Quit Smoking Aids

Posts Tagged ‘Prepare’

For many smokers the desire to quit smoking is strong…yet it seems no matter what they do, they just can’t seem to break this devastating habit. The inability to quit smoking causes many to privately belittle themselves and curse their seeming weakness.

For others it seems they simply wake up one morning and decide to quit smoking. What makes the difference in these people? Is someone who decides to quit smoking like this a stronger person than the one who has yet to become a non-smoker? Let’s evaluate.

First off, most people even smokers don’t really enjoy smoking. For some the nicotine addiction is strong. Nicotine is very addictive, and breaking this addiction by not smoking can be very trying and difficult. Even after months have passed, there are those who will start smoking again. So, if you’re one who has yet to quit smoking don’t berate or belittle yourself.

By the same token, don’t give up on the idea to quit smoking. Yes, nicotine is addictive, but it is an addiction that can be broken. There are several aids available to help you quit smoking. There’s gum, there’s patches, and there’s even inhalers containing nicotine, that will gradually help you wean yourself from the addiction as you quit smoking. All of these aids do have merit.

One component is mandatory if any of these aids are to work for the person that has previously tried to quit smoking and failed. This component is your attitude. Before you even begin the actual process to quit smoking, you will most likely need some adjustments in your attitude. If you prepare yourself before you actually quit smoking, your chances for success are much better.

The way to begin to prepare yourself is to come to certain realizations. First off, you can’t quit just because someone told you it is bad for your health. You can’t quit because your significant other wants you to quit smoking. Most likely fear is not a good motivator for you either. You’ve developed a strong will to continue, even though you berate yourself for it.

Thus, for you the decision to quit smoking must be accompanied by a will that is just as strong, if not stronger than your current will to quit smoking. Many processes and plans have been developed by different organizations to aid you in this process.

Most will tell you to set a quit date at least 10 days out, and don’t actually stop smoking until your quit date. It’s also advised that “cold turkey” is the most successful quit path. During those days before your actual quit smoking target date, you are mentally preparing yourself to be free from smoking. This must be a strong decision that only you can make for yourself. No one else can do it for you.

To lead you to the strength you need to effectively quit smoking, you’ll need to evaluate yourself and the real reasons behind why you are still smoking. This is not an easy task for many, but once they’ve listed all the true reasons, and have adopted the mental attitude to replace smoking with other things that will provide better benefits, the task of quitting becomes much easier.

Once your quit smoking date arrives, you may want to use some of the aids discussed above to improve your success rate. The point is that if you’ve properly done your preparation beforehand your opportunity for success will be greatly improved. Remember, the mind and body thrive and accommodate whatever substance you give it. Be sure to feed both the mind and body only positive substance and the results will be positive. You can quit smoking.

Quit smoking is one of the hardest things to do. However, a little planning could help to ease out this process so that you achieve your smoking cessation goal successfully.

How to prepare for quit smoking

Given below are some tips that will help you prepare for quit smoking.

Set a quit date and remain firm on it. Choose this date depending on your convenience, for instance if you smoke more during office hours, keep this quit date over the weekend so that it becomes easier for you. If possible, plan to quit with a friend. This will help you remain motivated. Before your quit date, hide away all your ashtrays and lighters and dump all the cigarettes that may be lying around your home or workplace. Remove anything that will push you towards smoking. Before you quit, observe your smoking patterns. Write down what prompts you to smoke. For instance many people smoke during coffee breaks, when they are stressed, while on a phone, while reading or watching TV. These are your smoking triggers; you’ll need to avoid these triggers when you are all set to quit. Try to avoid friends who prompt you to smoke. Before your quit date inform your friends, colleagues and family members that you are planning to quit. Seek their motivation and support during this tough process, they’ll be eager to help you out and comply with your wishes. If you find it tough to quit smoking via the cold turkey method, visit a doctor to learn about the various quit smoking aids that are available on the market; find out which one will be more suitable for you. These quit smoking aids are designed to relieve you of nicotine withdrawal symptoms and make quitting easier for you. And one of the recent effective quit smoking aid available in the market is Chantix smoking cessation pills.

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is a popular and effective smoking cessation aid. This therapy aims at providing nicotine to the body externally through various forms such as nicotine patches, inhaler, nasal spray, gum, sublingual tablets and lozenges. Once the body receives nicotine in these forms it no longer craves for cigarettes which apart from containing nicotine, consists of 4,000 other harmful chemicals. Thus, nicotine replacement therapy protects you against the harmful chemicals and at the same time relieves you of your withdrawal symptoms. Further, nicotine replacement therapy gives you a chance to break the smoking cues in your daily life and provides you with a more convenient and painless smoking cessation experience. To get the best results from this therapy you must use it in conjunction with some form of support from your friends and family or from a professional counselor. However, since nicotine replacement therapy provides nicotine to your body, a certain risk of re-addiction is involved with this quit smoking treatment.

Nicotine-free quit smoking medications

Currently, this is the most advanced smoking cessation aids that one can use. Nicotine-free quit smoking medications that are available on the market include Chantix (varenicline tartrate) and Zyban (bupropion hydrochloride). Both these medicines are approved by the US FDA as a prescription only smoking cessation drug. These drugs are ideal for those who are motivated to quit but find it hard to quit via the cold turkey method owing to nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Both Chantix and Zyban help to relieve you of the nicotine withdrawal symptoms. The active ingredient in these drugs mimics the effect of nicotine on the brain. They stimulate the brain to release dopamine – a neurotransmitter that is responsible for the feelings of pleasure and well-being. This action helps to reduce your craving for nicotine and thus lessen your nicotine withdrawal symptoms. In addition, Chantix blocks nicotine from acting on its receptors on the brain. This means, that even if you lapse during your Chantix treatment and light up a cigarette you will not derive the same pleasure as you used to earlier. You’ll therefore no longer be tempted to smoke again. For this reason, success rate with Chantix is higher as compared to Zyban or any other smoking cessation aid.

Other methods of smoking cessation

To avoid side effects associated with smoking cessation medications and nicotine replacement therapy, many people are now making use of alternative therapies to quit smoking such as:

Hypnosis

This method aims at constantly reminding you of the harmful effects of smoking and establishing it firmly in your subconscious mind. Your counselor will provide you with CDs or audiotapes that you’ll be required to play all day while doing your daily tasks and even while sleeping. The success of this method depends on your inclination to being hypnotized.

Acupuncture

Many people are taking advantage of acupuncture which is an ancient Chinese method of healing; it involves inserting thin needles into specific parts of your body to stimulate your nerve endings. The therapy aims at releasing endorphins, which are also known as the ‘feel good’ hormones, which encourage a feeling of well-being and happiness and keep your mind away from withdrawal symptoms.