Welcome to Kickin' the Habit. 00:00:23.12\00:00:25.35 My name is Raginee Edwards. 00:00:25.39\00:00:27.09 And today we are going to talk about withdraw symptoms, 00:00:27.12\00:00:31.93 and how to deal with them. 00:00:31.96\00:00:33.66 Now this trips a lot of people up, 00:00:33.70\00:00:35.46 because sometimes we don't anticipate 00:00:35.50\00:00:37.53 that the withdrawal symptoms would be so severe. 00:00:37.57\00:00:40.34 So we don't want to trip you up, 00:00:40.37\00:00:41.77 some people don't have withdrawal symptoms at all, 00:00:41.80\00:00:44.21 but for many people they do, 00:00:44.24\00:00:46.68 so I want you to be aware of those withdrawal symptoms, 00:00:46.71\00:00:50.25 think of ways that you can overcome them 00:00:50.28\00:00:52.61 or get through them, 00:00:52.65\00:00:54.18 and be successful on your journey 00:00:54.22\00:00:57.15 to becoming a nonsmoker. 00:00:57.19\00:00:59.49 Now, I want you to be aware of these 00:00:59.52\00:01:01.02 particular withdrawal symptoms, 00:01:01.06\00:01:02.42 the first thing that 00:01:02.46\00:01:03.79 a lot of smokers as they quit experience 00:01:03.83\00:01:06.83 or increased hand tremors or just a shaking. 00:01:06.86\00:01:10.77 And other thing is insomnia trouble falling asleep 00:01:10.80\00:01:14.07 or staying asleep for a period of time. 00:01:14.10\00:01:17.17 Some say that they experience nausea, 00:01:17.21\00:01:19.57 feeling sick to their stomach or just wanted to vomit. 00:01:19.61\00:01:24.05 Others talk about restlessness or anxiety even seeing, 00:01:24.08\00:01:28.35 hearing or feeling things that are not really there, 00:01:28.38\00:01:30.55 I know that can be scary, but if you're aware of that, 00:01:30.59\00:01:32.55 you won't think you're going crazy, 00:01:32.59\00:01:33.92 you know that's a withdrawal symptom. 00:01:33.96\00:01:36.19 Sweating or even rapid heartbeat, 00:01:36.22\00:01:38.73 so you want to be aware of some of those things, 00:01:38.76\00:01:42.13 but what I want you to listen to now 00:01:42.16\00:01:44.50 are the experiences of real people, 00:01:44.53\00:01:47.70 so the question that we asked the participants 00:01:47.74\00:01:51.84 is the day you quit, 00:01:51.87\00:01:54.01 what were all the thoughts 00:01:54.04\00:01:55.38 going on in your head about becoming a nonsmoker. 00:01:55.41\00:01:58.51 Let's listen to what they had to say. 00:01:58.55\00:02:01.95 The day I quit smoking 00:02:01.98\00:02:04.59 I vividly remember the first day, 00:02:04.62\00:02:07.96 the first time that I smoked. 00:02:07.99\00:02:10.76 I got on, I did very well Friday, 00:02:10.79\00:02:15.30 Sabbath, Sunday, 00:02:15.33\00:02:17.73 and then Monday I got on the bus to go to work, 00:02:17.77\00:02:22.50 at that time you could smoke in public, 00:02:22.54\00:02:25.61 at that time cigarettes didn't cost that much, 00:02:25.64\00:02:28.14 and you could actually ask people for a cigarette 00:02:28.18\00:02:31.08 if you didn't have one. 00:02:31.11\00:02:32.45 I got on the bus, 00:02:32.48\00:02:34.32 and a person got on the bus smoking my brand. 00:02:34.35\00:02:39.35 The struggle was to ask or not to, 00:02:39.39\00:02:43.83 I prayed at that time, 00:02:43.86\00:02:46.06 "God, give me the courage, give me the strength, 00:02:46.09\00:02:48.90 " to not ask for the cigarette, 00:02:48.93\00:02:50.90 because you know, if I do, I'll never stop. 00:02:50.93\00:02:54.87 He gave me the strength to get off the bus 00:02:54.90\00:02:57.81 without asking for the cigarette 00:02:57.84\00:03:00.01 and I was cigarette free for 10 years. 00:03:00.04\00:03:05.61 Well, the first day I quit the thoughts 00:03:05.65\00:03:08.02 that went through my head, you know, 00:03:08.05\00:03:09.65 it's about becoming a nonsmoker were all wrapped up in that 00:03:09.68\00:03:13.92 I had a job to do, 00:03:13.96\00:03:17.19 and I was medic and I took care of people, 00:03:17.23\00:03:20.20 and I wanted to continue doing that, 00:03:20.23\00:03:23.16 so those were the thoughts in my mind, I have to quit, 00:03:23.20\00:03:25.97 because I have people that I have to take care of. 00:03:26.00\00:03:29.24 Now, the second time I quit, 00:03:29.27\00:03:34.98 I really didn't have any thoughts 00:03:35.01\00:03:40.65 about anything else just quitting. 00:03:40.68\00:03:45.45 I want to quit, I was tired of smoking, 00:03:45.49\00:03:47.56 I was tired of the whole lifestyle 00:03:47.59\00:03:49.72 of having to pick up the cigarette 00:03:49.76\00:03:51.86 or even just smell them, so I just... 00:03:51.89\00:03:56.50 that's the thoughts was just to quit. 00:03:56.53\00:03:58.93 It wasn't about, you know, 00:03:58.97\00:04:00.84 do I want to pick it back up those, just quit. 00:04:00.87\00:04:04.67 When I first realize that I wasn't going to smoke that day, 00:04:04.71\00:04:10.95 I felt almost as if I was losing a friend, 00:04:10.98\00:04:14.58 I really felt lonely, 00:04:14.62\00:04:17.65 I didn't know what to do with my time, 00:04:17.69\00:04:19.55 I didn't even, you know, 00:04:19.59\00:04:22.59 what to think about not smoking, 00:04:22.62\00:04:23.99 it just felt really foreign, it felt like my, 00:04:24.03\00:04:26.76 like I was moving to a different country 00:04:26.80\00:04:28.36 or someone have died closing your eye 00:04:28.40\00:04:30.43 like I lost a leg, I felt an extreme sense of loss. 00:04:30.47\00:04:34.37 And I was at a loss, 00:04:34.40\00:04:36.87 and I just kept having to pray or refocus my thoughts, 00:04:36.91\00:04:41.28 because it was really hard, it did not seem natural. 00:04:41.31\00:04:45.45 Those responses were so unique. 00:04:48.62\00:04:52.42 You heard what Isaac said, 00:04:52.45\00:04:55.36 he was thinking about others the first time that he quit, 00:04:55.39\00:04:59.43 and the thoughts in his mind were, 00:04:59.46\00:05:01.56 I want to help others and save lives, he was a medic, 00:05:01.60\00:05:04.47 so if he continued smoking 00:05:04.50\00:05:06.17 and continued having the chronic bronchitis, 00:05:06.20\00:05:09.04 he couldn't help the way that he wanted to, 00:05:09.07\00:05:11.61 and it goes back to as health educators 00:05:11.64\00:05:15.14 we learn the health belief model, 00:05:15.18\00:05:17.08 and again they for a person to change their behavior, 00:05:17.11\00:05:21.02 they consider very different things. 00:05:21.05\00:05:24.75 There is cost and benefits and if the cost of change 00:05:24.79\00:05:27.42 that behavior is more than the benefits, 00:05:27.46\00:05:29.59 then they're predicted to change, 00:05:29.62\00:05:32.26 be less likely to change basically. 00:05:32.29\00:05:34.40 So for him the benefit of helping others 00:05:34.43\00:05:37.60 was much more than the cause of changing 00:05:37.63\00:05:39.23 that health behavior, he decided to change. 00:05:39.27\00:05:41.64 But on the other hand he said that with the second time, 00:05:41.67\00:05:45.27 he actually almost had a distaste 00:05:45.31\00:05:47.54 for the lifestyle of being a smoker, 00:05:47.58\00:05:50.48 he didn't like the smell, he didn't like it at all, 00:05:50.51\00:05:53.28 and so those were the thoughts in his mind. 00:05:53.31\00:05:55.52 He was probably just very disgusted with the whole idea, 00:05:55.55\00:05:58.92 and those were the thoughts that encourage him 00:05:58.95\00:06:01.72 to actually look forward to becoming a nonsmoker. 00:06:01.76\00:06:06.66 Now, when we look and listen to Cathleen's response, 00:06:06.70\00:06:13.00 you hear something a little different, 00:06:13.03\00:06:16.20 and we talked about this before, 00:06:16.24\00:06:17.67 it's something that is bit more typical with females. 00:06:17.71\00:06:23.18 You heard her say, "I felt lonely, 00:06:23.21\00:06:27.22 I felt like I was having an extreme sense of loss 00:06:27.25\00:06:32.12 like I was losing a friend, 00:06:32.15\00:06:33.69 " I mean those are really serious terms, 00:06:33.72\00:06:36.69 you would think that 00:06:36.73\00:06:38.06 she was losing an actual person, 00:06:38.09\00:06:41.16 but again this is something 00:06:41.20\00:06:42.76 that we hear with women time and time again 00:06:42.80\00:06:46.10 that is really that serious. 00:06:46.13\00:06:50.91 When you have a couple, 00:06:50.94\00:06:52.27 sometimes we get couples that want to come 00:06:52.31\00:06:53.71 and they quit together, 00:06:53.74\00:06:55.24 and you have, you know, here is the husband, 00:06:55.28\00:06:57.18 here is the wife and if the husband is ready to quit 00:06:57.21\00:06:59.61 he is like, yeah, I just crumbled it up 00:06:59.65\00:07:01.58 and I threw it in the garbage and there it was. 00:07:01.62\00:07:04.19 And the wife, you know, she wants to quit, 00:07:04.22\00:07:06.45 she's very motivated, 00:07:06.49\00:07:07.99 she doesn't want to do it anymore 00:07:08.02\00:07:09.72 and she is having a much harder time 00:07:09.76\00:07:11.49 and it can be kind of discouraging 00:07:11.53\00:07:13.36 to see the husband quit so easily. 00:07:13.40\00:07:15.93 If you're a woman listening, 00:07:15.96\00:07:17.30 please know that it's very different 00:07:17.33\00:07:19.33 as a women sometimes to quit not that it's impossible, 00:07:19.37\00:07:22.80 it's very possible. 00:07:22.84\00:07:24.17 I know many women who have quit, 00:07:24.21\00:07:25.57 but you have to realize that it is a very serious thing 00:07:25.61\00:07:29.44 to feel like you're losing a friend to where we almost... 00:07:29.48\00:07:34.52 I hate to say this, 00:07:34.55\00:07:35.88 we have to bring women 00:07:35.92\00:07:37.25 sometimes through a, the grief cycle 00:07:37.29\00:07:38.62 as if they were actually losing a loved one. 00:07:38.65\00:07:40.92 So know that if it's a little bit harder for you, 00:07:40.96\00:07:43.63 it's okay, 00:07:43.66\00:07:44.99 the women on this video have quit 00:07:45.03\00:07:46.36 and they've done it successfully 00:07:46.39\00:07:47.73 and many women have, 00:07:47.76\00:07:49.10 but just know that you might have to go 00:07:49.13\00:07:50.97 through that grieving process, 00:07:51.00\00:07:52.40 and if you're aware that is something 00:07:52.43\00:07:54.30 that you're gonna have to go through, 00:07:54.34\00:07:55.67 that is gonna be hard 00:07:55.70\00:07:57.04 and it may not seem as easy as some guys 00:07:57.07\00:07:59.57 that just throw it in the garbage 00:07:59.61\00:08:00.94 when they're ready to quit. 00:08:00.98\00:08:02.54 Be encourage that you can do this. 00:08:02.58\00:08:05.81 Now, the next question that we asked our participants was, 00:08:05.85\00:08:09.72 what withdrawal symptoms did you have? 00:08:09.75\00:08:12.39 Let's hear what they had to say about that. 00:08:12.42\00:08:16.19 I had no withdrawal symptoms for 10 years 00:08:16.22\00:08:20.20 until I encounter distress 00:08:20.23\00:08:23.23 that I was not willing to deal with, 00:08:23.26\00:08:25.60 and I started smoking again, 00:08:25.63\00:08:28.34 then the withdrawal symptoms were headaches, 00:08:28.37\00:08:33.17 withdrawal symptom was nervousness, 00:08:33.21\00:08:37.78 it was a pain that cannot be described, 00:08:37.81\00:08:42.58 only another smoker can understand that pain. 00:08:42.62\00:08:48.46 Thankfully on both occasions the first time I smoked, 00:08:48.49\00:08:51.79 then the second time I smoked, 00:08:51.83\00:08:53.23 I really didn't have any withdrawal symptoms at all. 00:08:53.26\00:08:57.20 My withdrawal symptoms were very intense, 00:08:57.23\00:08:59.63 I had anger fits, I was very irritable, 00:08:59.67\00:09:04.41 I was depressed, I had headaches, 00:09:04.44\00:09:09.48 everything that could go wrong basically did 00:09:09.51\00:09:13.28 when I was trying to smoke. 00:09:13.31\00:09:14.78 There is nothing in my favor saying, 00:09:14.82\00:09:16.28 "Oh, yeah, this is pleasant, this is great, this is fun." 00:09:16.32\00:09:20.39 I love that we get to hear the responses of actual people, 00:09:20.42\00:09:24.13 because as you can see here 00:09:24.16\00:09:26.29 every person had a different experience 00:09:26.33\00:09:28.70 with their withdrawal symptoms, not only that, 00:09:28.73\00:09:31.53 but the same person had two different experiences 00:09:31.57\00:09:34.77 when it came to withdrawal symptoms. 00:09:34.80\00:09:36.71 You look at Brenda, she said, 00:09:36.74\00:09:38.31 the first time that she quit smoking, 00:09:38.34\00:09:40.31 she had absolutely no withdrawal symptoms. 00:09:40.34\00:09:43.01 But the second time was a different story. 00:09:43.04\00:09:45.51 She said that she had headaches, 00:09:45.55\00:09:48.15 nervousness, and an indescribable pain. 00:09:48.18\00:09:52.42 Now, that sounds weird, 00:09:52.45\00:09:53.99 but I've heard many people say 00:09:54.02\00:09:56.09 that they have this indescribable feeling, 00:09:56.12\00:09:59.46 emotion or not just something that they feel in their mind, 00:09:59.49\00:10:02.93 but even in their body, they can't really describe. 00:10:02.96\00:10:05.53 So just know that, 00:10:05.57\00:10:07.34 that is something that could happen 00:10:07.37\00:10:09.84 and don't think that are abnormal, 00:10:09.87\00:10:12.47 it is a withdrawal symptom to you. 00:10:12.51\00:10:15.68 Now, you heard Isaac no withdrawal symptoms, 00:10:15.71\00:10:18.88 okay, but Cathleen, when you listen to what she said, 00:10:18.91\00:10:22.68 she said, "She had anger fits." 00:10:22.72\00:10:26.42 I don't know what that meant exactly, 00:10:26.45\00:10:27.79 but anger fits never sounds good, 00:10:27.82\00:10:29.36 she had anger fits. 00:10:29.39\00:10:30.73 She was very irritable, depressed, she had headaches. 00:10:30.76\00:10:35.56 She said nothing 00:10:35.60\00:10:37.00 about the experience encourage her 00:10:37.03\00:10:39.93 to want to continue on as a nonsmoker, 00:10:39.97\00:10:43.30 not judging by her withdrawal symptoms. 00:10:43.34\00:10:46.24 Now, if you're a family member of somebody 00:10:46.27\00:10:50.21 who is desiring to become a nonsmoker, 00:10:50.25\00:10:54.28 try to give him a little break. 00:10:54.32\00:10:56.45 I've heard people whose, you know, 00:10:56.48\00:10:59.12 may be they have spouse 00:10:59.15\00:11:00.49 and they're going through this experience 00:11:00.52\00:11:02.69 and they're having may be anger fits 00:11:02.72\00:11:05.23 or very, very irritable, and they'll say 00:11:05.26\00:11:07.50 you need to just go ahead and smoke a cigarette, 00:11:07.53\00:11:09.66 don't, don't tell them that, okay. 00:11:09.70\00:11:12.23 Encourage them and know that, 00:11:12.27\00:11:14.04 that's something normal and it will pass. 00:11:14.07\00:11:18.71 Now, the next question we ask the participants is, 00:11:18.74\00:11:22.81 what did you do about this these withdrawal symptoms? 00:11:22.84\00:11:25.55 Now we know they have successfully quit 00:11:25.58\00:11:27.18 and they're now nonsmokers, 00:11:27.22\00:11:28.82 so again we want to hear how they overcame them, 00:11:28.85\00:11:33.19 so that you can be encouraged to overcome them too. 00:11:33.22\00:11:35.12 Just listen to those responses. 00:11:35.16\00:11:38.46 How to deal with those withdrawal symptoms? 00:11:38.49\00:11:42.73 You really cannot deal with it except to give into it, 00:11:42.76\00:11:49.27 otherwise you have to chose to go through it 00:11:49.30\00:11:52.27 and endure the pain and it will disappear. 00:11:52.31\00:11:56.95 It took when I finally broke free. 00:11:56.98\00:12:00.82 It took the average of five days 00:12:00.85\00:12:04.69 to really get over the craving 00:12:04.72\00:12:07.36 of having to have that cigarette. 00:12:07.39\00:12:10.69 Well, the first time that I quit as per plan 00:12:10.73\00:12:15.50 which I just wanted to quit, so I quit. 00:12:15.53\00:12:17.60 It worked well. 00:12:17.63\00:12:18.97 The second time it was a long drawn out thing 00:12:19.00\00:12:23.84 to slowly put cigarettes down. 00:12:23.87\00:12:26.04 I never smoked a lot of them, 00:12:26.07\00:12:27.84 but it just took a long time some years 00:12:27.88\00:12:30.75 to finally not pick another cigarette up. 00:12:30.78\00:12:34.85 And thankfully Lord blessed 00:12:34.88\00:12:38.75 that last time I was successful 00:12:38.79\00:12:42.02 that I haven't picked any cigarettes up since 00:12:42.06\00:12:48.30 My withdrawal symptoms were so intense, 00:12:48.33\00:12:52.07 that I realize that there was nothing really physically 00:12:52.10\00:12:54.84 I can do besides, 00:12:54.87\00:12:56.20 popping aspirin for the headaches. 00:12:56.24\00:12:58.11 So the best alternative I had was to realize 00:12:58.14\00:13:02.74 that they're gonna be there, 00:13:02.78\00:13:04.11 and once you are okay with that and have peace with that 00:13:04.15\00:13:07.42 and realize that your decision is worth it, 00:13:07.45\00:13:09.85 it kind of numbs the withdrawals overtime. 00:13:09.88\00:13:16.39 You heard those responses, wow. 00:13:16.42\00:13:19.69 Now, with this you understand 00:13:19.73\00:13:23.43 that it's may not be easy for you, 00:13:23.47\00:13:26.13 for some people the withdrawals are negligible, 00:13:26.17\00:13:29.60 but for others it's very, it can be very extreme. 00:13:29.64\00:13:33.48 But I like what they said, they basically said, 00:13:33.51\00:13:36.71 "Know that it's going to happen, 00:13:36.75\00:13:38.65 and know that it will be over." 00:13:38.68\00:13:40.18 Usually withdrawal symptoms only last 00:13:40.22\00:13:42.38 for one to two weeks max. 00:13:42.42\00:13:44.82 So if you're aware that this is going to happen 00:13:44.85\00:13:47.66 and you're aware of that this will end, 00:13:47.69\00:13:50.23 it will not always be like this, 00:13:50.26\00:13:52.66 then you can have the power 00:13:52.69\00:13:55.10 that God can give you like Brenda said 00:13:55.13\00:13:57.20 to actually go through it, go through the pain. 00:13:57.23\00:14:00.90 I like what Cathleen said, 00:14:00.94\00:14:02.60 "Know that it's gonna be there and be at peace with it." 00:14:02.64\00:14:06.21 So that you're not overwhelmed with these things 00:14:06.24\00:14:09.84 that seem like they're happening to you 00:14:09.88\00:14:11.41 and get that urge to quit. 00:14:11.45\00:14:12.78 She was within that first week, 00:14:12.81\00:14:14.55 that a person picks back up the cigarette, 00:14:14.58\00:14:16.42 because they want to feel normal again 00:14:16.45\00:14:20.72 under the influence of the cigarette. 00:14:20.76\00:14:22.92 So if you're aware of these withdrawal symptoms 00:14:22.96\00:14:25.26 or if there's somebody that you know 00:14:25.29\00:14:26.63 that needs to hear this, share it with them 00:14:26.66\00:14:28.86 because sometimes they'll feel like, I can't do it, 00:14:28.90\00:14:30.80 I'm not strong enough. 00:14:30.83\00:14:32.33 Let them know that it's very normal 00:14:32.37\00:14:34.77 and all they have to do is just focus on letting the idea go 00:14:34.80\00:14:39.74 that it's gonna be easy and go through the pain 00:14:39.77\00:14:43.11 and know that on the other side the pain is no longer there. 00:14:43.14\00:14:47.48 Now, let's look at the next question. 00:14:47.52\00:14:50.49 We asked our participants how did your plan work out? 00:14:50.52\00:14:54.16 Did you have to make adjustments along the way? 00:14:54.19\00:14:57.19 Let's see what they had to say. 00:14:57.23\00:15:00.00 My plan was to stop smoking and it worked out 00:15:00.03\00:15:06.03 when I made the decision to endure work the pain, 00:15:06.07\00:15:11.51 then it worked out perfectly. 00:15:11.54\00:15:13.17 After I endured work the pain, there was my gain, 00:15:13.21\00:15:16.85 and I was able to just rejoice that it was over once again. 00:15:16.88\00:15:22.58 And by the grace of God, I've never gone back to it. 00:15:22.62\00:15:27.99 Some of the things that I did... 00:15:28.02\00:15:29.66 Well, really there was only one thing 00:15:29.69\00:15:31.03 that I did to avoid smoking, 00:15:31.06\00:15:35.43 mainly was to stay away from folk 00:15:35.46\00:15:40.84 that really smoke that much 00:15:40.87\00:15:42.84 even though it's almost impossible, 00:15:42.87\00:15:44.31 most, a lot of the people I know smoke, 00:15:44.34\00:15:46.71 but just to severe those associations 00:15:46.74\00:15:51.11 that closeness of were I'm in the situation. 00:15:51.15\00:15:53.95 In fact a lot of folks I told them, 00:15:53.98\00:15:55.85 "Hey, look I don't smoke anymore, 00:15:55.88\00:15:57.42 " so they would tease me about it, 00:15:57.45\00:15:59.82 but they would honor that, 00:15:59.85\00:16:01.32 and but every once a while they would tease me 00:16:01.36\00:16:04.39 and say here take one and I look at them, 00:16:04.43\00:16:06.29 they say, no man, I'm just kidding. 00:16:06.33\00:16:08.63 God is faithful and so when you really put your trust in Him, 00:16:08.66\00:16:12.43 He's not gonna let you down, 00:16:12.47\00:16:14.84 so whatever plan that you may have 00:16:14.87\00:16:17.21 even if that doesn't work, 00:16:17.24\00:16:19.07 if you just put your trust in God, 00:16:19.11\00:16:21.48 anything is possible and He will make it possible. 00:16:21.51\00:16:26.55 Okay, you heard those responses. 00:16:26.58\00:16:29.05 They... I like how Brenda said that, 00:16:29.08\00:16:32.25 "Once you make the choice 00:16:32.29\00:16:33.89 to just get through the withdrawal symptoms 00:16:33.92\00:16:36.76 then that's what really did it for her, 00:16:36.79\00:16:38.49 to know that it was gonna be difficult 00:16:38.53\00:16:40.33 and that she just need to kind of grin and bear it 00:16:40.36\00:16:42.56 and use all those resources and tools 00:16:42.60\00:16:44.70 and skills that she had 00:16:44.73\00:16:46.23 and know that it was going to be over. 00:16:46.27\00:16:48.17 And we looked at Isaac, 00:16:48.20\00:16:50.07 he had to severe some of those connections that he had, 00:16:50.11\00:16:53.27 he had his friends around him that might smoke 00:16:53.31\00:16:55.31 and that was a big trigger for him. 00:16:55.34\00:16:57.35 So how he dealt with that plan was to just kind of make sure 00:16:57.38\00:17:02.08 he wasn't in that environment. 00:17:02.12\00:17:04.05 Now, it was funny because he said he had friends 00:17:04.09\00:17:06.76 that would jokingly you know, offer him a smoke 00:17:06.79\00:17:09.49 but they would be like no, man no, you know, 00:17:09.52\00:17:11.23 I know that you're trying to quit, 00:17:11.26\00:17:12.59 so again they may play around with you, 00:17:12.63\00:17:15.70 but a lot of times even those of you, 00:17:15.73\00:17:19.23 if you have friends that still smoke, 00:17:19.27\00:17:21.60 they often times are really happy 00:17:21.64\00:17:23.41 and they want to quit themselves 00:17:23.44\00:17:25.01 and they want to encourage you to quit to, 00:17:25.04\00:17:26.94 so just make sure that you let them know, 00:17:26.98\00:17:30.35 and that you, if you have to severe those times 00:17:30.38\00:17:34.22 that you spend together until you're little bit stronger 00:17:34.25\00:17:36.62 or a lot stronger really. 00:17:36.65\00:17:38.69 But they can be very encouraging, 00:17:38.72\00:17:40.36 so don't stay back from or keep yourself back 00:17:40.39\00:17:43.59 from telling them what you are wanting to do. 00:17:43.63\00:17:45.96 Again you might encourage them, 00:17:45.99\00:17:47.33 they want to quit along with you. 00:17:47.36\00:17:48.93 Now, Cathleen, you can tell, 00:17:48.96\00:17:51.87 this was a very serious thing for her. 00:17:51.90\00:17:54.40 It wasn't something that she did flippantly. 00:17:54.44\00:17:57.01 She said she committed this to God. 00:17:57.04\00:17:58.67 There were no plans of, 00:17:58.71\00:18:00.68 know nothing that she could really do, 00:18:00.71\00:18:03.11 but just follow from step to step 00:18:03.14\00:18:07.35 what God wanted her to do. 00:18:07.38\00:18:09.15 So that's what worked for her 00:18:09.18\00:18:10.92 and again that can work for you too. 00:18:10.95\00:18:13.46 Now, let's look at this last question. 00:18:13.49\00:18:16.36 The last question was, 00:18:16.39\00:18:17.73 what are specific things that you did to avoid smoking? 00:18:17.76\00:18:21.93 We want to hear specifics here, 00:18:21.96\00:18:23.93 so listen up to hear what their specifics were 00:18:23.97\00:18:26.40 so they could be a nonsmoker. 00:18:26.43\00:18:30.21 I had to do specific things to avoid smoking. 00:18:30.24\00:18:34.51 I had to not be around smokers. 00:18:34.54\00:18:37.25 I had to make a decision 00:18:37.28\00:18:39.88 when I got up in the morning that no, no cigarette. 00:18:39.91\00:18:43.89 I had to drink water, I had to take showers, 00:18:43.92\00:18:48.16 I had to just make the decision 00:18:48.19\00:18:51.46 that this is not what I'm going to do. 00:18:51.49\00:18:54.50 Best way to not smoke is to not think about smoking. 00:18:54.53\00:18:58.13 To not let your mind go there, 00:18:58.17\00:19:00.07 the minute that thought comes into your head 00:19:00.10\00:19:02.34 or you get that image of what you would like to be 00:19:02.37\00:19:06.07 doing smoking a cigarette, 00:19:06.11\00:19:08.14 you have to just banish that individual thought, 00:19:08.18\00:19:10.68 one thought at a time 00:19:10.71\00:19:12.05 instead of trying to control your whole day 00:19:12.08\00:19:14.75 or control the next hour, 00:19:14.78\00:19:16.69 just focus on one thought at a time. 00:19:16.72\00:19:18.49 Brenda was very specific. 00:19:20.92\00:19:22.96 She talked about not being around smokers 00:19:22.99\00:19:25.43 which was a big trigger for her, 00:19:25.46\00:19:27.06 but she also mentioned taking showers 00:19:27.10\00:19:29.20 and drinking water, and those are actually 00:19:29.23\00:19:32.10 two techniques that people use 00:19:32.13\00:19:35.00 to help take away that urge to kind of, 00:19:35.04\00:19:39.51 well, we'll talk about this in a few seconds, 00:19:39.54\00:19:41.28 but that's one of the ways of dealing with withdrawal, 00:19:41.31\00:19:43.11 drinking lots of water. 00:19:43.14\00:19:44.65 But those were two methods that she specifically used, 00:19:44.68\00:19:48.12 so again take notes from that. 00:19:48.15\00:19:50.69 Cathleen, she talked about 00:19:50.72\00:19:52.85 not even thinking about smoking, 00:19:52.89\00:19:55.52 banishing the individual thoughts 00:19:55.56\00:19:57.89 and focusing on just one thought to the next. 00:19:57.93\00:20:01.36 She really couldn't fathom 00:20:01.40\00:20:03.16 trying to think about the whole day and say, okay, 00:20:03.20\00:20:08.50 I'm gonna stop smoking the whole day at least, 00:20:08.54\00:20:10.41 stop smoking for the rest of me life. 00:20:10.44\00:20:12.41 She really focused on one thought to the next, 00:20:12.44\00:20:15.68 and when that thought came into her mind 00:20:15.71\00:20:17.45 where she thought about cigarettes, 00:20:17.48\00:20:20.85 anything about cigarette she said, 00:20:20.88\00:20:22.22 she had to banish the thought. 00:20:22.25\00:20:24.29 I mean think about that. 00:20:24.32\00:20:25.65 If you're trying really hard not to eat something 00:20:25.69\00:20:29.42 that just looks really good, I always use chocolate cake, 00:20:29.46\00:20:32.43 because it just seems like it calls your name. 00:20:32.46\00:20:33.93 If you see that chocolate cake there 00:20:33.96\00:20:35.90 and you're wanting not to eat the chocolate cake. 00:20:35.93\00:20:38.73 If you go around all day thinking 00:20:38.77\00:20:40.27 I'm not gonna eat the chocolate cake. 00:20:40.30\00:20:41.74 I'm not gonna eat the chocolate cake. 00:20:41.77\00:20:43.37 What are you thinking about all day? 00:20:43.41\00:20:45.24 Not eating the chocolate cake, 00:20:45.27\00:20:46.61 but you're still thinking about the chocolate cake. 00:20:46.64\00:20:49.18 So what she's saying is, 00:20:49.21\00:20:51.61 I don't even want to think about it at all. 00:20:51.65\00:20:55.22 So take that as a tip. 00:20:55.25\00:20:57.35 You don't want to be so focused on not smoking cigarettes 00:20:57.39\00:21:02.32 that all you're doing is thinking about cigarettes. 00:21:02.36\00:21:04.86 Earlier in the program we talked 00:21:04.89\00:21:06.29 about thinking about just something totally different. 00:21:06.33\00:21:09.36 Remember the urge only lasts for a few a minutes. 00:21:09.40\00:21:13.17 And if you can just think about something different 00:21:13.20\00:21:15.24 for a few minutes, the urge can pass. 00:21:15.27\00:21:19.07 Now, we're gonna talk about the four Ds. 00:21:19.11\00:21:24.08 The four Ds are some coping mechanisms 00:21:24.11\00:21:27.55 that you can use to help deal with the withdrawal symptoms 00:21:27.58\00:21:32.29 at that moment. 00:21:32.32\00:21:34.79 The first one, do not act on the urge to smoke, 00:21:34.82\00:21:38.96 it will pass in a few minutes, do not give in. 00:21:38.99\00:21:42.56 This is incredible. Why? 00:21:42.60\00:21:44.50 Because sometimes we feel like the urge will last forever, 00:21:44.53\00:21:49.10 but it really won't. 00:21:49.14\00:21:51.04 This is scientific. 00:21:51.07\00:21:52.47 The urge will come 00:21:52.51\00:21:53.84 and if you can just think about something else, 00:21:53.88\00:21:55.68 do anything whatever it is, 00:21:55.71\00:21:57.91 you can just allow that urge to pass 00:21:57.95\00:22:01.42 and go on to continuing being a nonsmoker 00:22:01.45\00:22:05.05 until the next time the urge comes. 00:22:05.09\00:22:06.92 And the urges become more and more spread out 00:22:06.96\00:22:09.99 until they finally disappear. 00:22:10.03\00:22:12.96 The second D, deep breathing. 00:22:12.99\00:22:17.43 Take deep breath. 00:22:17.47\00:22:19.07 Breathe in slowly and deeply, then breathe out slowly. 00:22:19.10\00:22:24.31 Keep breathing until you relax 00:22:24.34\00:22:26.47 and forget about the urge to smoke. 00:22:26.51\00:22:28.08 Now this is really interesting, because when we sit in class, 00:22:28.11\00:22:32.25 I asked them to pretend like they're taking in a drag 00:22:32.28\00:22:35.72 as they would say, 00:22:35.75\00:22:37.09 taking in that first inhale from the cigarette, 00:22:37.12\00:22:40.12 and so I have them put a fake 00:22:40.16\00:22:41.82 or something whether it's a pen or pencil or straw, 00:22:41.86\00:22:44.66 and they pretend like they're taking an inhale and they go. 00:22:44.69\00:22:48.23 And you know what they do? 00:22:52.63\00:22:54.30 They're taking a deep breath, and I asked them, 00:22:54.34\00:22:57.47 at what other point throughout the day 00:22:57.51\00:22:59.04 do you take that deep of a breath. 00:22:59.07\00:23:01.51 They think to themselves, I really don't. 00:23:01.54\00:23:04.41 Lot of times we're sitting down in chairs, 00:23:04.45\00:23:06.51 we're sitting in cars 00:23:06.55\00:23:07.88 and we really are out of the habit 00:23:07.92\00:23:09.48 of taking deep breaths. 00:23:09.52\00:23:12.29 And a deep breath can actually be very soothing 00:23:12.32\00:23:14.99 for the nerves, can boost our endorphins, 00:23:15.02\00:23:17.56 it actually feels very good to take in a deep breath, 00:23:17.59\00:23:20.43 and sometimes just taking that cigarette 00:23:20.46\00:23:23.43 and taking that deep breath, 00:23:23.47\00:23:25.13 part of it is kind of relaxing, 00:23:25.17\00:23:27.30 but when we practice it in class, 00:23:27.34\00:23:29.47 we show people that part of the relaxation 00:23:29.50\00:23:32.14 can even come from just taking in the deep breathe 00:23:32.17\00:23:35.41 that we don't normally do except for when we're smoking. 00:23:35.44\00:23:38.18 Isn't that interesting? 00:23:38.21\00:23:39.55 So try just taking deep breaths, 00:23:39.58\00:23:41.88 nice and slowly and deep until the urge passes. 00:23:41.92\00:23:45.89 Okay, another D, drink water. 00:23:45.92\00:23:49.32 Drink the water slowly 00:23:49.36\00:23:51.49 and hold it in your mouth a little while. 00:23:51.53\00:23:55.16 If you don't like plain water, 00:23:55.20\00:23:56.67 try cutting up slices of lemon or orange 00:23:56.70\00:23:58.77 and just squeezing in there, you get the vitamin C 00:23:58.80\00:24:01.30 that helps deal with stress 00:24:01.34\00:24:03.84 and you'll also drink that water. 00:24:03.87\00:24:06.81 Water actually that it dilutes the chemicals in your body, 00:24:06.84\00:24:11.81 the nicotine and it actually brings down the urge to smoke, 00:24:11.85\00:24:17.19 so don't neglect that, drink lots of water. 00:24:17.22\00:24:23.39 Distract yourself. Take your mind off smoking. 00:24:23.43\00:24:26.66 I can't emphasize this enough. 00:24:26.70\00:24:29.10 Think about something else 00:24:29.13\00:24:30.50 just like Cathleen said or focus on what you're doing, 00:24:30.53\00:24:33.37 whatever you're doing just focus hard on that. 00:24:33.40\00:24:35.94 Get up, move around, 00:24:35.97\00:24:37.61 do anything that will take your mind off 00:24:37.64\00:24:40.24 the thoughts of smoking. 00:24:40.28\00:24:42.21 Again the urge only lasts 00:24:42.24\00:24:44.75 for a few a minutes at the most, 00:24:44.78\00:24:47.35 so if you can just get through those few minutes 00:24:47.38\00:24:50.15 know that you're one more step closer to becoming a nonsmoker. 00:24:50.19\00:24:56.99 Now, even with the four Ds, 00:24:57.03\00:25:01.00 you heard the responses 00:25:01.03\00:25:02.90 that they didn't necessarily use all of these four Ds. 00:25:02.93\00:25:06.10 There's so many ways of going about this. 00:25:06.13\00:25:09.04 But you hear time and time again that they talk about God, 00:25:09.07\00:25:13.51 you know, Cathleen and Brenda especially 00:25:13.54\00:25:15.24 they talked about God being the one 00:25:15.28\00:25:16.78 that helped them through this situation, 00:25:16.81\00:25:19.71 that gave them the strength 00:25:19.75\00:25:21.08 to go from being a smoker to a nonsmoker. 00:25:21.12\00:25:24.35 And a lot of times, you know, people will ask the question, 00:25:24.39\00:25:27.22 does Jesus really understand 00:25:27.26\00:25:29.06 what it's like to be addicted to have to deal with craving 00:25:29.09\00:25:33.80 that is so intense. 00:25:33.83\00:25:36.46 I think of Matthew 4, 00:25:36.50\00:25:39.40 and where He is drawn into the wilderness 00:25:39.43\00:25:43.84 and He fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. 00:25:43.87\00:25:46.57 Let me ask you. 00:25:46.61\00:25:47.94 Have you ever gone a whole day without food? 00:25:47.98\00:25:50.11 Have you ever gone one meal without food? 00:25:50.15\00:25:51.48 Can you imagine going 40 days without food? 00:25:51.51\00:25:56.85 Can you imagine the craving that He might have felt? 00:25:56.89\00:26:01.32 The craving for something that wasn't even bad, 00:26:01.36\00:26:04.13 it was actually something that everybody needs, 00:26:04.16\00:26:07.50 what we all need to survive, so He had an intense craving. 00:26:07.53\00:26:12.30 It says when He came out of His wilderness experience, 00:26:12.33\00:26:15.40 He was hungry, 00:26:15.44\00:26:17.14 so does Jesus understand 00:26:17.17\00:26:19.01 how you feel when you're craving for something? 00:26:19.04\00:26:22.38 Of course He does, He understands and He overcame. 00:26:22.41\00:26:26.21 I want to actually go to Matthew 4. 00:26:26.25\00:26:29.22 It says here that, when Satan came to Him, 00:26:29.25\00:26:34.52 He said, "If you're the Son of God, 00:26:34.56\00:26:38.49 then why don't you just make these stones turned to bread." 00:26:38.53\00:26:44.27 Jesus could have done that, He could have done that easily, 00:26:44.30\00:26:47.24 but Jesus made it a point to not do miracles 00:26:47.27\00:26:51.31 to benefit Himself but to benefit others. 00:26:51.34\00:26:53.78 And He didn't want to do 00:26:53.81\00:26:55.14 anything outside the will of His Father. 00:26:55.18\00:26:56.51 What did Jesus say in response? 00:26:56.54\00:26:58.28 He said, "It is written, 00:26:58.31\00:26:59.91 man shall not live by bread alone, 00:26:59.95\00:27:02.15 but by every word that precedes out of the mouth of God." 00:27:02.18\00:27:05.82 It was Jesus' purpose. 00:27:05.85\00:27:08.02 Now listen to this. 00:27:08.06\00:27:09.86 Not to satisfy that craving outside of the will of God. 00:27:09.89\00:27:16.26 Now I want to be delicate about this. 00:27:16.30\00:27:19.00 If we are smoker, 00:27:19.03\00:27:20.84 we're trying to satisfy a craving 00:27:20.87\00:27:24.27 outside of the will of God, 00:27:24.31\00:27:27.54 and there is encouragement there, 00:27:27.58\00:27:30.55 because Jesus understands 00:27:30.58\00:27:32.58 what it feels like to crave to be hungry 00:27:32.61\00:27:35.05 after 40 days of not having anything. 00:27:35.08\00:27:40.82 But He still decided 00:27:40.86\00:27:42.86 not to satisfy that craving outside of the will of God. 00:27:42.89\00:27:47.00 And God gave Him the strength to do that. 00:27:47.03\00:27:50.97 You too can start to explore 00:27:51.00\00:27:53.27 how you can satisfy that craving 00:27:53.30\00:27:55.74 inside the will of God. 00:27:55.77\00:27:57.21