how can i help my mum give up smoking?
i understand just how hard it is for her to try and quit, and that it’s frustrating. the choice and the commitment has to come from her, but i was wondering is their anything i can do for my mum to help her quit? she’s been a long term smoker & i’m a little worried..
ha i’m not sure where to categorize this.. ah well
February 7th, 2011 at 2:20 pm
Only by limiting any stress you might put her under. However unless she is fed-up with smoking and truly wants to stop, she’ll fail time after time after time. That’s the nature of any addiction.
February 7th, 2011 at 2:49 pm
I know the feeling. My mom started smoking at 15 she is now 75 years old and hasn’t smoked in 25 years. Five years ago she was diagnosed with lung cancer. She was one of the fortunate ones she survived. You need to be supportive of her and remind her that smoking is not only hurting her but you too. Good luck!
February 7th, 2011 at 3:40 pm
you are right, it is her decision and hers alone.
You can keep encouraging her, compliment her when you see her health improving, etc. Lots of compliments and encouragement goes a long way if she is serious in her commitment. And, she may slip up, but do not condemn her, just keep encouraging her forward in the process.
By the way here’s some more help …. It is now a proved fact that Caffeine and Nicotine bond together and become 5 to 10 times harder to deal with than either chemical alone. Caffeine is also a very addictive drug found in almost everything we drink and many foods we eat. She will find the more she avoids caffeine the less she will desire cigarettes. I am experiencing this same thing in my quest to give up tobacco.
February 7th, 2011 at 3:56 pm
Unfortunately and against popular believe, addiction can be influenced by willpower, discipline and wants, as much as stopping diarrhea or a heart attack can be by these means!
These highly addictive substances, and nicotine being one of the worst, change the brain chemistry over time (sometimes permanently) and make it next to impossible for someone to stop without help.
There are some medications that help with the ‘cravings’ (have her talk to a health care provider), support groups and other methods can assist her. She will also need to start a regiment and actively work on quitting and more importantly re-learning new methods how to deal with stress, giving her brain a chance to re-arrange and establish its own chemistry etc., all this will increase her chance of successful!
Each addict can attest that each attempt to stop and temporarily success, followed by a “relapse” usually ends up worst than the degree of addiction prior. Work “the steps” I believe they have them for nicotine addictions as well!
February 7th, 2011 at 4:18 pm
Don’t harass her about it. She will only want to smoke more if you do. She will stop when she is ready.
February 7th, 2011 at 5:03 pm
I have been trying to quit for ages, i have tried everything read books ,taken pills, patches, i have been trying smoke deter it says it replaces some of the needs rather than cold turkey,its a spray,you use a couple of times a day,it really has been helping, this is the longest i have gone without, at the moment they are doing an offer with two free bottles,it costs but it really is working