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Summary of Question:	Smoking
Category:	Health
Date Posted:	Thursday, 6/13/2002 10:15 PM MDT

HI,

I cant stop smoking. im only 17. i cannot quit. ive been so stressed out lately by my parents and school that i dont know what the hell im doing anymore. it calms ME down. Please no god stuff because i dont want to start a relationship with him and blah blah blah---
HELP

-Zeema

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Sat Siri Akal.

OK. No god stuff. Just good stuff.

Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances on the planet. It is more addictive than heroin. So it's no surprise that you're having trouble quitting. There is no sure-fire way to stop. But I can give you some tips to try.

First-you need to find other ways to deal with the stress in your life besides lighting up. Maybe's it's exercise, or taking up a hobby, playing music-whatever it is, you need a stress-management program. Talk to your school counselor about ways to help deal with stress.

Once you have other ways to handle stress beside smoking, then it's time to quit. The biggest problem is the withdrawal symptoms from nicotine. Right now, there are carcinogens and poisons being built up in the tissue of your body because your lungs and liver can't process the toxins as fast as you are inhaling them. When you quit smoking, your body will begin to detox which may intially make you feel worse. This is normal and natural. What's happening is that the body is releasing the stored poisons and carcinogens in the body.

Things that will support your body during this detox process: healthy foods, especially vegetable juices and alkaline grains like millet, amaranth and quinoa.

Then-you need a strategy to deal with the intense cravings that accompany withdrawal. One potential way to deal with this is carrying those small boxes of raisins with you. Whenever a craving hits, eat a bunch of raisins. Cravings usullay pass within 4-7 minutes. So as long as you can make it through those minutes without having a cigarette you'll be fine. Doing some breathing techniques, like inhaling through the mouth and exhaling through the nose-that can help the cravings, as well.

We start using addicitve substances because there's something we're avoiding facing in our lives. If you want to quit smoking for good, at some point, you will also need to do some work on yourself. Counseling, journaling, meditating, - whatever- something that allows you to listen to the deepest parts of yourself and hear what they're saying to you.

Good luck to you. Quitting smoking is a challenge, but many people have done it and succedded. I wish you all the best.

All love,

GPK