For women, quitting smoking is less about chemical dependence and more about a strategy to relieve to stress and environmental triggers. Thus, nicotine patches generally don’t work as well for women, who often must turn to additional strategies to quit.
1. Don’t quit at stressful times in your life. For instance, avoid quitting during the holidays if you’ll be attending a lot of smoke-filled parties.
3. Be prepared for withdrawal symptoms. "Anticipate withdrawal symptoms such as grumpiness, restlessness, irritability, hunger, headache, anxiety and drowsiness or insomnia. The discomfort usually peaks one to three weeks after you quit, and then it gradually diminishes. To get through the rough patches, stock up on low-calorie snacks and sugarless gum or candy to keep your mouth busy.“
5. Get counseling when needed. Quitting smoking is not an easy task. You may need individual or group counseling.
And remember to not let one slip-up curtail your success. Should you fall off the wagon, start again even more prepared for your new, healthier life.
Disclaimer
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor and is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. Philips disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.
