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Fizza Mahmood
02 Jan 2025
The New Year is a great time to make positive changes, and quitting smoking is one of the best New Year's resolutions for your health. Smoking harms nearly every organ in the body and increases the risk of serious illness. It is never too late to quit and begin the journey to become smoke-free.
Smoking is the act of inhaling tobacco smoke, which contains nicotine, a highly addictive chemical. It is the leading preventable cause of death in Australia. Harming not only the smoker but also those who inhale secondhand smoke.
Quitting smoking offers immediate and long-term health benefits (link article). Within 20 minutes, your body begins to heal as blood pressure drops and heart rate normalises, reducing strain on the cardiovascular system. Over time, lung function improves and the immune system regains strength, reducing your risk of infections and chronic conditions.
Smoking cessation also reduces the chances of developing serious diseases, boosting energy, endurance, and mental health. Senses of taste and smell are restored. Quitting saves money, allowing greater financial freedom and opportunities to enjoy life.
Quitting smoking can be challenging. It requires breaking the cycle of addiction and retraining your brain to resist nicotine cravings. The New Year can be a great time, as motivation is high to make positive changes. With the right strategies and support, a successful, smoke-free future is within reach.
Quitting a habit like smoking is a big decision, The first step is to commit to the goal. Write the reasons for quitting, whether it's improving your health, saving money, or living for your loved ones.
Choose the method of quitting, whether it's cold turkey, medication-assisted, or slow self-paced. Also, set a quit date within two weeks of stopping. This allows for enough time to prepare for the challenge.
When we quit smoking, we can experience withdrawal symptoms (link article) like cravings, irritability, or trouble concentrating. These symptoms are temporary, usually getting better within a couple of weeks. This is a normal process whilst quitting. There are ways to reduce withdrawal symptoms through nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and meditation techniques like deep breathing.
There will be situations where emotions or certain triggers make you want to smoke, and this can be tough to handle. The common triggers usually are stress, being around other smokers, or established habits like smoking with coffee or after a meal.
Prepare for these challenges by changing your routine. If you smoke after a meal, go for a walk or chew gum instead. If you know you may be tempted to smoke, try and stay away from such places. It could be beneficial to have distractions ready, like keeping the mouth busy with sugar-free gum, mints, or even a stress ball.
Quitting can be challenging, and as you embark on this journey this new year, ensure to use the tools available to help you succeed. There are products like Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). These come in nicotine gums, patches, or lozenges to help you reduce the urge to smoke and reduce cravings. If smoking is a big part of your life, it may be beneficial to consult with a doctor about prescription medications that can help make this journey slightly easier.
Support groups are beneficial as they include others embarking on the same journey and can provide encouragement and accountability to each other. Furthermore, there are counseling or quit lines available that offer free advice and support from trained counselors.
It is important to celebrate the progress; every day without a smoke is a win. As you reach the one-week, one-month smoke-free milestones, reward yourself. It is also important to recognise that small setbacks are normal and not to be discouraged if you have a cigarette.
It is a journey and we can learn what triggered the slip and how to avoid it next time. Re-commit and keep moving forward.
Quitting smoking is an amazing gift you can give yourself. It's not easy, but every step brings you closer to a healthier life. The New Year, New Me resolution may be the time to consult with a healthcare professional on how to manage this journey.
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Fizza is a registered pharmacist with APHRA and has been with Simple Online Doctor since 2023. With a Bachelor of Pharmacy and 8 plus years of experience as a pharmacist, Fizza has a strong passion to improve patient care via enhancing the quality and continuity of care delivered through digital health platforms.
Tyson is a clinical pharmacist in charge of the development and improvement of patient services. He provides clinical support to our team of healthcare professionals and ensures patient health and wellbeing are at the centre of all our services.
Last Reviewed : 02/01/2025
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