Things You Can Do To Stop Gambling Rating: 9,0/10 3006 reviews

Three main ways exist to treat gambling problems, including psychotherapy, medication and support groups. Cognitive behavioral therapy and behavior therapy help a person identify thought patterns that lead to and support a gambling problem, and replace them with healthier beliefs. Online gambling, things to avoid: Online gaming is enjoyable for the player, but some of the gambling stuff you need to avoid. If you don’t stop these things, you will put yourself in danger. Veterans could know something you can avoid, but you have to know if you are a newbie before you begin playing online.

This topic has 12 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 9 months, 3 weeks ago by .

Submitted by charles on Mon, 01/06/2020 – 12:30
NEW MEMBERS PLEASE READ
First of all hello and well done on looking for support. You can stop gambling I promise you.
Now though look around the forum, there are a lot of new members here. We always get a lot at this time of year – Christmas has just passed and, sometimes, the chit has, or is about to, hit the fan. Presents not bought, family visits to make, expectations and oops, no money. We will get a lot of new members in the next few weeks as well, all those New Year resolutions etc
The thing is though, the pain dulls, memories fade, we get paid again and the urges will return. That’s when you need to be still using support. That unfortunately is when some of the new members will drift away and return to gambling. Just check around this time last year and you will see what I mean. The way I look at it is – if we need help to stop gambling then we should keep using support to maintain recovery, keep posting here, get to GA meetings or whatever.
Now look around the forum again, all those new members. If there is only ONE of you still posting and enjoying life this time next year… well just make sure it’s YOU.
I will set this as a “sticky” for a couple of weeks so that it doesn’t sink too quickly down the forum – when you start a thread then keep posting so that yours doesn’t either.
Why do I continue to do this
Permalink Submitted by oneup on Thu, 01/16/2020 – 22:39
Just blew $2000, I hate gambling. I have one hour in gambling free. What keeps you away from the casino?
replyComplain about a message
Lost everything, now broke, scared
Permalink Submitted by zed who lost wa… on Sun, 02/16/2020 – 11:57
Hello,
I did it again. After several months of clean living, I started gambling again in January. In 3 weeks, I lost everything, including $70,000 borrowed cash.
I’m broke, almost homeless, alone, and scared. I’m 40 years old and I can’t afford to live here in San Diego, because of my losses. I also won’t leave because my only child lives in the area and I want to be there for her.
I’m 40. My losses over the last 10 years total $250,000 cash, my marriage, career and house. I’m working a temporary job which will cover food, gas, and rent on a little room in a house full of renters, but only if I don’t gamble my pay away again.
I’m so embarrassed and ashamed. I came from shit, a horrible childhood on the streets. I worked hard, joined the army, put myself through college, bought a house, raised a family, and then lost it all. I’m a ******* idiot. I don’t know what to
I feel for you. You say you don’t know what to do. What you NEED to do is to stop gambling. If you read the posts on this thread you will see what the steps are – but I think the best thing you can do is to contact Gamblers’ Anonymous. There are 4 meets a week in SD – 1 in Spanish … more details here: http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/locations/state/table/CA/San%20Diego/na/na/na/10?#gmap-nodemap-gmap0
Local people are more likely to be able to help in your situation. If you have had access to $250,000 then I would assume you have been in a good job in the past and maybe able to pull yourself up there again. I hope so. You will need good support and I hope that GA will help. I wish you well.
I don’t come on here as often as I do but last night I decided to come to the forum and your story was the first one I noticed from the caption and so I opened it up. After reading it I would think there would be more people here on this forum who would chime in but I suppose this place isn’t like it was before. Anyways, I read your story from top to bottom and it reminded me of mine, and every other compulsive gambler that I’ve met in here, in ga, and in my life. It could bring a tear to my eyes because well, I could have wrote the exact post, Matter of fact, I did. Inevitably we have to lose every cent in our name, we have to lose ourselves, we have to lose our minds, in order to stop gambling. Gambling is an evil disease that unless you’re a compulsive gambler, will never understand. The time we have wasted in casinos, or betting on our phones, the endless times we have missed birthdays, anniversaries, meetings, meals, bathroom breaks, social gatherings, just to gamble. I feel your pain in every sentence and I want you to know you are not alone. I like you, lost everything as well, around 40k of borrowed cash from the bank, over 15k borrowed from parents, and around 100k+ of savings in around 8-10 years of gambling on and off. Lost a business, lost a gf, lost myself, and lost my dignity and self worth. We have to take it one day at a time man, we have to want to quit gambling, as bad as we wanted to gamble. We have to have motivation from within, a purpose to quit. For you, I think your daughter would be your purpose, and also getting your old job position where you can save money again, but I promise you will never get it shall yoy continue to gamble. I would tell you to go to ga and councilling, but I’m not going to sit here and tell you it works, I’ve relapsed so many times after ga ahd counselling . I think until you really want to stop, those things won’t do jack. I am sitting here now 4 months and 8 days gamble free, with a new job, a new outlook on life, and watching my gambling debt go down with every pay I get. You too can do that; if I can right? We are both human. I never thought I would stop. And I can’t promise I’ll stay stopped for life, because gambling is a life long battle. I am sending all of my prayers and strength your way to keep fighting; keep pushing forward, keep thinking how happy you were before gambling, spending time with your family without the stress of placing a bet. Working hard and saving money and buying nice things, experiencing life’s pleasures; without the stress of placing a bet, losing monthly salaries in a matter of hours.. think of this feeling if you get an urge…it’s not worth it. You’re 40.. you have time to rebuild. You know how much can change in 5 years, you can have it all back. More so the money, you can have your life back. I’m rooting for you, I know you have it in you to stop. God bless you
My pleasure, it is within us to stop. when it seems like life is not worth living, just remember, your life is worth living. You are stronger than gambling, you can achieve great things, you know you can because you have already. Tomorrow willl be one step closer to happiness, and the day after that will be one step closer than the day before. Take it day by day. It will take time, but you will get there, and you will look back at this as a bad memory, that you made it out on top. I will leave you with this quote someone posted here a long while back: it stuck with me.
It is a tough journey..but it is still a journey and with the right frame of mind it can actually be an enjoyable one. Great stories are not those of smooth rides through life, but great stories are those of people who have overcome difficult challenges. Bit by bit, I am writing a great story.
write Your story brother.
never stop believing.
Hello Zed and thanks for starting a thread in the Gambling Therapy forums
Here at Gambling Therapy we pride ourselves on being a caring and diverse online community who can help and support you with the difficulties you’re currently facing. We understand that this might be a tough time for you, particularly if you’re new to recovery, so come here as often as you need to and participate in the forums, access online groups and connect to the live advice helpline if you need one to one support. We’re in this together!
Here on the forum you can share your experiences in a safe, supportive and accepting environment. The beauty of writing it all down is that you can take your time and you will be creating a record of your progress that you can look back on if it ever feels like you’re not moving forward. So, share as much or as little as you like but do try to stick to keeping just one thread in this forum so people know where to find you if they want to be updated on your progress or share something with you.
As well as the forums New Members are invited to join Charles in the New Members Practical Advice Group On Mondays at 21:00 (UK) and Thursday at 19:00(UK)
And on that note….
I’m going to hand you over to our community because I’m sure they will have some words of wisdom for you 🙂
Take care
The Gambling Therapy Team
PS: Let me just remind you to take a look at our privacy policy and terms and conditions so you know how it all works!
We’re similar, I’ve spent 250k+ in the last 10 years and still have 40K debt. I’m barely clinging to paying rent, food, etc for the family every month and the debts I have my wife doesn’t even know about. I’m scared to lose them when or if they find out. Reason why I don’t tell them is because there’s nothing they can do to help me, I would just be passing my pain onto them when it’s mine to own. I’d rather they live happy because I know I can fix this if I just STOP GAMBLING.
All of our problems can be fixed with time if we just stop gambling. It sounds easy to say and I know we’ve all had our stints then go back to it but what I can tell you is that you need GA my friend, you can’t do this on your own. You will just keep thinking about the debt, the life you could’ve had and watching people around you be happy and look like they have no problem in the world.
GA will give you a fellowship of friends that are all going through the same thing and keep you away from gambling, you can share your thoughts and build new friends and pass through the challenge together.
3 weeks ago when I first stopped, I wanted to neck myself and end it all. 3 weeks later I’m feeling positive again even though I’ve spent all this money and have all this debt. This is because happiness doesn’t come from money or gambling but how you feel in the present and how you value and respect yourself. If you keep going back to gambling you will never respect or love yourself again and when you can’t even do that with yourself its impossible to do it with your child or anyone.
We often think about our children, loved ones or family etc after a loss of gambling. This is because the loss humbles us and we want to do better by everyone etc but the moment things get “good” again, we’ll gamble again. It’s an illness, a progressive one that doesn’t stop until it has swamped up everything in your life. However, it all starts with a decision that you control. I suggest picking up old good habits and working on improving your career. I firmly believe GA will help anyone in this crisis. I can’t think of any better support group as counsellors may not even be gamblers … they don’t get it but sitting with people that have been through it all is really good. I used to think GA would be junkies or meth heads but it’s actually very intelligent people who have a real serious problem with gambling. Trust me, things will get better if you just stop. All the money and stuff you’ve lost is gone, accept it. I’ve lost everything too but it’s sure as shit not going to keep me shackled for the rest of my life. We have one life and it’s time we start living it for the sake of ourselves and everyone around us. Good luck.
Mark wrote: “All of our problems can be fixed with time if we just stop gambling.”
Well as someone who struggled to stop gambling for over 10 years but now has 10+ years gambling free – I wish I was so certain.
I only managed to stop when I put as much time and effort into my recovery as I did into my gambling. That not only meant going to GA on a regular basis, but getting counselling and being involved in self-help groups as well.
Gambling is a form of wearing blinkers. When we gamble we see nothing further than the next bet. We hide away from the past and don’t look out to the future. Once we stop – the reality of where we are hits us and that can be painful.
It is true that most counsellors are not former gamblers. I am and I know of one or two others, but we are all trained in helping people to look at their lives with honesty and giving them support when that becomes difficult (which it usually does.) Also, counselling and psychiatry are totally different ways of working – so someone who has only seen a psychiatrist has no experience of counselling.
Mark is right – the important thing is to stop gambling, that is the first step. But then you need to stay stopped. You need to work through why gambling is trying to pull you back into your old life and not allowing you to be free – to live the life you want and deserve. That is where counselling helped me. I now lead a totally different life in which gambling has no place. I want to be able to show it can be done and to give hope to others who are struggling with this behavior.
Keep posting and letting us know where you are on your journey. People here will support when we can. I wish you well.
Hi Zed
I gambled for a decade and with the right help I have been able to stop.
I am still having counselling which I feel would be helpful for you, especially as you had a difficult childhoods .
The thing to remember is that you can recover and that relapse isn’t inevitable.
Perhaps you will make it to some of the chat groups where you will get help with setting barriers which make it difficult to gamble .
The urges to gamble can be extremely strong but if you ride them they will eventually stop.
Keep strong and believe that you deserve recovery
Hi Steev,
I read your post/comment and am lookig for help. Long story short I have been gambling for only one year. Despite it only being a year I know I’ve been completely consumed by online blackjack and sportsbetting. My wife and family recognize this and I know it too. Recently I sufferred a big loss and broke down to my wife. The problem is that even with that loss I am still in the positive on gambling. Part of me thinks that I am lucky for that and to get out while still ahead as reading some people’s posts show me how fortunate of a position i am in. However another part just won’t let these thoughts about gambling die down. Even though big picture I am up, I can’t help but feel like I’m down after my recent loss and I just want to get it back before stopping. another part of me just wants to go back to the fun/recreational way of gambling which is how it was when i first started. Reading these forums I know that most likely I wont be able to just go the recreational way and that it would be a gateway towards the all consuming gambling that i had been doing and that if that contnued, i can end up in a similarly unfortunate position as many others on this forum. However, its been about three weeks since that loss and i have gambled and i I just can’t seem to kick these thoughts and the feeling that I am down (even though I’m not) or that I will be able to restart and control myself this time. Any advice would be appreciated
Hi Staystrong. I will reply elsewhere as I don’t want to clutter up someone else’s thread. I can’t see a thread from you – but if you want responses from others it might be as well to start one. 🙂

Ready to stop smoking? These tips will help you kick the cigarette habit for good.

Why is quitting so hard?

We all know the health risks of smoking, but that doesn’t make it any easier to kick the habit. Whether you’re an occasional teen smoker or a lifetime pack-a-day smoker, quitting can be really tough.

Smoking tobacco is both a physical addiction and a psychological habit. The nicotine from cigarettes provides a temporary—and addictive—high. Eliminating that regular fix of nicotine causes your body to experience physical withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Because of nicotine’s “feel good” effect on the brain, you may turn to cigarettes as a quick and reliable way to boost your outlook, relieve stress, and unwind. Smoking can also be a way of coping with depression, anxiety, or even boredom. Quitting means finding different, healthier ways to cope with those feelings.

Smoking is also ingrained as a daily ritual. It may be an automatic response for you to smoke a cigarette with your morning coffee, while taking a break at work or school, or on your commute home at the end of a hectic day. Or maybe your friends, family, or colleagues smoke, and it’s become part of the way you relate with them.

To successfully stop smoking, you’ll need to address both the addiction and the habits and routines that go along with it. But it can be done. With the right support and quit plan, any smoker can kick the addiction—even if you’ve tried and failed multiple times before.

Your personal stop smoking plan

While some smokers successfully quit by going cold turkey, most people do better with a tailored plan to keep themselves on track. A good quit plan addresses both the short-term challenge of stopping smoking and the long-term challenge of preventing relapse. It should also be tailored to your specific needs and smoking habits.

Questions to ask yourself

Take the time to think of what kind of smoker you are, which moments of your life call for a cigarette, and why. This will help you to identify which tips, techniques, or therapies may be most beneficial for you.

Are you a very heavy smoker (more than a pack a day)? Or are you more of a social smoker? Would a simple nicotine patch do the job?

Are there certain activities, places, or people you associate with smoking? Do you feel the need to smoke after every meal or whenever you break for coffee?

Do you reach for cigarettes when you’re feeling stressed or down? Or is your cigarette smoking linked to other addictions, such as alcohol or gambling?

Start your stop smoking plan with START

S = Set a quit date.

Choose a date within the next two weeks, so you have enough time to prepare without losing your motivation to quit. If you mainly smoke at work, quit on the weekend, so you have a few days to adjust to the change.

T = Tell family, friends, and co-workers that you plan to quit.

Let your friends and family in on your plan to quit smoking and tell them you need their support and encouragement to stop. Look for a quit buddy who wants to stop smoking as well. You can help each other get through the rough times.

A = Anticipate and plan for the challenges you’ll face while quitting.

Most people who begin smoking again do so within the first three months. You can help yourself make it through by preparing ahead for common challenges, such as nicotine withdrawal and cigarette cravings.

R = Remove cigarettes and other tobacco products from your home, car, and work.

Throw away all of your cigarettes, lighters, ashtrays, and matches. Wash your clothes and freshen up anything that smells like smoke. Shampoo your car, clean your drapes and carpet, and steam your furniture.

T = Talk to your doctor about getting help to quit.

Your doctor can prescribe medication to help with withdrawal symptoms. If you can’t see a doctor, you can get many products over the counter at your local pharmacy, including nicotine patches, lozenges, and gum.

Identify your smoking triggers

One of the best things you can do to help yourself quit is to identify the things that make you want to smoke, including specific situations, activities, feelings, and people.

Keep a craving journal

A craving journal can help you zero in on your patterns and triggers. For a week or so leading up to your quit date, keep a log of your smoking. Note the moments in each day when you crave a cigarette:

What time was it?
How intense was the craving (on a scale of 1-10)?
What were you doing?
Who were you with?
How were you feeling?
How did you feel after smoking?

Do you smoke to relieve unpleasant feelings?

Many of us smoke to manage unpleasant feelings such as stress, depression, loneliness, and anxiety. When you have a bad day, it can seem like cigarettes are your only friend. As much comfort as cigarettes provide, though, it’s important to remember that there are healthier and more effective ways to keep unpleasant feelings in check. These may include exercising, meditating, relaxation strategies, or simple breathing exercises.

For many people, an important aspect of giving up smoking is to find alternate ways to handle these difficult feelings without turning to cigarettes. Even when cigarettes are no longer a part of your life, the painful and unpleasant feelings that may have prompted you to smoke in the past will still remain. So it’s worth spending some time thinking about the different ways you intend to deal with stressful situations and the daily irritations that would normally have you lighting up.

Tips for avoiding common triggers

Alcohol. Many people smoke when they drink. Try switching to non-alcoholic drinks or drink only in places where smoking inside is prohibited. Alternatively, try snacking on nuts, chewing on a cocktail stick or sucking on a straw.

Other smokers. When friends, family, and co-workers smoke around you, it can be doubly difficult to give up or avoid relapse. Talk about your decision to quit so people know they won’t be able to smoke when you’re in the car with them or taking a coffee break together. In your workplace, find non-smokers to have your breaks with or find other things to do, such as taking a walk.

End of a meal. For some smokers, ending a meal means lighting up, and the prospect of giving that up may appear daunting. However, you can try replacing that moment after a meal with something else, such as a piece of fruit, a healthy dessert, a square of chocolate, or a stick of gum.

Coping with nicotine withdrawal symptoms

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Once you stop smoking, you’ll likely experience a number of physical symptoms as your body withdraws from nicotine. Nicotine withdrawal begins quickly, usually starting within an hour of the last cigarette and peaking two to three days later. Withdrawal symptoms can last for a few days to several weeks and differ from person to person.

Common nicotine withdrawal symptoms include:

Cigarette cravings
Irritability, frustration, or anger
Anxiety or nervousness
Difficulty concentrating
Restlessness
Increased appetite
Headaches

Insomnia
Tremors
Increased coughing
Fatigue
Constipation or upset stomach
Depression
Decreased heart rate

As unpleasant as these withdrawal symptoms may be, it’s important to remember that they are only temporary. They will get better in a few weeks as the toxins are flushed from your body. In the meantime, let your friends and family know that you won’t be your usual self and ask for their understanding.

Manage cigarette cravings

While avoiding smoking triggers will help reduce your urge to smoke, you probably can’t avoid cigarette cravings entirely. Fortunately, cravings don’t last long—typically, about 5 or 10 minutes. If you’re tempted to light up, remind yourself that the craving will soon pass and try to wait it out. It helps to be prepared in advance by having strategies to cope with cravings.

Distract yourself. Do the dishes, turn on the TV, take a shower, or call a friend. The activity doesn’t matter as long as it gets your mind off smoking.

Remind yourself why you quit. Focus on your reasons for quitting, including the health benefits (lowering your risk for heart disease and lung cancer, for example), improved appearance, money you’re saving, and enhanced self-esteem.

Get out of a tempting situation. Where you are or what you’re doing may be triggering the craving. If so, a change of scenery can make all the difference.

Reward yourself. Reinforce your victories. Whenever you triumph over a craving, give yourself a reward to keep yourself motivated.

Coping with cigarette cravings in the moment

Find an oral substitute – Keep other things around to pop in your mouth when cravings hit. Try mints, carrot or celery sticks, gum, or sunflower seeds. Or suck on a drinking straw.

Keep your mind busy – Read a book or magazine, listen to some music you love, do a crossword or Sudoku puzzle, or play an online game.

Keep your hands busy – Squeeze balls, pencils, or paper clips are good substitutes to satisfy that need for tactile stimulation.

Brush your teeth – The just-brushed, clean feeling can help banish cigarette cravings.

Drink water – Slowly drink a large glass of water. Not only will it help the craving pass, but staying hydrated helps minimize the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.

Light something else – Instead of lighting a cigarette, light a candle or some incense.

Get active – Go for a walk, do some jumping jacks or pushups, try some yoga stretches, or run around the block.

Try to relax – Do something that calms you down, such as taking a warm bath, meditating, reading a book, or practicing deep breathing exercises.

Go somewhere smoking is not permitted – Step into a public building, store, mall, coffee shop, or movie theatre, for example.

Preventing weight gain after you stop smoking

Smoking acts as an appetite suppressant, so gaining weight is a common concern for many of us when we decide to give up cigarettes. You may even be using it as a reason not to quit. While it’s true that many smokers put on weight within six months of stopping smoking, the gain is usually small—about five pounds on average—and that initial gain decreases over time. It’s also important to remember that carrying a few extra pounds for a few months won’t hurt your heart as much as smoking does. However, gaining weight is NOT inevitable when you stop smoking.

Smoking dampens your sense of smell and taste, so after you quit food will often seem more appealing. You may also gain weight if you replace the oral gratification of smoking with eating unhealthy comfort foods. Therefore, it’s important to find other, healthy ways to deal with unpleasant feelings such as stress, anxiety, or boredom rather than mindless, emotional eating.

Nurture yourself. Instead of turning to cigarettes or food when you feel stressed, anxious, or depressed, learn new ways to quickly soothe yourself. Listen to uplifting music, play with a pet, or sip a cup of hot tea, for example.

Eat healthy, varied meals. Eat plenty of fruit, vegetables, and healthy fats. Avoid sugary food, sodas, fried, and convenience food.

Learn to eat mindfully. Emotional eating tends to be automatic and virtually mindless. It’s easy to polish off a tub of ice cream while zoning out in front of the TV or staring at your phone. But by removing distractions when you eat, it’s easier to focus on how much you’re eating and tune into your body and how you’re really feeling. Are you really still hungry or eating for another reason?

Drink lots of water. Drinking at least six to eight 8 oz. glasses will help you feel full and keep you from eating when you’re not hungry. Water will also help flush toxins from your body.

Take a walk. Not only will it help you burn calories and keep the weight off, but it will also help alleviate feelings of stress and frustration that accompany smoking withdrawal.

Snack on guilt-free foods. Good choices include sugar-free gum, carrot and celery sticks, or sliced bell peppers or jicama.

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Medication and therapy to help you quit

There are many different methods that have successfully helped people to kick the smoking habit. While you may be successful with the first method you try, more likely you’ll have to try a number of different methods or a combination of treatments to find the ones that work best for you.

Medications

Smoking cessation medications can ease withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings. They are most effective when used as part of a comprehensive stop smoking program monitored by your physician. Talk to your doctor about your options and whether an anti-smoking medication is right for you. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved options are:

Nicotine replacement therapy. Nicotine replacement therapy involves “replacing” cigarettes with other nicotine substitutes, such as nicotine gum, patch, lozenge, inhaler, or nasal spray. It relieves some of the withdrawal symptoms by delivering small and steady doses of nicotine into your body without the tars and poisonous gases found in cigarettes. This type of treatment helps you focus on breaking your psychological addiction and makes it easier to concentrate on learning new behaviors and coping skills.

Non-nicotine medication. These medications help you stop smoking by reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms without the use of nicotine. Medications such as bupropion (Zyban) and varenicline (Chantix, Champix) are intended for short-term use only.

What you need to know about e-cigarettes (vaping)

While some people find that vaping can help them to stop smoking, the FDA has not approved vaping as a method of smoking cessation. And recent news reports have even linked vaping to severe lung disease, prompting many questions about the safety of vaping. Here’s what you need to know:

In the United States, the FDA does not regulate e-cigarette products.
The FDA warns that vaping is “not safe for youth, young adults, pregnant women, or adults who do not currently use tobacco products.”
It’s hard to always know exactly what’s in e-cigarettes.
The liquid used in some e-cigarettes contains nicotine, which has many negative health effects. It can lead to high blood pressure and diabetes and can be especially dangerous to the developing brains of children and teens.
There is no information available about the long-term effects vaping can have on your health.
Until more is known, federal and state authorities recommend avoiding all vaping.

Alternative therapies

There are several things you can do to stop smoking that don’t involve nicotine replacement therapy, vaping, or prescription medications. These include:

Hypnosis – This is a popular option that has produced good results for many smokers struggling to quit. Forget anything you may have seen from stage hypnotists, hypnosis works by getting you into a deeply relaxed state where you are open to suggestions that strengthen your resolve to stop smoking and increase your negative feelings toward cigarettes.

Acupuncture – One of the oldest known medical techniques, acupuncture is believed to work by triggering the release of endorphins (natural pain relievers) that allow the body to relax. As a smoking cessation aid, acupuncture can be helpful in managing smoking withdrawal symptoms.

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Behavioral Therapy – Nicotine addiction is related to the habitual behaviors or rituals involved in smoking. Behavior therapy focuses on learning new coping skills and breaking those habits.

Motivational Therapies – Self-help books and websites can provide a number of ways to motivate yourself to give up smoking. One well known example is calculating the monetary savings. Some people have been able to find the motivation to quit just by calculating how much money they will save. It may be enough to pay for a summer vacation.

Smokeless or spit tobacco is NOT a healthy alternative to smoking

Smokeless tobacco, otherwise known as spit or chewing tobacco, is not a safe alternative to smoking cigarettes. It contains the same addictive chemical, nicotine, contained in cigarettes. In fact, the amount of nicotine absorbed from smokeless tobacco can be 3 to 4 times the amount delivered by a cigarette.

What to do if you slip or relapse

Most people try to stop smoking several times before they kick the habit for good, so don’t beat yourself up if you slip up and smoke a cigarette. Instead, turn the relapse into a rebound by learning from your mistake. Analyze what happened right before you started smoking again, identify the triggers or trouble spots you ran into, and make a new stop-smoking plan that eliminates them.

It’s also important to emphasize the difference between a slip and a relapse. If you start smoking again, it doesn’t mean that you can’t get back on the wagon. You can choose to learn from the slip and let it motivate you to try harder or you can use it as an excuse to go back to your smoking habit. But the choice is yours. A slip doesn’t have to turn into a full-blown relapse.

You’re not a failure if you slip up. It doesn’t mean you can’t quit for good.

Don’t let a slip become a mudslide. Throw out the rest of the pack. It’s important to get back on the non-smoking track as soon as possible.

Look back at your quit log and feel good about the time you went without smoking.

Find the trigger. Exactly what was it that made you smoke again? Decide how you will cope with that issue the next time it comes up.

Learn from your experience. What has been most helpful? What didn’t work?

Are you using a medicine to help you quit? Call your doctor if you start smoking again. Some medicines cannot be used if you’re smoking at the same time.

Helping a loved one to stop smoking

It’s important to remember that you cannot make a friend or loved one give up cigarettes; the decision has to be theirs. But if they do make the decision to stop smoking, you can offer support and encouragement and try to ease the stress of quitting. Investigate the different treatment options available and talk them through with the smoker; just be careful never to preach or judge. You can also help a smoker overcome cravings by pursuing other activities with them, and by keeping smoking substitutes, such as gum, on hand.

If a loved one slips or relapses, don’t make them feel guilty. Congratulate them on the time they went without cigarettes and encourage them to try again. Your support can make all the difference in helping your loved one eventually kick the habit for good.

Helping a teen to quit

Most smokers try their first cigarette around the age of 11, and many are addicted by the time they turn 14. The use of e-cigarettes (vaping) has also soared dramatically in recent years. While the health implications of vaping aren’t yet fully known, the FDA warns that it’s not safe for teens and we do know that teens who vape are more likely to begin smoking cigarettes. This can be worrying for parents, but it’s important to appreciate the unique challenges and peer pressure teens face when it comes to quitting smoking (or vaping). While the decision to give up has to come from the teen smoker him- or herself, there are still plenty of ways for you to help.

Tips for parents of teens who smoke or vape

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Find out why your teen is smoking or vaping; they may want to be accepted by their peers or be seeking attention from you. Rather than making threats or ultimatums, talk about what changes can be made in their life to help them stop smoking.
If your child agrees to quit, be patient and supportive as they go through the process.
Set a good example by not smoking yourself. Parents who smoke are more likely to have kids who smoke.
Know if your kids have friends that smoke or vape. Talk with them about how to refuse a cigarette or e-cigarette.
Explain the health dangers and the unpleasant side effects smoking can have on their appearance (such as bad breath, discolored teeth and nails).
Establish a smoke-free policy in your home. Don’t allow anyone to smoke or vape indoors at any time.