Can't Quit Smoking? Neither Can I

Mark Twain said, "Quitting smoking is easy. I've done it a thousand times."

He sure had a way of getting to the heart of the matter in a witty way, didn't he? What long-term smoker has not stopped smoking multiple times? It's easy to quit. Remaining smoke-free is the hard part.

Once I quit for five years. One moment of weakness, and I was right back in the game, chasing that dragon. Nicotine is powerful stuff, and once your brain is wired for it, you are toast. My best advice would be to never start smoking. You weren't born addicted to nicotine unless your mother smoked while she was pregnant, as was the case with me. Don't do this to yourself.

If you're already addicted and want to quit, I can tell you about the different methods. Any method is as good as the next, but the thing to remember is that once you quit, smoking is no longer an option. It's just not something you do. If you do it once, you will be hooked again. You're always hooked. Recovered alcoholics never touch the stuff for that reason. It is exactly the same with nicotine. Once it gets its hooks into you, it does not let go.

Of all the ways of quitting smoking, the one that worked best for me was cold turkey. That was the time I quit for five years. Those first 3-5 days were pure h-e-double-hockeysticks. I never wanted to have to go through that again, and I was proud of myself for having done it. That's why I stayed off the cigs for so long.

Hypnosis actually works pretty well for me. It makes it easier to get off the cigarettes, but it wears off. Usually hypnosis lasts about ten days for me. I think if you listen to the CDs regularly your results might be better.

Acupuncture does diminish the cravings, but it is very expensive.

Medication works until you go off it. The downfall here is that the medication re-wires your brain and the next time you try to quit will be harder, should you stumble.

Nicotine replacement is the way to go if you're a hard-core addict like me. It at least minimizes the damage though it is not perfectly safe. Nicotine is a carcinogen. Anyway, of all the nicotine replacement products, the electronic cigarettes are the best. You get 99 percent of the pleasure of smoking with these things and none of the 400-degree smoke blasting into your lungs. They're also cheaper than the gum, which tastes like doodie anyway.

I hope you enjoy better long-term success at quitting than I have. If you don't smoke, I hope you never do. If you must smoke to feel normal (like me), give electronic cigarettes a try.

Stop Smoking Without Going Bonkers

Anyone who has tried to quit smoking knows just how difficult it can be. You already know there are undeniable health benefits to quitting, otherwise you likely would not be reading this, but how to go about it. Unfortunately,there is no completely discomfort-free way. Not only are there the psychological dependencies to break, but also the physical symptoms such as anxiety, restlessness, irritability and desire to eat. Some people make several attempts to quit, then restart again, however, each attempt they make brings them a little closer to total success. So if you have not been able to completely terminate the habit, don't despair. You've got lots of company and there is help to be had.

The psychological issues can be best dealt with by changing your environment and routines. For example, if you usually go outside for a smoke after meals, change the routine. If you must go outside, take a walk in a totally different area instead. Do not surround yourself with the usual after meal buddies who are smoking if you can't deal with the temptation. Inform your friends what you are trying to do to gain their support. (If they won't support you, look for better friends!). At coffee breaks, eat a healthy, low calorie snack instead of having a cigarette with your coffee. Remove the ashtrays from the home and make it a non-smoking area. Change whatever you need to change in your surroundings to decrease the urge to smoke. If you are concerned about gaining weight, monitor your weight, and adjust your caloric intake and exercise levels accordingly. Weight gain is common due to the removal of the nicotine. But if you are forced to eat healthier and get a bit more exercise, oh well, that's life.

Physical symptoms are very real as you have stopped adding a very powerful stimulant to your body. The anxiety, restlessness, etc. that is felt is withdrawal from nicotine. There are varying methods of treating this, ranging from nicotine patches to prescription medications to herbal remedies. The route you choose is totally personal preference as to what you feel will work best for you.

Nicotine patches work by replacing the nicotine your body would have received from smoking, and gradually decreasing that amount in increments to avoid the withdrawal symptoms. This takes place over several weeks and works well, providing you are not quitting due to an immediate need to stop the effects of nicotine, such as extremely high blood pressure. Then the patches are not for you. It is also imperative that you do not smoke while wearing the patch since an overload of nicotine can cause serious heart arrhythmias or worse. Nicotine gum may be an option if you prefer just to chew it when cravings hit.

Wellbutrin,aka Zyban, an antidepressant medication, is commonly used to help smokers quit. It helps to decrease the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, plus for some reason causes a decreased interest in smoking. It does require a physician's prescription. Headaches, insomnia, dry mouth, and increased appetite are fairly common side effects of this drug, so something to watch for.

Natural herbs can also be used to ease the transition to being a non-smoker. Smoke Deter is one such natural product. It consists of a blend of several homeopathic ingredients formulated to deal with all the common symptoms of nicotine withdrawal and there are no known drug reactions. The advantages with natural products is that you don't need a doctor's prescription to try it, the cost is reasonable, and there are fewer concerns about side effects.

With all that said, the thing to do is get started on your quit smoking program. Don't procrastinate any longer. I have heard too many former smokers say that they didn't think they could do it, but they did, and now feel so much healthier and energetic for it. For more information on natural health products, including Smoke Deter, visit our website at Mountainviewhealth dot ca