A reader asks:

I quit smoking 7 months ago. I do feel better, and I don't struggle all of the time now, but I still have days where I find myself missing my cigarettes and wishing I could have just one now and then. Sometimes the urge to smoke is intense, and it depresses me. I wonder if I'll ever be free of this habit! Will I miss smoking forever?

Recovery from nicotine addiction is a process of gradual release over time.

Every smoke free day you complete is teaching you how to live your life without cigarettes. Bit by bit, you're reprogramming your responses to the daily events that trigger the urge to smoke. The more practice you get, the less urges will plague you.

Will I Miss Smoking Forever?

Reader Feedback:

• On Missing Smoking...

• Improvements Since Quitting

• Tips for Nicotine Withdrawal

Doomed to Miss Smoking Forever? originally appeared on About.com Smoking Cessation on Tuesday, August 31st, 2010 at 11:38:08.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Read complete

Quit Stories to Inspire You

There is nothing better for a person's motivation to quit smoking than hearing from those who have done just that and are looking back with a year or more of smoke-freedom under their belts.

Settle in with a cup of tea and put your feet up. The stories I've selected for you to read this week are filled with hope, practical tips and inspiration to sustain you on your own journey to leave nicotine addiction behind.

Pancake's Story
"Nicotine addiction controlled every aspect of my day, steadily degrading my health and stealing my life away one hour at a time...all to feed the demon's insatiable appetite for a FIX."

Pacerina's Story
"I quit smoking 10 months ago, on October 12th 2009. Only recently have I installed a quit meter on my computer, and I was amazed to see that these past 10 months smoke-free have signified over 3,000 cigarettes not smoked, over $400 USD saved, not to mention over one week of life saved."

Q.V.'s Story
" This week I am celebrating 14 months smoke-free. While getting to this milestone was not a walk in the park, I can say one thing -- quitting has made me stronger and my self-esteem is through the roof."

Do you have a story or tips to help others quit smoking?  Share your thoughts via the links below:

• Why I Quit Smoking

• Nicotine Withdrawal Tips

• My Smoke-Free Milestone

************

Take The Quit Smoking Monday Pledge

Healthy Monday encourages us to think of every Monday as a day that we can begin work anew on goals that we have for ourselves. If you're still smoking, put your cigarettes down and get started on your quit program today.

• Quit Smoking Monday Messages Archive

We all have the ability to quit smoking successfully, and we all deserve a life that is free of addiction. Honor your life by choosing Monday as the day to start and reinforce your quit program.

You can quit smoking ... and we're here to help you, one simple Monday at a time.

_{Image © healthymonday.org}

Quit Smoking Monday Messages originally appeared on About.com Smoking Cessation on Monday, August 30th, 2010 at 06:49:29.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Read complete

If you are on Medicare and still smoking, this news is for you.

As part of the Affordable Care Act,  Medicare will begin to pay for a variety of preventive care services on January 1, 2011,  such as colerectal cancer screening, mammograms and now, tobacco cessation counseling.

Under the new provisions, smokers on Medicare will be able to take advantage of 4 evidence-based counseling sessions per quit attempt, and will be covered for two quit attempts per year, (8 counseling sessions total) if necessary.  There are two levels of counseling available for ex-smokers:

• Intermediate Counseling
  Face-to-face contact with a counselor for three to 10 minutes per session.

• Intensive Counseling
  Face-to-face contact between patient and counselor for more than 10 minutes per session.

The type of counseling received will be decided between patient and doctor.

In the past, Medicare covered cessation counseling only after a person had been diagnosed with a smoking-related disease.

HHS Announces Medicare Expands Coverage of Tobacco Cessation Counseling -- U.S. Department of Health and Human Service Press Release

From the press release:

Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable illness and death in the United States and is a major contributor to the nation's increasing medical costs. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that tobacco use causes about one of five deaths in the United States each year and that, on average, adults who use tobacco die 14 years earlier than non-users. It is estimated that between 1995 and 2015, tobacco-related diseases will cost Medicare about $800 billion.

Quit Smoking Resources:

• Quit Smoking 101
  Free email course to help you quit.

• Quit Aids: Know Your Choices
  An overview of the quit aids on the market today.

• Smoking Cessation Support Forum
  About.com Smoking Cessation's online nicotine addiction recovery community.

_{Image © Stockxpert}

Medicare Adds Tobacco Cessation Counseling Coverage originally appeared on About.com Smoking Cessation on Sunday, August 29th, 2010 at 10:33:53.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Read complete