There's no shortage of methods to stop smoking. But do they
work? Following is an overview of some of the more common
ways to quit. Find out for yourself if they can live up to
their promises.
Pharmaceuticals
Nicotine patches are a popular method for quitting smoking.
They work by slowly decreasing the amount of nicotine that
you ingest each day. This will lessen the withdrawal
symptoms when the nicotine is stopped for good.
A hot new pharmaceutical product is Chantix, a
(http://stopsmoking.walakam.com/important-information-about-the-quit-smoking-pill/)
quit smoking pill. This medication causes the release of
dopamine, a feel good chemical in your brain. The brain
experiences the same effect as if nicotine were present in
your bloodstream. Using this form of treatment, withdrawal
symptoms are virtually nonexistent.
It's important to note that using medications to help you
stop smoking isn't always the complete answer. That's
because it's not just a chemical addiction you're dealing
with. Smoking is also psychologically addictive, which is
equally difficult to deal with.
Quitting Cold Turkey
Most people will try this method first when they decide it's
time to stop smoking. This is a rather brutal approach that
means just stopping; no medications and no slowly tapering
down. Although it's popular, it's not necessarily the most
successful method.
Most people who smoke are addicted to the large quantities
of nicotine that are contained in cigarettes. This is a
highly addictive drug, and withdrawal symptoms appear when
your body is no longer getting it. Quitting cold turkey
heightens the withdrawal effect, and your symptoms will go
on for at least two weeks.
The hard part is to learn how to take your mind off these
symptoms when they come over you. Many people find this too
difficult and eventually give in to their cravings.
Substituting
This technique involves replacing smoking with some other
activity or behavior. Many people have found success by
sucking on hard candy or chewing gum when the urge to smoke
hits. Sometimes this will help to satisfy the oral fixation
by giving your mouth something else to do.
Other people substitute exercise for smoking. When they
crave a cigarette, they simply go for a run or get on an
exercise bike.
Anyone who has ever been a smoker knows how difficult it is
to kick the habit. And anyone who has been successful will
probably tell you that it took several attempts to quit
smoking for good. But it's worth it to keep trying. After
all, your life is on the line.
