Everyone knows that smoking is an unhealthy habit and very difficult to quit. What people don’t know is how to successfully quit smoking. This article will provide you with the information you need to be on the way to becoming smoke free.
There is much debate about whether or not people should quit smoking cold turkey or not. Each person should decide for themselves what the best method is for them. There is no wrong or right way and all that matters is that you quit smoking. If you have previously tried to quit smoking cold turkey and failed you should definitely use alternative methods to quit. Even if this is your first attempt, there is nothing wrong with using stop smoking aids to help quit. Why make quitting any harder than it needs to be?
There are several medications available to assist you in quitting smoking. Two such medications are Chantix & Zyban. Each works differently and you should discuss with your doctor which would be best for you to take. Zyban is actually an antidepressant and stimulates the brain to release a chemical called dopamine in small quantities. By releasing dopamine, your body will experience decreased withdrawal symptoms. Chantix works to block receptors in your brain from receiving pleasure stimuli from smoking.
Studies have shown that having a good support system of family and friends increases your chance of successfully quitting smoking. Not only will they hold you accountable to your goal of being smoke free, they can also provide encouragement when needed. It helps tremendously if they are also former smokers.
There are numerous cigarette replacement products available today. Nicotine patches and gum have been around for many years and are widely used to quit smoking. One must be careful to use them as directed though so as not to develop a dependence on them. One of the newer products on the market are electronic cigarettes which allow the user to feel as if they are still smoking while greatly decreasing the adverse health problems associated with smoking. These electronic cigarettes still introduce some carcinogens into the body although not in as high of quantities. Newest on the market are nicotine drinks which are basically flavored water with nicotine added.
You should avoid situations that you know will make you want to smoke, especially in the early days after quitting. It’s best to keep track of when and where you smoke the most prior to quitting so you may avoid these situations. For example, many people light up as soon as they finish a meal. A good way to avoid this trigger is to immediately get up from the table and wash the dishes. This keeps your hands busy as well as focusing your thoughts elsewhere. You should also avoid being around groups of people who are smoking.
While it’s hard to quit smoking, it can be done and you will feel so much better after quitting. If you follow the tips in this article, you can increase your chances of successfully quitting.