Online Quit Smoking Support Groups
69How Online Quit Smoking Support Groups Can Help
If you’re having trouble quitting smoking, then perhaps you need to check out what online quit smoking support groups there are, and how a good group might help.
There are a number of places you can find support on the Internet.
Google is a great place to start. Just type google.com into your browser and when you get to their main page look up at the top left corner. There you’ll see several links. You’ll notice at the end of the links is the word “More”. Click on that word. A drop down menu will appear. Click on “Groups” and you’ll be taken to the Google groups home page. There you can enter information into the search box about what type of group you’re looking for.
About.com has a great resource for people looking for groups. Go to About.com and type in “quit smoking support groups” into the search box. You’ll come up with an abundance of great forums and groups.
Don’t feel bad if you’re having trouble quitting. According to the CDC the average smoker who actually quits has tried over five times before they’ve had success.
There are over 25 million smokers in the United States alone, and it’s estimated that four out of five want to quit right now. So, the desire to quit is not what is keeping you hooked.
Your problem is you’re addicted to nicotine. For some, nicotine can be as addictive as heroin or cocaine. When nicotine enters your body, it goes to your brain and actually affects your brain chemistry. It’s a powerful drug, and getting out from its grip is not easy.
For many, quitting is lonely. Either you're surrounded with smokers who don't want you to quit, or you're surrounded with non-smokers who think quitting is much easier than it really is. That's why it's so important to find a good group or forum to interact with. Other smokers who are trying to quit understand what you're going through. They can help talk you through the rough spots and give you encouragement when you need it.
I made this site and others as a resource for people like you.
You see, I’m passionate about helping others quit smoking. My mother and father both smoked when I was a kid. My father quit, but my mother didn’t. Dad lived to be an old man. He saw me grow up and become successful. He saw his grandchildren.
My mother, on the other hand, did not quit. She died of cancer when I was twenty-two!
My father had a hard time quitting. He tried several times, then out of desperation, he invented a remarkable system that allowed him to quit without those dreaded withdrawal symptoms.
I’ve written a book detailing my Dad’s system. Click here to read more about it.
Whatever you do, please quit! You owe it to yourself and your loved ones.
Let me know what you think about my site. If you have any ideas of how I can improve it, leave a comment. Also, I would love to know about your own struggles with smoking.
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Quitting Smoking Headlines
- Nicotine Vaccine Set to Enter Phase III Trial
Imagine being able to get a vaccine that would immunize you against nicotine addiction. After receiving a series of shots that encourage your body to build antibodies to nicotine, the vaccine would render the drug non-addictive. Imagine that. While it may seem far fetched, such a vaccine is under current development by researchers at NABI Biopharmaceuticals. The goal of the nicotine vaccine, called NicVAX® (Nicotine Conjugate Vaccine) is twofold: to help people quit using tobacco and to eliminate the threat of a relapse by helping the body produce antibodies to nicotine. Thanks to a $10-million grant just awarded them by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes on Health, NABI is now preparing to send NicVAX into its first phase III trial, an important step toward the final approval it needs from the Food and Drug Administration. How The Nicotine Vaccine Works Nicotine molecules are tiny and move easily through the blood-brain barrier, where they bind with nicotine receptors that activate the same reward pathways in the brain that other drugs of abuse such as cocaine or amphetamines do, although to a lesser degree. Research has shown that nicotine increases the level of dopamine in the brain, a neurotransmitter that is responsible for feelings of pleasure and well-being...and dependence. When NicVAX enters the bloodstream via a shot in the arm, it helps the body's immune system generate antibodies to nicotine. Once this happens, these antibodies "capture" nicotine molecules by binding with them. And because the antibodies are too large to breach the blood/brain barrier, nicotine is unable to travel on to the brain where it can cause addiction. "Nicotine addiction causes nearly a half million deaths annually in the United States alone. Finding effective treatments that can help people stay off cigarettes has been a real challenge," said NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins. "This Phase III trial of a nicotine vaccine offers tremendous hope towards solving this immense public health problem." Federal Stimulus Grant Supports Crucial Study of Anti-Nicotine Vaccine -- NIH News The nicotine vaccine, once approved, will be a valuable addition to the variety of quit aids available today. With a human life being lost to tobacco-related disease every 8 seconds somewhere on the planet, smokers need as many choices as possible to help them beat nicotine addiction before it beats them. Quit Help: Your Quit Smoking Toolbox Smoking Cessation Support Forum Photo © Stockxpert Nicotine Vaccine Set to Enter Phase III Trial originally appeared on About.com Smoking Cessation on Friday, November 13th, 2009 at 21:28:35.Permalink | Comment | Email this - 3 days ago
- November is National Lung Cancer Awareness Month
According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in American men and women today. It's also the most preventable form of cancer, with upwards of 87 percent of lung cancer cases attributable to tobacco use. It's estimated that 219,440 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. before years end, and 159,390 precious lives will be lost. If you're still smoking, I urge you to make the commitment to quit now. There is no time like the present to begin work on the changes you dream of making to improve your life. Related: All About Lung Cancer Gaylene's Lung Cancer Journal Diagnosed with Small Cell Lung Cancer - Cheryl's Story Image courtesy of A.D.A.M. November is National Lung Cancer Awareness Month originally appeared on About.com Smoking Cessation on Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 06:15:15.Permalink | Comment | Email this - 4 days ago
- Quit Smoking Monday Messages
Reader Stories Have you quit smoking successfully - perhaps after a smoking relapse or two? Have tips to share about nicotine withdrawal? There is no better medicine than hearing from those who have been there and done that, especially when it comes to quitting tobacco. Here at About.com Smoking Cessation we have a new feature that allows all of you, dear readers, to share your stories and tips. Follow the links below to read what others have had to say and add your voice to the mix if you're willing. Reader Stories: Why I Quit Smoking How I Lived Through Nicotine Withdrawal My Relapse Story ************** Take The Quit Smoking Monday Pledge Healthy Monday encourages us to think of 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, November 9th, 2009 at 07:55:32.Permalink | Comment | Email this - 7 days ago
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