he want to shorten his life.
When a smoker decides to quit, he/she will need to set a date to stop smoking.
This is a very important step for the smoker. The smoker needs to pick a specific day within the next month as his/her quit day. Picking a date too far away can allow time to rationalize and change a smoker’s mind. There should be enough time to prepare and come up with a plan. The smoker needs to circle the date on a calendar and make a strong, personal commitment to quit on that day.
A smoker needs to prepare for his/her quit day. There is no one right way to quit. A smoker can smoke until the quit day and then quit. Another way involves cutting down on the number of cigarettes he/she smoke each day. This method reduces the amount of nicotine in the smoker’s body.
Withdrawal from nicotine has two parts, which are the physical and the mental. The physical symptoms are annoying but are not life-threatening. Nicotine replacement and other medicines can help reduce many of these physical symptoms. Most smokers find that the biggest challenge is the mental part of quitting. If a smoker has been smoking for any length of time, smoking has become linked with nearly everything he/she does, such as waking up in the morning, eating, reading, watching television, and drinking coffee. This is why, even if a smoker is using a nicotine replacement, he/she may still have strong urges to
smoke. Quitting for good is the final, longest, and most important stage of the process. A smoker can use the same methods to quit for good as he would use to get through the withdrawal. A smoker needs to think ahead of those times when they have been tempted to smoke and plan on how he will cope with these situations. Very few people are able to quit for good on the first try. In fact, it takes most people many attempts before quitting for good. What's important is figuring out what helped him/her to quit and maintain that plan to stay nicotine free.
A smoker has to make the decision to quit on his own. If the decision is made by a family member, the smoker will find excuses not to quit. Once the decision is made, the smoker has to set a date to quit. A plan is developed by the smoker to help him get to that quit date and stay focused on why he/she wants to quit so he/she may live a healthier life.
October 13, 2010
Process Analysis Essay
Nicotine is a drug found in tobacco. It can be as addictive as heroin or cocaine. Over time, a person becomes physically and emotionally addicted to nicotine. There are studies that have shown that smokers must deal with both the physical and psychological dependence to quit and stay nicotine free. Quitting smoking is a step by step process that will enhance and prolong lives. Smokers often say that they want to quit, but do not know how. There is no one right way to quit, but there are some key elements in quitting with success. A smoker has to make the decision to quit smoking first. There are questions a smoker could ask himself to help make that decision easier, such as does …show more content…
he want to shorten his life.
When a smoker decides to quit, he/she will need to set a date to stop smoking.
This is a very important step for the smoker. The smoker needs to pick a specific day within the next month as his/her quit day. Picking a date too far away can allow time to rationalize and change a smoker’s mind. There should be enough time to prepare and come up with a plan. The smoker needs to circle the date on a calendar and make a strong, personal commitment to quit on that day.
A smoker needs to prepare for his/her quit day. There is no one right way to quit. A smoker can smoke until the quit day and then quit. Another way involves cutting down on the number of cigarettes he/she smoke each day. This method reduces the amount of nicotine in the smoker’s body.
Withdrawal from nicotine has two parts, which are the physical and the mental. The physical symptoms are annoying but are not life-threatening. Nicotine replacement and other medicines can help reduce many of these physical symptoms. Most smokers find that the biggest challenge is the mental part of quitting. If a smoker has been smoking for any length of time, smoking has become linked with nearly everything he/she does, such as waking up in the morning, eating, reading, watching television, and drinking coffee. This is why, even if a smoker is using a nicotine replacement, he/she may still have strong urges to
smoke. Quitting for good is the final, longest, and most important stage of the process. A smoker can use the same methods to quit for good as he would use to get through the withdrawal. A smoker needs to think ahead of those times when they have been tempted to smoke and plan on how he will cope with these situations. Very few people are able to quit for good on the first try. In fact, it takes most people many attempts before quitting for good. What's important is figuring out what helped him/her to quit and maintain that plan to stay nicotine free.
A smoker has to make the decision to quit on his own. If the decision is made by a family member, the smoker will find excuses not to quit. Once the decision is made, the smoker has to set a date to quit. A plan is developed by the smoker to help him get to that quit date and stay focused on why he/she wants to quit so he/she may live a healthier life.