Quitting smoking is not an easy thing to do. Anyone who has tried, even if they were successful, will likely say it was extremely difficult. There are a variety of ways to try and quit smoking. If one way is unsuccessful try another. Quitting smoking as soon as possible is imperative to your health and the health of those around you. Before beginning any non-smoking program be sure to discuss it with your doctor.
The method most people try is to quit cold turkey. Unfortunately, this method is rarely successful. Quitting cold turkey means that you stop smoking cigarettes completely and never have another one. A few people have the will power to quit cold turkey, but there is more than willpower involved with this process. Your body is physically addicted to nicotine, suddenly stopping will result in fairly serious withdrawal symptoms. Quitting cold turkey may work for some people, but generally most people will start smoking again within a few days.
Another popular method is to slowly wean oneself of nicotine through the use nicotine gum or patches. The directions for the use of these products are found on the packages, and a number of people have found this to be a successful method to quit smoking. The gum and patches allow you to wean yourself off at your own pace. Follow the directions on the package carefully. Make an appointment with your physician to go over you plan in depth. Although this method eliminates the craving for nicotine it does not satisfy the hand to mouth habit that smoking established. Smoking is usually a physical, mental and emotional addiction.
Your doctor might prescribe medication to help you kick the smoking habit and addiction to nicotine. Discuss your options with the doctor and try to use the method with the fewest side effects and best success rate. Don’t ever make the mistake of taking another person’s medicine as it might interfere with something you are taking.
If you are successful in your quest to stop smoking, know that the process will go on for the rest of your life. The social aspects are still there, even if you’ve beat the addiction. In the beginning stages at least, you may need to change your lifestyle. An example of what this means is to consider how many people like a cigarette with their drinks. Until you gain some confidence it would probably be best to tell your friends you won’t go out drinking for a while.
See your doctor immediately if you smoke. If you successfully quit smoking now you can add years to your life possibly avoid many diseases that are a result of smoking. Quit smoking now and do yourself and you body a favor.
