ABC News' Dr. Tim Answers Questions About Smoking

ByABC News
November 14, 2005, 6:19 PM

Nov. 14, 2005 — -- Question: Why is it that if I'm sick, I don't feel like smoking, yet the moment I feel better, the first thing I want is a cigarette? I have, on occasion, been sick for 2 to 3 days, and not smoked, yet the craving always returns.
-- Naomi Printz, Austin, TX

Answer: Naomi, you're describing a very common experience for many smokers. Sometimes you just feel so lousy that you don't want to do much of anything, including smoking. If you can go 2-3 days without cravings, it could be that your body is not that dependent on nicotine, or it could be that the illness itself is making your body feel like it doesn't need the cigarettes. Also, cravings are not all physical; many are caused by the association between smoking and your daily activities. When you're feeling sick those activities often change. When you start to feel better, the body and mind wake up again and say "Hey it's been awhile and things are normal again, shouldn't I be smoking?" Then you're right back at it. One thing to keep in mind though, 2-3 days without cigarettes is a good thing. Lot's of people choose to quit completely when they get sick. In a strange way, it gives them a running start.
Consultation: California Smokers' Helpline, University of California, San Diego

Question: I have been suffering from drug-resistant depression all my life. I am, yet again, in the process of trying a new med and I'm always being told that now isn't the time for me to quit due to all the stress. I feel the effects of smoking more and more every day. How do you quit smoking when you're going through so many changes from meds?
-- Dianne, Unionville, VA

Answer: Dianne, I commend you for not giving up on your treatment for depression. It's true that quitting smoking when you're trying new medications can be stressful. However, this does not mean you can't quit. Starting on new meds could actually be an appropriate time to quit if you are in touch with your physician who is monitoring your mood. Medications can act differently when you quit, often they become more potent when you remove nicotine from the body. So your doctor may need to adjust the dosage anyway. When it comes down to quitting though, you want to have a good plan in place, one that includes setting a quit date, having contact with your physician, calling a free smoking cessation quitline like 1-800-QUIT NOW, devising strategies for coping with cravings, using stress management techniques, and asking for support from those around you.
Consultation: California Smokers' Helpline, University of California, San Diego

Question: I quit smoking two years ago and my mother quit 10 years ago. She is 83 years young and loves to play bingo. We sit in a no-smoking room to play, but when we enter and exit the casino, it's terrible. Is there something we can do to protect ourselves from the secondhand smoke?
-- Ellen Miller, La Quinta, California

Answer: Ellen, congratulations to both you and your mother for quitting smoking. That's a great accomplishment. Also, I'm happy to hear that you found a smoke-free bingo room. If you and your mother cannot find an alternate route around the smoke, you may try to cover your mouth and nose with a scarf or bandana to minimize breathing in the smoky air. As a longer-term solution, you could appeal to casino administrators to improve ventilation, or better yet, to go smoke free, as there is an increase in the number of states requiring businesses to make such changes. In the short run though, just try to cover up and walk quickly through the smoky areas. And don't worry about getting dangerous levels of toxins from the secondhand smoke, unless you stop for periods of time in those smoke-filled sections.
Consultation: California Smokers' Helpline, University of California, San Diego