New years resolutions are a topic of conversation around this time of year. I normally have a couple (exercise more and learn to play the guitar this coming year) and invariably if there is not enough motivation behind these resolutions they will fail (get fitter for the former and spend time with son who is also learning guitar for the latter).
Many peoples new years resolution will be to to quit smoking. To be successful in this endeavour there needs to be a motivating reason. This is the most powerful tool you have when quitting smoking and focusing on this will get you through some tough times. Common reasons for quitting may be smoking kills, smoking causes diseases, improved physical appearance, saving money and setting a better example for your children.
I will focus on the former. The leading cause of preventable death in Victoria is smoking. Smoking-caused deaths (11.9%) in every area of the state outstrip other major avoidable deaths caused by alcohol (2.4%), other drugs (.3%)and road deaths (1.2%), even when combined.
The annual deaths caused by smoking can be broken down into to diseases. Lung cancer leads the ways with 1480 deaths, mouth and throat cancer 59, other cancers 416, heart disease 700, stroke 218 and chronic bronchitis and emphysema 1011.
Data recorded in 2008 breaks these statistics down into local regions. For the Southern Grampians region the number of deaths attributed to smoking is 13.2% which is slightly higher than the state average.
The quit website details ways to quit. Remember the first step to successfully quitting is exploring the reasons why you want to quit.
Jessica
Thanks Jess. Sometimes we feel that this is the most difficult of all 'interventions'. I have been tremendously encouraged by a couple of patients who have recently kicked the habit. It needs to be at the forefront of every conversation in our 'community' of patients.
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