Join a smoking cessation program

Join a smoking cessation program
With an abundance of smoking cessation products and programs available today, how do you know which one will work best for you?Joining a smoking cessation program can be one of the most important decisions a smoker can make. This article will provide an overview of the smoking cessation programs available, including inpatient smoking cessation programs. Before investing time and money in a smoking cessation program, a smoker should understand a few things about their smoking behavior first. Studies have shown that quitting smokers are far more successful when they understand why they smoke, why they desire to quit and if any, behaviors they have are connected to smoking.
What does a smoking cessation program offer?
Although many smoking cessation programs offer smokers similar options, they vary widely in their approach. Likewise, smoking cessation programs vary in cost, which ranges from free, offered by many nonprofit groups, including the ALS to expensive private institutions. Most programs offer support, understanding and education as the backbone of their services. They seek to educate the smoker about the withdrawal process and help them under stand the process their body is going through. Since the smoker is educated, they understand why they feel the way they do and that it is only a temporary process. These smoking cessation programs also offer behavior modification. They seek to replace the old habits and thinking with positive behaviors. This may include mantras and redirection. Outlined below are some of the more popular and effective smoking cessation programs.
Hazelden residential recovery program
This smoking cessation program is a week long inpatient program offered at the Dan Anderson Renewal Center outside Minneapolis, Minnesota. The program approaches nicotine dependency with a whole person philosophy. Instead of focusing on the quitting aspect of smoking cessation the Hazelden program focuses on the recovery process and moving past smoking using a mind- body and spirit approach,. The program uses a 12 step, abstinence based model, Individual and group counseling along with motivational speakers. Quitting smokers u se a variety of yoga, acupuncture, massage and various other relaxation techniques, along with guidance on diet and nutrition to overcome their addiction to tobacco products. Diagnosis, treatment plans, progress reports and discharge summary plans are provided to patients. The cost for smoking cessation programs offered by Hazelden range from $2,782 to $3,300 for a week long session.
5 A Method
This method has proven highly effective in helping pregnant women quit smoking. The 5 A method has been shown to double and sometimes triple the smoking cessation rates of pregnant women. The program is usually conducted during doctor visits and is usually covered by insurance. It is also provided free of charge for low income pregnant women. The process, which take roughly 10 to 15 minutes focus on 5 main topics.
Ask
The practitioner asks about the smoking states of the patient. The patient selects one of five answers to describe their situation.
Advise
The practitioner advises the pat ient to quit, by means of clear, personalized and strong advice and a describe the impact smoking has on the developing baby.
Assess
Assess the willingness of the patient to quit smoking within the next few weeks to a month
Assist
The provider will establish a support network to assist the woman during her cessation program. The provider will also provide related smoking cessation information.
Arrange
The practitioner will arrange regular check ins and continue to encourage the woman to quit if she is still smoking.
Counseling
Counseling has long been a part of successful smoking cessation programs. It is an ambiguous term that can be used to describe nearly all interactions a smoker may have with any health care profession. This may be appointments with therapists who help the smoker implement different behavior modification techniques or doctors that provide health related medical advice. Counseling is often used in conjunction with a nicotine replacement therapy. It is most effective in the cessation of smoking by pregnant women and for those with heart disease. The cost is usually covered by insurance, and can range from $25 to several hundred dollars in the absence of insurance.
Online Smoking Cessation Groups
There are several online groups that offer smokers an online alternative for a smoking cessation program. These forums provide smokers with an abundance of information regarding smoking, including the health effects of smoking and statistics related to smoking. Their main draw is the anonymity that they offer. Smokers create profiles and are able to support each other in their smoking cessation process. They remain anonymous and can interact as much or as little as they want. These groups are located in abundance on the internet and can vary dramatically in cost; some are available for free, while some charge high fees.

While inpatient smoking cessation programs are rare, they do offer a viable smoke free alternative during the most difficu lt time in a smoker's attempt to quit. Smoking cessation programs, when used appropriately, can greatly increase an individual's chance of quitting and remaining smoke free.
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http://www.quitfags.com/

Smokers who wish to quit the habit can find it quite hard to kick the habit and often spend months or even years struggling to stay clean. Yoga has of late come to symbolize hope for those who wish to quit smoking. Any yoga practitioner can testify to the healing power of yoga. It offers a variety of health benefits through its peculiar, distinctive physical and breathing exercises. Despite the fact that yoga practice is so beneficial it does not require any extra effort, in fact quite the contrary; yoga can be practiced by anyone as it is a personal practice that takes into account the practitioner’s physical limitations and capacity, and actually hones those skills that are lacking. Moreover yoga does not require any major equipment or expensive gym membership. Time constraints are a common accuse to shirk our responsibilities to ourselves, but there can be no such excuse for yoga as just 20 minutes of practice, done thrice a week, would suffice.
So, how effective is yoga as a tool to quit smoking? You’d be surprised to find that it is one of the most effective methods of quitting, as it not only helps you overcome your addiction, but also helps you overcome the withdrawal symptoms and nicotine dependence that are normally so problematic for those who quit smoking. It is widely accepted that exercise has a positive influence on those trying to quit smoking, with even a daily five minute walk helping to reduce cravings. Moderate exercise can help significantly and even more so, yoga. This is because yoga surpasses other physical fitness routines on account of its being so much more than a physical routine. It involves exercise and stretching, in combination with meditation and introspection, enabling the practitioner to derive tranquility and inner peace. It inculcates physical strength but more importantly it builds your inner strength, focus and will power, enabling you to ward of any cravings much more effectively.

Breath control and exercises are an integral aspect of yoga practice and this fact makes it even more relevant to smokers. Many people find smoking relaxing, mainly because of the inhaling and exhaling aspect that it encourages. Yoga encourages the same reflexes in its breath exercises, but without the nicotine. It therefore in a way compensates for the lost method of relaxation, with a far deeper and healthier relaxation. Breath exercises are commonly used as a stress reduction technique and physical exercise is also helpful for stress. Yoga being a combination of the two is so much more effective and can calm the senses, improve circulation, and stimulate the central nervous system.

Apart from the fact that yoga helps smokers quit the habit it also minimizes the damage and helps restore health. Yoga practices improve your lung capacity and also strengthen them, alleviating the ill effects of smoking to a certain extent.
Source : http://yoga-health-benefits.blogspot

Yoga is not a miracle cure to quit smoking. The different aspects of yoga such as asanas, pranayama, meditation, and breathing techniques definitely are the best techniques for quitting ever invented or discovered by man. No other techniques can challenge these well designed comprehensive and integrated techniques to quit smoking. Try it and bring the change in your life!

Yoga Helps Quit Smoking-really sounds strange and to some impossible. But yoga can really play a vital role in quitting smoking. If you add yoga in your smoking cessation, you will get the best results and confidence to quit smoking.

The best thing what yoga does is it improves your damaged smoking health. It improves your lung capacity and strength and ultimately it alleviates some of the dangerous effects of smoking.

How yoga helps you quit smoking?

Yoga cultivates determination and willpower in a smoker which are the primary strengths needed to quit smoking. And no other techniques can work in overcoming this biggest weakness of a smoker.
Many people smoke or start smoking due to psychological and emotional problems. And yoga is the only technique which helps best in overcoming these life taking traumas and maintaining psychological and emotional balance in the body.
It creates awareness to lead a healthy life and to understand your own body. This awareness automatically let you know that your body does not want these types of dangerous toxins. And the same awareness brings a great change and improvement in your diet and lifestyle to quit smoking as well as to improve your health.
The deep breathing techniques of yoga neutralize the irresistible cravings for nicotine which happens during the first days and weeks of quitting. And no other technique can work best in this regard.
Yoga helps quitting smoking without weight gain and any other side effects. And no other techniques can help in this regard.
What is the most important yoga technique which helps best to quit smoking?

One of the important yoga cleansing practices called as ‘Jala Neti,’ which works wonders for those who want to quit smoking. This technique effects at both physical and psychological levels. It is an integrated approach which works smoothly to help a smoker quit smoking.

How yoga breathing techniques can help you quit smoking?

Here is a simple example of a yoga breathing techniques which helps best whenever you crave for a cigarette.

How to practice it?

Inhale deeply as far as you can and then slowly exhale. Purse your lips so that the air will come out slowly.
Slowly touch your chest with your chin as you exhale
Imagine all your stress, tension and other emotional problems draining out of your fingers and toes.
Practice it at least three times.
This deep breathing technique works as your greatest weapon during the strong cravings and gives you the best possible result.

Source : http://smoking.ygoy.com/