Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Quit Smoking Permanently

By Brandon Sellers

It's difficult to quit smoking. Even those who were successful in their efforts will likely say it was incredibly difficult. There are a many methods to try and quit smoking. If you aren't successful with one, try another. It's imperative for your health (and the health of those around you)that you quit smoking as soon as possible. Always check with your doctor before starting any non-smoking program.

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.

Another option to consider is using medication to help you quit your smoking habit and nicotine addiction. Again, check with your doctor to discuss your options. Your doctor can prescribe a medication that is successful with few side effects. Of course, never take any medication that has been prescribed to someone else - the medication could adversely affect you or interfere with other medications you may be taking.

Stopping smoking is a lifelong process. The social habit of smoking hard can be hard to stop long after you've beat the nicotine addiction. You may need to change your social life, at least temporarily, while you try to quit smoking. For example, you may need to stop putting yourself in social situations where you smoked, such as enjoying a cigarette with a drink. This is a hard social to break and It may be necessary for you to these pitfalls for a while as you are trying to quit your dependence on a nicotine habit.

If you are a smoker, talk to your doctor sooner rather than later. You can extend your life by quitting now and also avoid terrible diseases attributed to smoking. Be good to yourself, do it now. - 15437

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