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Chapter 14: Breaking Bad Habits

Reasons to Stop Smoking

It is now common knowledge that smoking is a genuine health disaster that can lead to lung problems, heart problems, bowel and bladder problems, and, of course, all sorts of cancer. As if these health problems weren't reason enough to stop, consider the following reasons to cease and desist:

It smells bad. Sometimes you have to get away from tobacco before you realize that your clothes stink of it, your house and car stink of it, and your breath is hardly inviting.
It's socially stigmatizing. Why has smoking been banned from restaurants and public places in so many states and countries? Because nonsmokers really don't want to be around the stuff. Not only does it smell bad, but second-hand smoke is also harmful.
It detracts from your stamina and your appearance. Even if you don't develop a major illness from smoking-although research indicates that in time you will-it can still cause breathing problems and fatigue. Heavy smoking will stain your teeth and fingers-not an attractive look-and can cause premature wrinkling of the skin. Look at beef jerky-it's been "smoked" too.
It's expensive. Is it ever-about $1,000 a year to support a pack-a-day habit. That may be more than all your school books, your gas money, and your food expenses put together. Is it worth the expense for something that's so bad for you?

Smoking is a notoriously difficult habit to break. Canada's cigarette pack warning, put into place in 2000, says, "Cigarettes are highly addictive. Studies have shown that tobacco can be harder to quit than heroin or cocaine." Smokers develop a psychological dependence on nicotine that has a real physiological basis.

Even though smoking is such a hard habit to break, people are still succeeding. Today, only 23 percent of all adults over the age of 18 smoke. That figure is down considerably from 42 percent in 1965. Heartening statistics regarding the health benefits of smoke cessation also provide good motivation for kicking the habit. Consider the following:

Risk of heart disease is reduced by almost half just 1 year after smoke cessation. Following 15 years of abstinence, ex-smokers suffer the same degree of risk for heart disease as people who have never smoked.
In 5 to 15 years, the risk of stroke for ex-smokers becomes the same as that for nonsmokers.
Male smokers who quit between the ages of 35 and 39 will add an average of 5 years to their life expectancy. Females in this age group who quit add 3 years.

Tips for Stopping Smoking

Quitting smoking is a challenging affair that is different for each person, but these Top 10 Tips should prove useful:

Keep a log of your smoking habits. It's important to understand the triggers that set off your habit. If, for instance, sitting in a bar sets you off, then you may have to give up that particular activity-at least for a while.
Seek the advice of medical professionals. When you're ready to quit, consult your doctor or a physician's assistant. They will know more about the subject than you do, and may have some valuable ideas about how to make the process easier.
Be clear on why you want to stop. Make a list of all the reasons why you're ready to kick this habit. Just the expense alone might be enough of an incentive to get you to stop.
Set a stop date. Never underestimate how hard it is to quit smoking. Some people do it cold turkey-on a moment's notice-and it works for them. Most people, however, do better with some planning. Post your stop date in a place where you'll see it often-a refrigerator memo board is ideal-and carefully prepare yourself for what lies ahead.
Find support wherever you can. Let your family and friends know what you're doing. Ask them to reinforce your good behaviors and not tempt you with bad behaviors.
Experiment with substitutes. Some people find it useful to have carrots handy or hard candies, or a pencil, a straw, or sunflower seeds; some don't. You won't know until you try.
Fight the cravings. Cravings, on average, generally last 3 to 5 minutes. Knowing this can help you get through them.
Drink water. Lots of it! It will help flush the nicotine from your system, not to mention giving you something to do instead of smoking.
Exercise helps. Exercise is another useful way to keep your mind off smoking. As you watch your stamina and breath begin to improve, you'll be even more motivated to stay with the program.
Join a Quit Smoking program. Why go it alone? Studies show that people who join together with others that are trying to stop are generally more successful. The American Lung Association offers their excellent Freedom from Smoking™ programs all over the country. The Internet site http://www.quitnet.com/ is another great resource for finding support programs. Consult the Web Links in this section for more information.

It's important to remember that most people who quit smoking have to try at least more than once. Don't look at these episodes as failures. Cast them in a more positive light as "practice" and keep on trying. More than 45.7 million Americans have kicked the habit-so can you.

Under the Influence

The issue of drinking in our culture is simply monumental. Here are a few quick and sobering statistics:

More than 100,000 deaths are caused by excessive alcohol consumption each year in the U.S. alone.
More than 18 percent of Americans experience alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence at some point in their lives.
Underage drinking costs the United States more than $58 billion each year-enough to buy every public school student a state-of-the-art computer.
Alcohol kills six-and-a-half times more youth than all other illicit drugs combined.

Reflections on Drinking
When you think about drinking, what kinds of images come to mind? Do you see drinking as a glamorous activity? A kind of ongoing party? Does your family have a painful history with drinking? Take a few moments to "distill," as it were, your fundamental feelings about drinking-what confuses you, interests you, excites you, repels you. This will serve as a baseline to return to as you learn more about the subject.

Finding Alternatives to Partying

It is fun to go out, but it can get so common that students begin asking, "What else is there to do in this town?" Maybe parties aren't even your scene. It doesn't matter which town or city you attend college in, there are always other things to do.

Take up a sport and vow to become an expert at it.
Learn to play an instrument.
Get better at drawing, painting, or writing.
Spend time getting to know other people.
Get involved with organizations.
Join clubs based on your other non-partying interests.

There are endless activities that you can do solo or with others. If there are things you've thought about doing but never tried, now is the time to give them a shot. Many students will move onto full-time jobs after college and the time for pursuing these hobbies and interests will be considerably less. Make the most of this period in time in your life.

Saying "No" To Smitty

At some point in college, you will most definitely meet the person we call Smitty. Smitty is loud, he is funny, and he is the biggest party animal this side of the Mississippi.

Smitty is the person who pops into your dorm to get you to go out on Monday night, and Tuesday night, and…well, you get the picture. Smitty is the guy who barely gets by in any class and doesn't seem to care. Even worse, he doesn't understand why you don't feel the same way.

Needless to say, every campus has a Smitty, and everyone likes him, which makes it harder to say "No." Consider the following typical Smitty scenario.

Setting: It's Wednesday night. Smitty approaches Jack (who is studying for his Business Management test) and lays into him.

Smitty: "So, you going out with us tonight? We're all going to Building 14 for that huge kegger. Tommy says you can't hang, but I was hoping you'd prove him wrong by comin' out. So whaddaya say?!"

Jack (smiling): "That's what I like about you, Smitty. You believe in me. Now believe that I'm gonna ace this Management test. And while you're out, have a drink for me.

Smitty: "You're not coming out!? Come on, man, just for a little while…."

Jack: "I'm going out on Friday with some people. We'll all hang out then. (Another smile.) You guys have fun tonight, and I'll be here in case you and Tommy need a ride."

(Smitty says that they have a ride but thanks Jack anyway and says they will definitely see each other on Friday.)

If you act like it's no big deal and you have things to do, no one will be too hard on you. Even if they are, forget it! Jack was strong in his stance and lighthearted at the same time. This is exactly what you want: to get your point across, but not to come across as a stuck-up jerk. Be confident, stand up, and say, "No" if you don't want to go.

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