Quit Smoking

Want to Quit Smoking?

Faced with concrete evidence all around them to quit the smoking habit or probably die from it, smokers still light up and poison themselves. Most smokers want to quit, but how does one deal with the struggles of addiction? With all the resources available to help one quit smoking, one still needs a good support system to succeed. There are many different kinds of supports people can use. From nicotine replacement drugs to psychological groups, a smoker will always need a support group to overcome addiction. Ultimately, it is up to the smoker to decide which treatment or a combination of treatments work best for them. Like any journey, trial an error will unlock the smokers' key to success. Very few people will succeed with their first attempt to put the habit down. Having a support group will help a smoker secure help through the rough times ahead.

The psychological addiction to smoking is a hard habit to quit. Doctors and psychologists agree that it is not just about quitting one thing, but changing a lifestyle in the process ( Hartman, Brady 2004). Most people can have a very hard time in their life eliminating triggers that cause them to smoke like: stress, driving, and eating. It is obvious some triggers that cause people to smoke cannot be eliminated. Trying to just cut out a physical addiction to nicotine can be very hard on the body of a smoker. Nicotine is one of the most addictive drugs, as well as one of the hardest physical and mental addictions to overcome (Center for Disease Control 2004). Some doctors and psychologists think a nicotine addiction is worse than or equal to a cocaine addiction. A smoker can have terrible withdrawal symptoms from headaches, fatigue, shaking and extreme irritability when they cut nicotine out of their lives. This is not only hard on the smoker, but can be a terrible experience for people around the person trying to quit smoking. Not to worry though, nicotine aids are invaluable when a smoker is trying to quit.

Nicotine replacement aids are meant to help calm and somewhat lessen the withdrawal symptoms for a smoker. Sometimes a smoker will need some type of nicotine replacement to ensure their success. Doctors and psychologists can prescribe certain anti-depressant buffer drugs for a smoker such as a Bupropion, more commonly known as Zyban to help curve the habit of smoking. These pills are taken to calm a person down and help them through this difficult task. Bupropion aids have been known to make cigarettes taste bad, and lessen the desire for them. Although a Bupropion drug does not contain nicotine, there are many other treatments that do. Many smokers can either buy nicotine replacement aids at their local pharmacy or over the counter ( O.T.C.). Traditionally you will pay out of pocket for this whole expense. If a smoker has insurance a lot of the same aids can be prescribed by a doctor that can sometimes be less of an expense up front. These nicotine replacement treatments can range from patches with nicotine in them you place on your body to help support the nicotine it needs, to gums. These nicotine patches come in different doses so you can gradually wean yourself down on doses of nicotine that go into your body slowly. Gums with nicotine in them also help lessen withdrawal symptoms by giving smokers nicotine when they chew a gum that slowly releases nicotine into their system. Smokers can also spray their mouth or up their nose to administer nicotine as needed with a nicotine spray. Unlike patches, gums and sprays are on an as needed basis and do not have to be on your body all the time. Many of these nicotine replacement systems help get smokers out of the habit of cigarettes while helping withdrawal symptoms for the smoker. This can make quitting a lot easier. As with any system a person chooses to use, consult a doctor or pharmacist to ensure proper use of any replacement product. If a smoker does not consult a doctor or pharmacist make sure to read instructions and inserts on any nicotine replacement product to ensure proper use and safety. Nicotine replacement products can be deadly if used incorrectly.

There are also many different types of support groups available for any smoker that needs a little extra mental support to quit smoking. Success rates for a smoker to quit drastically increase the minute a smoker finds some type of personal support group (Lamberg, 2004). This can help smokers to understand their addiction to cigarettes. Not only that but most of these groups can help a smoker customize a quit program that fits the smokers need. This type of support can be found everywhere. Ask a local clinic or hospital for smoking support groups available in your community. Communities normally have bulletins posted all over to help a smoker find a support group. Smokers can also utilize the Internet to help gain access to support groups by the thousands. Some internet support groups have lots of different ways a smoker can connect with others that are going through the same addiction. They can post in threaded newsgroups or visit a chat room for live discussions with other smokers. Some insurance companies offer quit programs to their clients where they have individuals call the smoker at certain checkpoints set up to help support a smoker through the process of quitting.