Quit Smoking?

Getting professional help for quitting

Does counselling work?

Yes. Getting advice, counselling, and support from a doctor, nurse, or trained counsellor can help you quit smoking. Pregnant women who smoke and smokers who are admitted to the hospital are especially likely to benefit from advice and counselling.

What is counselling?

Your doctor, nurse, or counsellor may suggest that you quit smoking, explain why, and give you a few tips on how to do it. Or you may take part in group sessions that are part of a stop-smoking programme. There are many different types of counselling. Here are some examples of what counselling can mean:

• Your doctor tells you about the benefits of quitting and gives you some leaflets with useful advice and helpline phone numbers in them
• A weekly session with someone who has been specially trained to help people quit smoking (this could be a nurse, psychologist, or counsellor)
• Group therapy with a counsellor, where you and other people in the programme may talk through the problems of quitting and share tips on how to cope when you’re tempted to smoke. Sometimes these programmes include breath tests to make sure nobody is cheating. The tests measure the amount of carbon monoxide you breathe out.

You may want to get counselling in addition to another type of treatment. For example, if you’re using nicotine replacement therapy, you may also want to take part in group therapy. Ask your doctor about what’s available in your area.

How can it help?

Getting advice and support from healthcare professionals seems to help people quit smoking. And the more support you get, the more it helps. For example, if you’re in a group of people who all want to quit, and you all meet regularly with a nurse to talk about quitting, you may be more likely to be successful than if you just get a leaflet about quitting from your doctor.

Without any advice, about 4 people in 100 quit smoking for at least a year. With advice from a doctor, nurse, or counsellor, about 6 in 100 manage to quit for at least a year.

It may not sound from these figures that counselling improves your chances of quitting a great deal. But the research shows that counselling helps many thousands of people to stop smoking every year.

Why should it help?

Getting practical advice from a health professional about how to quit can boost your willpower. The same goes for staying stopped once you have quit: it helps to get support. Getting advice on stopping from a doctor or counsellor who knows your medical background may make it count more because they can tell you how smoking is harming you.

Can it be harmful?

The trials we looked at provided no evidence that advising or counselling people to help them quit smoking is harmful.

Some patients don’t like being told by their doctor that they ought to quit smoking. A few patients might be so annoyed that they won’t go back to a doctor who keeps advising them to quit. But a study of almost 3000 patients in Minnesota found that they were generally glad that their doctor advised them to quit smoking. This was true if patients wanted to quit or not.

Zosia Kmietowicz in BMJ VOLUME 327 13 DECEMBER 2003 bmj.com

• See also;
• 10 Steps to Happiness
• Choc Chip Cookies
• HALT being Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired
• Science of Addiction
• Is Sex Better than Masturbation?

There is evidence that alcohol abuse accelerates the progression of liver fibrosis and affects the survival of patients with chronic hepatitis C. The mechanism by which alcohol worsens hepatitis C virus-related liver disease has not been fully clarified, but enhanced viral replication, increased oxidative stress, toxicity and impairment of immune response could play a relevant role.

Alcohol abuse also seems to reduce sensitivity to interferon and interferes with adherence to treatment.

It sounds reasonable to presume that the mechanisms enhancing liver damage in patients affected by hepatitis B are similar to those involved in hepatitis C virus infection.

In conclusion alcohol abuse is associated with an accelerated progression of liver injury, leading to an earlier development of cirrhosis, higher incidence of cancer of the liver, and higher death rates.

Abstinence from alcohol could reverse some of these deleterious effects.

Research report; Gitto S, Micco L, Conti F, Andreone P, Bernardi M. Alcohol and viral hepatitis: a mini-review. Dig Liver Dis. 2009 Jan;41(1):67-70.

See also;

• Hepatitis B
• If you have healthcare training this manual may help.

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
   2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
   3. Follow the three Rs:
         1. Respect for self
         2. Respect for others
         3. Responsibility for all your actions.
   4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
   5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
   6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
   7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
   8. Spend some time alone every day.
   9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
  10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
  11. Live a good, honourable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.
  12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
  13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.
  14. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.
  15. Be gentle with the earth.
  16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
  17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
  18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

Image via Wikipedia

Alcoholic Insanity

An untrue belief held by some alcoholics that they can control their drinking or that somehow, someday they will be able to drink normally – a form of denial.

The main text of Alcoholics Anonymous says;

“Suddenly the thought crossed my mind that if I were to put an ounce of whiskey in my milk it couldn’t hurt me on a full stomach. I ordered a whiskey and poured it into the milk. I vaguely sensed I was not being any too smart, but felt reassured as I was taking the whiskey on a full stomach. The experiment went so well that I ordered another whiskey and poured it into more milk. That didn’t seem to bother me so I tried another.”

Thus started one more journey to the asylum for Jim. Here was the threat of commitment, the loss of family and position, to say nothing of that intense mental and physical suffering which drinking always caused him. He had much knowledge about himself as an alcoholic. Yet all reasons for not drinking were easily pushed aside in favour of the foolish idea that he could take whiskey if only he mixed it with milk!

Whatever the precise definition of the word may be, we call this plain insanity. How can such a lack of proportion, of the ability to think straight, be called anything else? (pp 36-7)

See also;

• How to Prove You Are Not an Alcoholic
• Slips, Busts and Relapses

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The Inner Life of a Dry Drunk

A hazard to the sober alcoholic.

When an alcoholic stops drinking, it’s cause for rejoicing.

Unfortunately, sobriety is not guaranteed to last. It takes hard work and commitment and a keen eye for dangers.

One danger to the non-drinking alcoholic is the dry drunk, a set of habits and attitudes that take the joy out of life for the alcoholic and those around him or her. Those habits often precede a relapse into drinking, even if the alcoholic has been sober for years.

A dry drunk can be successfully treated. Here are some signs that will help you recognize the condition, and some suggestions on how to cope with it.

Warning Signs

Warning signs of a dry drunk can include acting self-important, making harsh judgments of others, impatience, dishonesty, impulsive behavior and mood swings.

During their drinking years, alcoholics develop many abnormal attitudes and behaviors, which come with them into sobriety, and are characteristic of the dry drunk. Often, family members don’t recognize the symptoms of a dry drunk as anything unusual, since they have become so used to the abnormal behavior of the alcoholic.

Some typical signs of a dry drunk are:

• acting self-important, either by “having all the answers,” or playing “poor me.”
• making harsh judgments of oneself and others.
• being impatient or pursuing whims.
• blaming others for shortcomings one suspects in oneself.
• being dishonest, usually beginning with little things.
• impulsive behavior which ignores what’s best for oneself and others.
• inability to make decisions.
• mood swings, trouble with expressing emotions, feeling unsatisfied.
• detachment, self-absorption, boredom, distraction or disorganization.
• nostalgia for the drinking life.
• fantasizing, daydreaming and wishful thinking or euphoria.
• less participation in a 12-step program or dropping out altogether.

Cure

Talk to your sponsor, go to meetings, meditation, trust your Higher Power and don’t drink.

Being clean and sober, or nearly sober increases sexual appeal, drive and ability.

Having a few drinks of alcohol with a partner or potential partner is usually a wonderful experience. It lowers inhibitions, raises expectations and intensifies touch and feel enjoyment. Alcohol often enhances feelings of connectedness with others. It can also improve sexual attractiveness, desire, ability and response.

But people who drink heavily and alcoholics often have bad or ordinary experiences. Not to start with, but more and more so as drinking increases. Over time, and in binges, excessive alcohol causes damage to the body and some sexual functions change.

In men the testicles shrink, sperm count drops and breasts get bigger. The production of male sex hormones, testosterone, is changed. Erection and arousal is often affected, soft or short lived. Ejaculation may be too soon, delayed or lack force.

In women menstrual cycles often change or cease and oestrogen (female sex hormone) production is altered.

Erogenous zones may become numb.

In both sexes the nerves of the skin become less sensitive to touch and lick. The nerves of the muscles may get damaged causing less flexibility, less position choices.

Damage to the liver (sclerosis of the liver) stops some chemicals being sent to the brain which affects thinking and emotions.

Hangovers destroy morning afters

Excessive alcohol alters vital sugar levels; and causes dehydration; which are major causes of hangovers.

The morning after, morning glory, may not be as appealing with a hangover. Muscle aches, headaches, tummy upsets, short tempered, gluey mouth and red, sore eyes do not bring about wonderful sexual mornings.

Sore-skin

Dehydration also dries out the skin so it becomes less sensitive to nice feelings and is less elastic during sex. Penis or virginal skin may become sore with lack of lubrication.

“Will you lust for me in the morning?” Probably not if the sex was poor and there is hangover(s).

Sober or nearly sober and not drunk is sexier!

With help, you can recover sexual attractiveness and virility.

Adult Children of Alcoholism / Addiction in the Workplace

ACOA’s often transfer behaviour learned in childhood into other adult spheres of life. In true co-dependency style these often confuse and confound us.

Some of these are;

1. We confuse our boss or supervisor with our alcoholic parents and have similar relationship patterns, behaviors, and reactions that are carryovers from childhood.
2. We confuse our co-workers with our siblings or our alcoholic parents and repeat childhood reactions in those working relationships.
3. We expect lavish praise and acknowledgment from our boss for our efforts on the job.
4. Authority figures scare us and we feel afraid when we need to talk to them.
5. We get a negative gut reaction when dealing with someone who has the physical characteristics or mannerisms of our alcoholic parent.
6. We have felt isolated and different from everyone around us, but we don’t really know why.
7. We lose our temper when things upset us rather than dealing with problems productively.
8. We busy ourselves with our co-workers’ jobs, often telling them how to do their work.
9. We can get hurt feelings when co-workers do things socially together without asking us, even though we have not made an effort to get to know them and join in the social life.
10. We are afraid to make the first move to get to know a co-worker better, thinking they will not like us or approve of us.
11. We usually do not know how to ask for what we want or need on the job, even for little things.
12. We do not know how to speak up for ourselves when someone has said or done something inappropriate. We try desperately to avoid face-to-face confrontations.
13. We are sensitive and can get extremely upset with any form of criticism of our work.
14. We want to be in charge of every project or activity, feeling more comfortable when we are in control of every detail, rather than letting others be responsible.
15. We may be the workplace “clown” to cover up our insecurities or to get attention from others.
16. We are people-pleasers and may take on extra work, or our co-worker’s tasks, in order to be liked and receive approval from others.
17. We do not know how to be assertive in getting our needs met or expressing a concern. We may have to repeatedly rehearse our comments before delivering them.
18. We have felt that we do not deserve a raise, promotion, better workspace, or a better job.
19. We do not know how to set boundaries, and we let others interrupt us. We can accept more work without knowing how to say ‘no’ appropriately.
20. We are perfectionists about our own work and expect others to be the same and have the same work ethics and values.
21. We become workaholics because it gives us a feeling of self-worth we did not get as a child.
22. We may jump from job to job, looking for the perfect position as the substitute for the secure and nurturing home environment we did not have.
23. We get upset when people do things that affect us or our work without asking us first.
24. We have a high tolerance for workplace dysfunction and tend to stick it out in an unhappy job because we lack the self-esteem to leave.

After the ACOA laundry list of characterisation.

See also;

• Adult Children of Alcoholics
• Al-Anon May be able to help
• Alcoholic Family Roles
• Workaholism

K

Why complicate communication?

Communication can be so difficult for people in recovery from alcoholism, addiction and co-dependency. Emotions and learnt behaviour can restrict healthy communication in relationships and lead to denial.

These simple rules may help.

1. Missing somebody? …………………….Call them.
2. Want to meet up? ………………………..Invite them.
3. Want to be understood? ………………..Explain it.
4. Have questions? ………………………..Ask it.
5. Don’t like something? ………………….Say it.
6. Like something? ………………………..Say it.
7. Want something? ………………………Ask for it.
8. Love someone? ………………………..Tell it.

No one will know what’s going on in your mind …

It’s better to say it, rather than to wait for it …

Take the risk of becoming aware …

We just have one life, so …

K.I.S.S. It!

A study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that recipes with added alcohol retained from 4% to 85% of the alcohol. The recipes ranged from chilled foods such as brandy Alexander pie to foods with a long simmering time such as pot roast.

The amount of alcohol that burns off depends on the cooking method used and how long the alcohol is cooked.

In the study, a flamed dish retained 75% of the alcohol, while a recipe simmered for 2 ½ hours retained 5% of the alcohol.

Always inform your guests when you’re cooking with alcohol.

Adapted from; HEART SMART of the Henry Ford Hospital Heart and Vascular Institute.

See also;

• Cooking up Recovery
• Maturity of Mind Through a Spiritual Awakening
• Mindfulness for Recovery

• Lord, help me to relax about insignificant details

         beginning tomorrow at 7:41:23 AM PST. 

• Lord, help me to consider people’s feelings, 

        (even if most of them ARE hypersensitive.) 

• Lord, help me to take responsibility for my own actions, 

               even though they’re usually NOT my fault. 

• Lord, help me to not try to RUN everything. 

               But, if You need some help, please feel

               free to ASK me! 

• Lord, help me to be more laid back, 

               and help me to do it EXACTLY right. 

• Lord, help me to take things more seriously, 

               especially laughter, parties, and dancing. 

• Lord, give me patience, 

               and I mean right NOW! 

• Lord, help me not be a perfectionist. 

               (Did I spell that correctly?) 

• Lord, help me to finish everything I sta 

• Lord, help me to keep my mind on 

               one Th — Look, a bird — ing at a time. 

• Lord, help me to do only what I can, and trust you for the rest. 

               And would you mind putting that in writing? 

• Lord, keep me open to others’ ideas, 

               WRONG though they may be. 

• Lord help me be less independent, 

               but let me do it my way. 

• Lord help me follow established procedures today. 

               On second thought, I’ll settle for a few minutes. 

• Lord, help me slow down 

               andnotrushthroughwhatIdo.

See also;

• God Grant Me The Laughter – A Recovery Book

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