Using Technology to Quit Smoking

Here we are in 2012, another new year and yet another opportunity to start fresh and begin living a healthier lifestyle.  Every Tuesday in January I will take you along on my journey to use technology to make my life healthier.  We start today with my worst vice and the one that most directly affects those I cherish:  smoking.

I started smoking when I was 18 as an act of rebellion.  As smoking ban after smoking ban has been passed the non-conformist side of my personality has continued to enjoy the socially defiant act of lighting up.  But as the years have passed various warning signs have appeared, most notably the death of my mother from lung cancer, that necessitate the need for my adult sensibilities to override lingering youthful rebellion.  I have tried to quit smoking in the past with the assistance of Chantix but with last summer’s reports the the drug could possibly being worse for the body than smoking this time it’s going to be just my mindset and motivation that get me off the nasty carcinogens. 

Smoking is an addiction.  Addicts require support and motivation to successfully break the dependency cycle and that is the area where technology can successfully assist.  Most stop smoking apps fall into three categories:  Pacing, Motivation, and Hypnosis.

Pacing apps help you wean yourself off tobacco by gradually increasing the time allowed between cigarettes.  All of the apps work by you putting in what times of the day you are awake, how many cancer sticks a day you consume, and at what date that you want to be finished with the habit.  Once your personal information is inputted the apps use an algorithm to determine the proper amount of times between smoke breaks to achieve your goal.

The best free pacing apps I tested are Smoke Reducer for Android and iQuit for the iPhone.

The reasons that someone wants to quit smoking are varied; some people want to quit smoking for their family, others for their health, and still others want to save money.  The best motivational apps are customizable to your personal reasons for quitting and then provide social communities and helpful reminders to keep your spirits up during the darkest of times. 

Outstanding free motivational apps are Livestrong’s My Quit Coach for the iPhone and QuitNow! for Android devices.

Although it does not work on all people, hypnosis has long been recognized as an effective tool to help cure cravings and now you can get stop smoking apps for your smart phone that effectively implement this method.   Easy Stop Smoking , available for both Android and iPhone devices, costs less than a pack of smokes and may be just the tool you need to finally break the leash of nicotine addiction.

No discussion of using technology to quit smoking would be complete without a mention of websites.  Many websites exist in order to give you a supportive community that motivates and teaches.  Two of the best quit smoking websites are QuitNet and Livestrong .

Making the decision to quit smoking is easy.  Sticking with your decision is difficult.  Use the technology at your disposal to get the motivation and support you need to achieve your goal!

Next week I’ll take a look at the best apps and websites for tracking your health and fitness goals.  Do you have a favorite?  Let me know on the Taming Technology Facebook page, on  indystyle.tv, or email !

C Robert Dillon  is the digital developer at  WISH-TV  in Indianapolis and serves as a technology consultant and on-air contributor to WISH as well as the technology expert and host of the Taming Technology segment on Indy Style. Opinions presented are those of the author and not necessarily of LIN Media, WISH-TV, or Indy Style.  You can keep up with Rob on  Twitter ,   Facebook , or   Google+   .