given up smoking. Don’t be smug or complacent or boastful, but let people know what you are doing. Then, at some point when you are seriously tempted to smoke, the thought of all the derisive laughter you will get for giving in may well carry you over the crisis.
(4) Most smokers have fixed ideas about the occasions when a smoke tastes best. The first cigarette after breakfast, or the one with a cocktail before dinner. If such associations are likely to tempt you to smoke, brace yourself in advance for such temptations; tell yourself that such an occasion is coming, and that you must be prepared to want to smoke badly. If you hold out only for a moment, that sudden strong temptation will die almost as quickly as it arose.
(5) Don’t permit yourself to make a single exception. Until the non-smoking habit is firmly implanted, “don’t”. If a habit is not fed, it dies relatively quickly, but it can subsist for a long time on the slightest food. If you occasionally let yourself have one cigarette or pipe on the ground that “just one won’t hurt”, you will keep alive the desire to smoke. Just one drink is too many for an alcoholic, as one cigarette is too many for the heavy smoker who is trying to reform. Win the battle of the moment — every time you say no to the temptation to smoke, you are making the next “no” easier.
(6) Baby yourself to an extent. Most of us are inclined to launch sudden, ambitious programs of self- improvement. We try to do more than we can reasonably expect of ourselves. On the contrary, indulge yourself a little. Eat what you want and enjoy it. Make it a habit to carry mints, gum, or salted nuts. During the first few weeks keep substitutes on hand — and pop one into your mouth whenever you feel like smoking.
(7) Let your sleep work for you. On the night of the first day that you give up smoking, think for a moment when you go to bed of how today you did not smoke. Then tell yourself, “Tomorrow I am not going to smoke”. Repeat it to yourself as you get drowsy. This will be the last thing in your conscious mind as you drop off to sleep. When you wake in the morning, remind yourself that you are going to get through this day, too, without smoking. Don’t make a big issue of it; just briefly say: “This day I don’t smoke”. Even if you don’t follow the other rules set down here, this exercise in “controlled sleep” could get you over the hump. You will find a sense of freedom and independence and self-assurance results from simply going half a day without tobacco. This is a sharp, continuing pleasure, and every minute helps to strengthen you against the next minute’s temptation. Above and beyond this pleasant, heartening knowledge is the awareness that you are doing something of which you will be proud — not to mention healthier and happier — for the rest of your life. Six months or six years from now, when someone offers you a cigarette, you will refuse it, but not weakly or defensively. You will say “Thanks — I use to smoke, but I gave it up.”.
5. Expense: If a man smokes two packs of cigarettes a day for 365 days it will cost him $290.00 a year! Quit smoking and automatically you save money, remain healthy, and start winning pistol matches. This is a bargain you can’t afford to overlook.
E. DRUGS
At one time or another some shooters have probably tried a sedative drug or tranquilizer to see what effects it would have on their shooting. Drugs affect different people in different ways, so dosage would be a problem even if they did any good toward reducing anxiety, nervousness, etc. Any time medication or drugs are used that affect the body functions, there is a chance that the side effects will do more harm than good to the shooter’s performance.
Some shooters no doubt prescribe certain remedies for themselves when they have a cold, a stopped-up nose or a headache. Here are some of the effects of the drugs found in these and other preparations. Most of the effects are not conductive to good shooting. Most drugs are habit forming and all are a deterrent to good health if used frequently without proper medical advice. There is not substitute for good clean living, a healthy body and just plain GUTS!
1. A depressant slows reflexes, lessens the desire to win, promotes carelessness, causes loss of concentration and coordination.
2. A stimulant causes nervousness, hypertension, increases heartbeat, excessive movement of the hands, trembling, etc.
3. Drugs in daily use.
a. Barbiturates. (To induce rest and sleep)
Phenobarbital has special effects against insomnia. Continued use increases tolerance and leads to dependence. Acute anxiety may result if the drug is abruptly discontinued after long use. Alcoholics substitute barbiturates for alcohol and become just as devoted to it. Even after moderate doses, lassitude, dizziness, headache, nausea and diarrhea may occur. Other toxic effects are respiratory depressions peripheral vascular collapse, feeble heart beat, low body temperature and continued stupor with depressed reflexes.
b. Analgesic (Pain relief and reduction of symptomatic discomfort)
Aspirin — acetylsalicylic acid (relief of headache, fever and other symptomatic discomfort).
Gastrointestinal distress due to irritation is common. Continued dosage symptoms same as quinine (Cinchonism): Dizziness, ringing in ears, impaired hearing, acidosis and depressed blood clotting mechanism.
c. Stimulants or adrenergics (Relief from drowsiness, depression, curbing the appetite and relief from nasal congestion.)
Benzedrine, amphetamine and ephedrine elevate blood pressure, accelerate the heart beat, causes headaches, nervousness, insomnia and spasms of the urinary bladder’s sphincter. (Muscular control that permits urination)
d. Antihistamines (Relief of colds and fever and relief or prevention of allergy symptoms)
Exerts a potent sedative effect. There is a danger of toxic action, especially drowsiness. A form of antihistamine namely, methapyrilene, is used for sedative purposes. Used in conjunction with alcohol, this sedative action is especially dangerous as alcohol heightens the depressant effect.
e. APC pills: (Relief of headache and other symptomatic discomfort) Basic ingredients usually are acetanilid or acetophenetidin and caffeine. Continued use developes a blood condition known as methemoglobinemia or simply a union of oxygen and iron in the blood instead of oxygen and hemoglobin, the natural state. The oxygen in this instance is retained in the blood and not exchanged normally. Another combination used is aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), phenacetin and caffeine. The phenacetin adds the property of antipyretic (reduction of fever). Other effects similar to above.
f. Decongestant tablets. (Relief of colds, fever and prevention of allergy symptoms) Basic ingredients quite similar, usually as follows:
(1) Phenylephrine hydrodoride. A stimulant of the sympathomimetic group. It is a local vaso-constrictor, elevates blood pressure, reduces swelling of nasal membranes. It is usually mixed with a local anesthetic to retard rate of absorption. Used in treatment of vasomotor collapse which is a condition where the nervous system cannot control the dilation and contraction of the blood vessels.
(2) Phenindamine tartrate. An antihistamine. The tartaric acid may be detrimental to the kidneys.
(3) Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin). See aspirin described above.
(4) An antipyretic (reduce fever) and analgesic.
(5) Caffeine. A stimulant, produces wakefulness and respiratory stimulation. When combined with an analgesic it is used to relieve headache. Continued use may produce nervousness and insomnia.
(6) Vitamin “C”, (ascorbic acid): large dosage leads to gastrointestinal upset.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
