Stop Smoking Now

The Addiction

There's no getting around it. Smoking is a bad habit, but even more compelling, it's a very powerful addiction; one of the most difficult to break free from. It's not unlike being addicted to cocaine or heroin. That might seem overly dramatic but the truth bears it out. If you've ever tried to quit, or even just thought about it, how many times have you said:

I wish I'd never started.

That sentence is the addiction talking. If smoking were only just a habit, the success rate for quitting smoking would be very high and it wouldn't take as many multiple attempts to kick the habit before finally being successful. Mark Twain summed it up best when he said, "Quitting smoking is easy. I've done it a thousand times." Dealing with the addiction to nicotine and the physical discomforts of nicotine withdrawal are what makes quitting smoking so hard to do.

Cold Turkey

Many people have stopped smoking cigarettes without any type of aid at all. They simply throw away their cigarettes one day and never have another one. That's a rough road to travel and it's not for everyone but it does have its advantages. The discomfort from an immediate and complete withdrawal from nicotine may be intense at first but fades fairly quickly.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) aims to address the discomforts associated with the interruption of nicotine to the body. It allows us to control how much nicotine we take in. Nicotine patches and gum containing nicotine are the most common NRTs but there are lozenges and nasal sprays as well. All are used to gradually lower the amount of nicotine the body receives thereby softening the often intense physical reaction to nicotine withdrawal. It's a good theory and NRTs have had some good results in dealing with the physical discomforts of quitting smoking, but they're still a source of nicotine which can lead to re-addiction or in some rare cases an addiction to the NRTs.

Nicotine-Free Drugs

There are a number of nicotine-free drugs available but they require a doctor's prescription. Some are and some aren't covered by medical insurance. Primarily these are of two types. One is an anti-depressant that has been found to effectively reduce physical symptoms associated with nicotine withdrawal. The other interacts with receptors in the brain to inhibit the craving for nicotine when it is no longer being introduced into the body. The down side is that they can be very costly if not covered by medical insurance and the co-pay can still be high even when they are covered. Also, these remedies can produce their own side effects.

Other Non-Nicotine Remedies

Acupuncture and hypnosis are two primary approaches to quitting smoking without the aid of nicotine supplements. Results are mixed. To be sure, they've been effective in helping people to stop smoking but whether they've been able to effect a permanent change is less certain. Often those who found help with kicking the cigarette habit through acupuncture and hypnosis have had to repeat the process several times thereby driving up the costs for these two procedures.

Another method is homeopathic in nature. Homeopathy has a long history for treating illness and addiction is an illness. In 1999 the World Health Organization noted that homeopathy is "one of the most widespread non-conventional approaches to treatment known to the world, along with traditional Chinese medicine, herbal medicine and osteopathy." Homeopathy combines the best of both a "cold turkey" and an "NRT-assisted" approach to quitting smoking. Cessation of nicotine is immediate because no nicotine is used. So, the period of withdrawal is cut dramatically. At the same time, homeopathic ingredients work to lessen the intensity of the physical and mental discomforts associated with nicotine withdrawal. Learn more about a homeopathic spray that can help you kick the cigarette habit today.

Why Should I Quit Smoking?

Aside from the immediate major health benefits that can be reaped from quitting smoking there's the fact that smoking is just plain socially unacceptable. Each and every day, there are new regulations, laws and ordinances that make it difficult for a smoker to find a place to light up. How many times do you have to stand out in the cold and rain just to have a cigarette? And if that's not reason enough, there're also some immediate changes to look forward to:

Whiter teeth
Better smelling breath
No more nicotine smell on hair and clothes
No more yellow fingers and fingernails
Food tastes better
Sense of smell returns
Everyday activities won't wear you out
No longer a slave to nicotine

Plan on Quitting Soon

No matter what method you choose. No matter what cessation aid you might employ. Quitting smoking is the right decision to make but be forewarned. Withdrawal from nicotine is just one part of the healing process we go through while recovering from nicotine addiction. The rest of the story involves how we let go of the many mental associations that have built up over the years between smoking and our lives. Quit aids cannot help us with this aspect of healing, but support and education can. Use this stop smoking now plan to help guide you through breaking the smoking habit while ridding your body of nicotine. Suggestions for dealing with the psychological cravings will be included.