The Best Ways To Quit Smoking

If you've tried to quit before and failed, read on to find a way that will work.

When you make the decision to try to stop smoking, you'll want to know the best ways to quit smoking so that you have the best chance to be successful. Maybe you've tried to quit a time or two before. If you didn't succeed it might be because you didn't know the best methods to stop smoking. Or maybe you just needed a few tips on quitting smoking.

The method that is probably used most often is the "cold turkey". Although many people try to quit "cold turkey", it is hard to do. When you quit "cold turkey", you don't plan or cut back, you just stop.

The main reason why it's so difficult is because of nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Because you are no longer supplying nicotine to your body, you experience a very strong craving for a cigarette.

Anyone who has tried to quit in this way knows just how strong the cravings can be. And the cravings are what cause most smokers to fail in their attempt to quit "cold turkey".

Another method that may be tried is called aversion therapy. With this method, you are basically forcing yourself to smoke to the point where you don't want to smoke another cigarette. The worse you feel the better.

The theory here is that you are trying to convince yourself that smoking is disgusting and makes you feel awful. You're trying to give yourself the same feeling you might have towards alcohol if you have a roaring hang-over. In this case, the last thing you want to face is another drink. The goal of aversion therapy is to give you this feeling about cigarettes.

There are also a number of products that are available to help ease some of the symptoms of smoking cessation which is the main cause of failing to quit.

Nicotine replacement products help you to cope with nicotine withdrawal symptoms when you are trying to quit smoking. You can choose from a number of different products. These are available without a doctor's prescription, over the counter at your local pharmacy.

With nicotine gum you chew the gum but then keep it between your cheeks and gums. This releases nicotine to relieve your craving. The disadvantage of nicotine gum is that if you chew it too fast or accidentally swallow it, you may experience nausea or hiccups.

Another nicotine replacement product is the nicotine patch. It is a small self-adhesive patch which steadily releases a set amount of nicotine into your bloodstream through your skin.

It too has some disadvantages. The main one is that the amount of nicotine released cannot be easily adjusted according to your cravings. There are also several possible side-effects including dizziness, sleeplessness, headache, stomach upset and blurred vision.

A third type of nicotine replacement product is the nicotine lozenge. You put the lozenge between your cheek and gum and suck on it slowly to release nicotine when you are experiencing a craving. It too has some possible side-effects such as nausea, heartburn and dizziness.

A natural alternative to these over the counter products are herbal smoking cessation products. These products range from herbal cigarettes to herbs that provide relief from the symptoms of smoking cessation. Click this link for more information on Herbal Smoking Cessation 

Another natural smoking cessation product is the Smoke Deter system. Smoke Deter is a homeopathic product using only natural substances. It helps to ease nicotine cravings while relieving much of the discomfort associated with quitting smoking.

A somewhat controversial method that can be used to stop smoking is hypnosis. Many people are able to stop smoking by hypnosis. It seems to work better if you feel it will be successful because hypnosis uses the power of suggestion. If you're a doubter, you will have more trouble allowing the suggestion that smoking is bad to take root in your mind.

There are also stop smoking products which should only be taken with a doctor's recommendation. These are referred to as stop smoking pills. Two of the most popular choices are Zyban and Wellbutrin. Both of these pills reduce the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal by releasing certain substances into the bloodstream.

Most of these types of medications are only to be taken for a certain limited period of time, usually 8 to 12 weeks. Although there are some side-effects with these pills, they have proven to be effective in smoking cessation.

According to many experts, these are the best ways to quit smoking. But really, the best way for you is the one that helps you to stop smoking for good.