Ways To Quit Smoking

When you've been addicted to nicotine, the thought of trying to quit smoking can be intimidating.

Aside from the physical withdrawal symptoms, there's a psychological addiction to the habit-forming drug.

If you're setting out on a mission to quit smoking, make sure you implement a plan to attack your mental habit as well as face the withdrawal of nicotine physically from your body.

Medications and counseling can contribute to an easier time when you quit smoking, because it's an emotional and social habit as well as just a habit of motion, taking your fingers to and from your mouth to inhale a cigarette.

There are many ways to get psychological help for your addiction. They need to be done in conjunction with the physical removal of nicotine, not just before or after you've quit smoking.

You may opt for phone counseling, which you can find through the American Cancer Society's Quitline. This way you're connected with a trained counselor whenever you need help with your plans to quit smoking.

There are some common traps counselors can help you avoid that usually cause someone who has quit smoking to return to the nasty habit. Phone counseling is a convenient way to reach out for support because it's available at all times, from anywhere you have a phone connection.

Some people who want to quit smoking need to do nothing more than turn to family and friends in their time of need. It's especially helpful if there's someone you know who has already quit smoking and will understand what you're going through.

There are also programs organized specifically for people who want to quit smoking. Being a part of a group can be beneficial in giving you the extra support you need to break the habit once and for all.

You may discover that you prefer individual counseling over group meetings, but either way, counseling helps people quit smoking more than those who try to go it alone. Some organizations will be intense, and others more flexible. The more intense it is, the higher your chance of success to quit smoking.

If you feel like your addiction is strong, then try to find a frequent meeting that lasts at least half an hour. Try to find those with experience to help you with you quit smoking. Never fall for the quick and easy claims some groups make just to take your money.

When you want to quit smoking, you may consider the option of quitting cold turkey, meaning all at once. While this may be beneficial for your physical health, it's often hard to achieve, so many people opt for nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), which weans them off of the drug gradually.

Because nicotine is a drug that induces a dependency, when a smoker tries to quit smoking, they suffer withdrawal symptoms that make life very unpleasant until they pass. NRT allows the smoker to use gums, patches, sprays, inhalers, or lozenges with nicotine in them so they can break the smoking habit and stop using the drug in smaller amounts each day.

While the smoker is still ingesting nicotine through the NRT, they are not ingesting the other harmful chemicals found in cigarettes, so it is a healthier option than the cigarettes themselves.

NRT lets the smoker quit smoking by freeing up their mind to focus on the psychological addiction. If they quit cold turkey, they'd be focused on the withdrawal symptoms, and unable to concentrate on their habitual use of cigarettes for mental pleasure.

While withdrawal symptoms are not completely gone, they are reduced by up to 90% because the smoker is still getting a smaller dose of nicotine to stave off cravings. When asked why smoking cessation didn't work for them, many said the #1 cause was the onset of withdrawal symptoms, so NRT helps alleviate that chance for failure.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy does not help you with the mental phase of addiction. It only serves to lessen the physical cravings. You should always find something to help you break the mental addiction to smoking, too.

While you should always check with your doctor before taking any kind of replacement therapy, it's widely believed in medical circles that the benefits of quitting smoking outweigh the risks of NRT.

If you decide to use NRT, then it should be started right when you first quit smoking. You shouldn't continue smoking and using NRT at the same time. The fear is that instead of quitting smoking, the double dose of nicotine will have adverse effects on your health.

Whether you choose nicotine patches, gum, nasal spray, inhalers, or lozenges, you may experience some minor side effects. If so, consult your doctor and try switching to a different form of NRT until you find one that suits your preferences.

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