Smoking: A Way Out

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Women try an average of seven times to quit smoking before they are successful. But each time you cut down or quit smoking, you are learning something new. Each time you try, it gets easier and you will be prepared next time. Try to be gentle with yourself. Quitting takes time.

What can you do to get started? Women with disabilities told us, "The most important things to help us quit are to find self-worth and to value ourselves enough to stop." They also said it is important to deal with day-to-day stress and feelings of anger.

The use of tobacco affects certain medicines and types of disabilities (e.g. diabetes). It is very important to talk to all your health care providers before you cut back or stop smoking. Although not for everyone, if you are strongly addicted, you may want to consider using the nicotine patch or nicotine gum. Your doctor can help you with this.

Talk to your family and friends about smoking. Ask them, "Have you ever tried to quit? What helped you?" You may want to tell them you might be thinking of quitting or cutting back on your tobacco use, and ask them to support you.

Think what tobacco does for you and what you might get out of quitting. Take a moment to think why you lit that last smoke. Could you wait for the next one? If you have tried to quit before, try to figure out what it was that made you start again. How could you handle the situation differently next time?

You may find help at your local women’s or disability centre. Talking to an elder or Medicine person may be helpful. It may be helpful to join a support group or healing circle.

Yes, it is hard to quit smoking! But with planning and effort, you can do it!

-- DISABLED WOMEN’S NETWORK (DAWN) CANADA

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA

(From A Way Out: Women with Disabilities and Smoking. Complete publication available on DAWN Canada’s website, http://www.indie.ca/dawn/index.html. For information on how to get a copy in a print, Braille, disk, cassette or French format,

contact DAWN Canada, 3637 Cambie St., Ste. 408, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 2X3; tel./fax: (604) 873-1564.)

Send your tips, tricks or coping methods (300 words) to: FYI, Canadian Abilities Foundation, 489 College St., Ste. 501, Toronto, ON, M6G 1A5.

ABILITIES does not research, endorse or guarantee any information supplied in this space. All ideas expressed here are the views of

the writers.

source : http://www.enablelink.org

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