There are countless techniques that claim to help you quit smoking. But are any of them for real? Here’s a look at a few popular approaches. You can decide for yourself if any of them will help you stop smoking for good.
Medications
Nicotine patches are a popular method for quitting smoking. This method allows you to gradually taper down the amount of nicotine that goes into your system. This will lessen the withdrawal symptoms when the nicotine is stopped for good.
A new option in prescription drugs is the quit smoking pill known as Chantix. This medication causes the release of dopamine, a feel good chemical in your brain. Your brain gets the sensation that nicotine is doing its thing. Using this form of treatment, withdrawal symptoms are virtually nonexistent.
Keep in mind that pharmaceutical approaches to help you quit smoking aren’t always as successful as you might wish. The reason is that it’s not only the physical addiction that’s the problem. Smoking is also psychologically addictive, which is equally difficult to deal with.
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. Even though it’s a favorite technique, it isn’t always the best choice.
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. When you quit cold turkey, these symptoms are severe and will last for a couple of weeks or more.
The hard part is to learn how to take your mind off these symptoms when they come over you. Smokers usually have too much difficulty with this approach and end up succumbing to the craving.
Substituting
This method typically replaces the act of smoking with a substitute. Some people pop a candy in their mouth or chew some gum whenever they feel the need for a smoke. Sometimes this will help to satisfy the oral fixation by giving your mouth something else to do.
Other people substitute exercise for smoking. If they feel they need a smoke, they choose instead to hit the gym or go for a walk.
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. However, it’s important that you don’t give up. Your life might depend on it.
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