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Greetings, you have reached the Headquarters of the Quit Commando's.
We are a small, Tight-Knit group of like-minded individuals devoted to our battle against nicotine addiction.

We celebrate in our victories, relish our accomplishments and hopefully, along the way, we will all learn the necessary strategies to defeat this addiction through the help and support of one another.

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Anyone and Everyone can tell you how much you need to quit smoking.

But Let’s Get Real here!
You will need to get facts about How to quit.
You have to have a plan!
Many can give you the plan that worked for them, but YOU have to find what works for YOU, and you MUST bring the desire to follow your plan...

Simply by doing a "search" on the Internet to find more information about your addiction to nicotine shows you are taking the first step toward quitting smoking. You have so much to gain when you live smoke-free. Understanding the facts and making a plan will be your allies in this battle.

I know you have questions about nicotine addiction from cigarettes and how to stop smoking. Otherwise you would not have read this far down the page...

You may be wondering...
Why has quitting always been so hard?
What is nicotine addiction from cigarettes and how does it work?
How do triggers and smoking routines make it hard to quit?
What heck are triggers and smoking routines?
What can I do to have a successful quit?
What can I do to make sure I stay quit?

While no one has All the answers, there are many helpful resources.
One such resource is The American Lung Association's online smoking cessation program. Much of the information found here can be directly attributed to their extensive program. See how getting ready to quit can make all the difference.

You'll find useful tips and tools there to help you stick with your quit. Learn about some health benefits you may enjoy when you quit smoking.

You may also want to join a support group or forum setting. These too can be Very helpful. Look for a program that helps with your urge to smoke and helps you break your smoking routine. Find support on one of the many forums on the Internet.

Our support forum is the Quit Commandos!
Please feel free to Click Here and join us anytime you're ready.

Quitting is a gift you give your family, your friends and of course, most importantly, yourself.

Very few people succeed just by saying "I Quit", and then doing so... Here are some ways you can get ready to say good-bye to cigarettes.

Make a personal commitment to yourself.
Are you worried about your health?
Do you want to quit for your kids or family?
Think about what will make you want to give up smoking.
Write those reasons down.

Start building a support network!
Tell your friends and family that you need their support.
Talk about your reasons for quitting with them too.

Make an appointment with your doctor!
Talk to your doctor about wanting to quit.
Ask about treatment options and support.

Clean up your living spaces.
Get rid of anything that reminds you of smoking.
Don't forget to throw out lighters, ashtrays, and cigarettes the night before.

Anticipate withdrawal symptoms
Withdrawal symptoms are part of quitting smoking.
Start to plan what you will do when you feel a symptom.
It's an important part of the quitting process.

Know your triggers
Be aware of your triggers so you can understand why you get the urge to smoke.

Know your no-smoking zones
Before you quit, create personal no-smoking zones both at home and when you're in public. For example, tell people you don't allow smoking in the TV room or the kitchen. That way, when you're ready to quit, you've already stopped thinking of that place as a smoking zone. I found that not smoking in the house, Period, helped tremondously!

Talk to your doctor
Together, you can go over the options for quitting and come up with a plan that considers your lifestyle, your previous quits, and your health.

It may feel awkward to talk to your doctor about smoking and quitting. You may feel embarrassed. Or maybe you don’t know what to ask. Here’s help to make that conversation a little bit easier and more productive.

There are only about 2 or 3 things that you will need to talk about with your doctor, then the ball is in their court. And believe me when I say, they will take that ball and run with it! So try talking to your doctor, make a list and take it with you if you wish.

First, simply tell your doctor you are ready to quit (or you want to be) and why. Also, ask your doctor about treatment options that may be right for you. Be sure to talk about the ways you've tried to quit before. Talk to your doctor about the importance of support and how it may help you have a successful quit.

What else would you like to ask? Think about it for a minute. Then take the time to write down your own notes and questions and create your own checklist.

Why has it been SO hard to quit?
Many people wonder why it is so hard to quit doing something they No Longer want to do... Research shows that for almost all smokers nicotine is very addictive. Smoking is physical need, compounded by a daily routine.

When you smoke, the nicotine in cigarettes has an effect on your brain. It also causes you to want more cigarettes. But that's not the only reason why you may continue to smoke. For most people, smoking becomes part of a daily routine. It's a behavior you become used to.

Nicotine is the substance in cigarettes that causes addiction. But, smoking-related health risks are actually caused by other elements found in your pack. For example, tobacco smoke has more than 60 ingredients known to cause cancer in humans. Luckily, once you quit, your risk of getting a smoking-related illness can start to drop — almost immediately.

Check out the "Road to Recovery" section below that I found on The American Lung Association's web site, to see how Quick you can recover from Quitting Smoking...

8 hours after quitting
For most people, the carbon monoxide level in the blood becomes normal and the blood's ability to carry oxygen also returns to normal.

24 hours after quitting
The chance of a heart attack begins to decrease.

2 weeks to 3 months after quitting
Blood circulation and lung function improve.

1 to 9 months after quitting
Lungs can start to clean themselves again. You may notice that you're coughing less and are not as short of breath.

1 year after quitting
The risk of a heart attack is now half the risk of a smoker's.

5+ years after quitting
The risk of stroke is reduced to the same risk as a person who has never smoked!

10 years after quitting
The risk of lung cancer is reduced.
There is greatly less risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, cervix and pancreas.

15 years after quitting
The risks of coronary heart disease and stroke are now the same as a lifelong nonsmoker's...

If you've tried quitting before, you may have felt irritable when you didn't have a cigarette. Why has quitting always been so hard? The answer has a lot to do with nicotine.

The nicotine addiction cycle
For most people, smoking is more than a habit. It's a nicotine addiction. And that's why you probably feel irritable or anxious when you don't have a cigarette.

When you smoke, nicotine goes to the brain in seconds. When nicotine is in the brain, it causes the release of a chemical called dopamine, which gives the feeling of pleasure and calm. Your body doesn't want that feeling to stop. But when you're between cigarettes, the level of dopamine drops. That's what gives the feeling of nicotine withdrawal. So you may get crabby. Even if you want to quit, the body craves nicotine. This makes you keep smoking.

The more you smoke, the more nicotine you need Over time, each cigarette you smoke may become less and less effective. That's because, as the brain gets used to nicotine, you may need to smoke more to have the same feeling of pleasure and calm. Of course, the more you smoke, the more you inhale toxins in cigarettes that are linked to Many smoking-related illnesses.

How does it feel to quit?
On top of feeling the urge to smoke, you may also feel some of these common physical withdrawal symptoms.

Dizziness (at first)
Trouble sleeping
Tiredness
Trouble concentrating
Restlessness
Headache
Increased appetite
Coughing and dry throat
Constipation
Slower heart rate
These effects will lessen over time.


Next, better health
Most people feel a very strong desire for a cigarette when they quit. But these urges to smoke can be managed with support and a plan. Then you may feel less shortness of breath and many of the other benefits of a healthier lifestyle.

How your doctor can help
Quitting smoking is hard, but possible. Talk to your doctor about quitting. And be sure to ask about treatment options and behavioral support that may be right for you.

Smoking is a routine
What makes you want to smoke? For most people, smoking becomes a routine part of daily life. Certain people, places, feelings, events, and even moods, called "triggers," are linked with smoking. For instance, a trigger can be drinking a cup of coffee, talking on the phone, driving, or seeing a friend who smokes.

Smoking routines become smoking triggers
Do you smoke a cigarette because you have a cup of coffee? Or do you have a cup of coffee so you can smoke a cigarette? For most people, it's hard to know. That's why a smoking routine may become a smoking trigger.

Smoking routines may be automatic
Everything you do creates pathways or connections in the brain. Let's say you routinely smoke in the kitchen. You're actually training your brain to know that the kitchen is a place to smoke. Eventually, if you walk into the kitchen, your brain will have an automatic response — light up.

Unlearn old behavior
Because both nicotine and your smoking routine have a physical effect on your body, it can feel beyond your control to change your behavior. That's why it's important to be aware. It helps to talk to your doctor about your triggers. And see if a treatment plan and support can help you get cigarettes out of your life.

Quit and stay quit
Right now, cigarettes may be a big part of your life. You may enjoy holding them, puffing on them, and celebrating every occasion, large and small, with them. At times, you may even reach for them without thinking. When you quit, you may start to change how you do things.

Quitting
You’ve taken steps to get ready, and now it’s time to quit. Here’s what to do on your quit day:

Make sure you’re in a smoke-free zone
Throw out your cigarettes, ashtrays and lighters at home, at work and in your car. Try to clean up and even spray air freshener. The smell of smoke can be a trigger.

Take advantage of professional support
Be sure to follow your doctor’s treatment advice. Enroll in a program to help as you go about changing your smoking routine into a nonsmoking routine.

Quit, one trigger at a time
Afraid of that first cup of coffee? Don’t know what to do when you get into your car? When you’re in a situation where you usually smoke, don’t panic. Just focus on dealing with that one trigger.

If you face a trigger you may feel an urge to smoke. Luckily, you have some ways to help deal with cravings right at your fingertips.

Take a deep breath
Calm yourself down by inhaling and exhaling three times slowly. You can repeat this anytime and anywhere.

Drink plenty of water
Staying hydrated is healthy and gives your mouth something to do instead of smoking.

Call a friend
Instead of smoking, try talking to a friend. Probably by the time you finish chatting, your craving will be over.

Set up a support network
When your quit day arrives, tell your friends and family. They can help you manage your triggers.

Exercise
Start a walking routine. Or join a class or a gym. Check with your doctor before starting a new activity.

Have a healthy snack
Carrots, popcorn, and even chewing gum can help you keep your mouth occupied while the craving passes.

Quitting is certainly something to celebrate. Right from the start you may start to notice some of the improvements quitting brings to your life. Because once you quit:
Your food may taste better.
You may have more energy.
Your breath, clothes, and hair won't smell like smoke.
You may feel more in control, now that you're not dependent on cigarettes.
And you may save money from not buying cigarettes.

Tips for staying quit
Although quitting is rewarding, staying quit takes work.
Here are some tips to help you continue to live smoke-free:

Keep practicing your nonsmoking routine. Avoid the places and triggers that make you want to smoke. Stick with your quit plan to help you get through craving. Manage your triggers. Go for walks to avoid places that make you want to smoke. Drink water or chew sugar-free gum instead of smoking.

Stay on track after you have quit.

Understand your urge to smoke
If you have a slipup, don't be discouraged, quit again right away. And try this to help you understand your behavior. Write down on a piece of paper, the date, the number of cigarettes you smoked, your reason for smoking, and what you'll do next time.

Manage your triggers and "stay quit"
Continue to avoid the smell and routine of smoking with the following suggestions:

Go for walks to avoid places that make you want to smoke
Go to the Library
Go to a movie
Drink plenty of water
Exercise (check with your doctor before starting a new activity)
Take up a new hobby
Chew sugar-free gum instead of smoking
And I'm sure you can think of MANY other activities that will now be availible to you as a non-smoker. Enjoy and take advantage of these places and activities that you never were able to fully utilize as a smoker...

Just as you had to learn how to become a smoker, you can Enjoy learning how to become a non-smoker Much More!



I wish you the Very Best,
Papa Joe



Happiness is a journey, not a destination.
It's Never Too Late To Be What You Might Have Been...

The American Heart Association Visit The AHA to find out what causes nicotine addiction.

 

The Mayo Clinic Find out more about nicotine dependency.

 

WhyQuit.com Where educated cold turkey quitting works!

 

Click Here To Join Us At Our Command Central Support Forum

 

Click Here To Join *Freedom From Smoking* It's The American Lung Association's online smoking cessation program!

 

Click Here For The Free *Quit Keeper* Meter Keeps up with you and your buddies quit!

 

Click Here For The Free *Silk Quit* Meter Arguably the first, most popular Quit Meter for Windows!

Thanks, Tobacco: You Killed My Mom
by Aaron & Patti Gray





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