To successfully stop smoking, you’ll need to not only change your behavior and cope with nicotine withdrawal symptoms, but also find healthier ways to manage your moods. With the right game plan, though, you can break the addiction and join the millions of people who’ve kicked the habit for good.
1. Nicotine replacement therapy:
There are several types,including nicotine gum, patches, inhalers, sprays, e-cig and lozenges. You can use E-Cigarette Shop online to buy flavored e-liquids. They work by giving you nicotine without the use oftobacco. You may be more likely to quit with nicotine replacement therapy, butit works best when you use it with behavioral therapy and lots of support fromfriends and family. And remember that the goal is to end your addiction tonicotine, not simply to quit using tobacco.
2. Prepare Before You Go 'Cold Turkey':
There’s more to it thanjust tossing your cigarettes out. Smoking is an addiction. The brain is hookedon nicotine. Without it, you’ll go through withdrawal. Line up support inadvance. Ask your doctor about all the methods that will help, such asquit-smoking classes and apps, counseling, medication, and hypnosis. You’ll beready for the day you choose to quit.
3. Practice relaxation techniques:
Smoking may have beenyour way to deal with stress. Resisting a tobacco craving can itself bestressful. Take the edge off stress by practicing relaxation techniques, suchas deep-breathing exercises, muscle relaxation, yoga, visualization, massage orlistening to calming music.
4. Consider non-nicotine medications:
The FDA have approved twonon-nicotine-containing drugs to help smokers quit. These are bupropion (Zyban)and varenicline (Chantix). Bupropion and varenicline are non-nicotinemedications that may help to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Talk toyour healthcare provider if you feel that you would like to try one of these tohelp you to stop smoking, as you will need a prescription.
Bupropion acts onchemicals in the brain that play a role in nicotine craving and reducescravings and symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Bupropion is taken in tablet formfor 12 weeks, but if you have successfully quit smoking in that time, you canuse it for a further 3 to 6 months to reduce the risk of smoking relapse.Varenicline interferes with the nicotine receptors in the brain, which resultsin reducing the pleasure that you get from tobacco use, and decreases nicotinewithdrawal symptoms. Varenicline is used for 12 weeks, but again, if you havesuccessfully kicked the habit, then you can use the drug for another 12 weeksto reduce smoking relapse risk. Risks involved with using these drugs includebehavioral changes, depressed mood, aggression, hostility, and suicidalthoughts or actions.
5. Really Examine the Health Risks:
Anotherstep in changing your mind about smoking involves removing the blinders we putup as smokers and seeking out information on the damage tobacco causes. We allknow about the health risks, but avoid reading about them whenever possible.Taking a close look at research, news, and statistics will help you make thatshift away from being a comfortable smoker to someone who can't wait to beclear of cigarettes for good.