Beat the Smoking Habit Once and For All
Overcoming a nicotine addiction entails far more than simply wanting to quit, as new medical research will attest. Few people would suggest that recovering from addiction to the notorious drug heroin could be easily achieved with willpower alone-and yet studies have shown nicotine to be a more intensely addictive substance than heroin. When you are truly ready to quit, take advantage of one of the several support methods that are available today-they can help you to ultimately stop smoking for good.
A universal cure-all for nicotine addiction does not yet exist, but with some research and experimentation you can find the method that suits you best. Studies correlate a greater success rate with the use of some form of support as opposed to the method referred to as "quitting cold turkey."
Some of the most widely recommended methods for finally quitting include the following:
Prescriptions
Your doctor can prescribe one of the several medications proven effective at treating the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Buproprion, an antidepressant, has been found helpful to people trying to quit smoking. Researchers theorize that smokers have anxiety-related conditions for which they use cigarettes to cope with. Buproprion seems to work by balancing the chemical messengers within the brain, reducing agitation while soothing the common side effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Another option is Varenicline. Varenicline is non-addictive, contains no nicotine, and has a relatively slight incidence of side effects.
Tried and True-the Patch and NRT
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) may come in many forms, including the patch, which is the most commonly used, chewing gum, nasal spray and inhalers, as well as tablets and nicotine lozenges. Regardless of the product used, the process is the same; to gradually decrease one's intake of nicotine while easing the symptoms of withdrawal.
Natural Methods
Those interested in natural products or remedies use methods such as hypnotherapy or self-hypnosis, meditation, acupuncture, and laser therapy as a means of quitting smoking. Also available are patches, capsules, and teas made from all-natural or herbal ingredients as a means of dealing with nicotine withdrawal.
Support Groups and Counseling
Some people feel they benefit greatly from the support and advice of others who are also trying to stop smoking, either through websites or online forums where one can have instant access to helpful information and messages from those in similar situations, or through smoking cessation groups. Many types of health insurance will usually cover any fees associated with attending group support meetings, also, hospitals, health clinics, and doctor's offices often sponsor free or low-cost workshops for those interested in quitting their smoking habit.
Other smokers may feel more comfortable in a one-on-one atmosphere and would benefit from personal counseling sessions with a therapist. Depending on the type of therapy or the group involved, sessions may be weekly, or several times each week, usually lasting for three months, or longer.
For a cheaper version of counseling that's a little easier on jam-packed schedules, tapes and CDs are becoming very popular. If you find that one single method does not deliver the results you're looking for, consider combining two or more methods. Everyone has a different story to tell when it comes a battle with addiction, and its important to personalize an attack plan that will work for you.
Brent Crouch is the owner of an internet marketing blog, BrentCrouch.com and StopSmokingEtc.com. He has dedicated this site to sharing advice on the benefits of quitting smoking and other stop smoking related topics.
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