How to Quit Smoking

Nicotine in cigarette smoke causes an addiction to smoking. Nicotine is an addictive compound, just like heroin and cocaine.Most people begin smoking as teens, usually because of curiosity and peer pressure. People with friends and/or parents who smoke are more likely to take up smoking than those who don’t. The tobacco industry’s ads and other promotions for its products is another big influence in our society. Anyone who starts smoking is at risk of becoming addicted to nicotine. The younger a person is when he or she begins to smoke, the more likely he or she is to develop nicotine addiction. Almost 90% of adult smokers started at or before age 19.

Quitting Smoking:

For an addict, quitting smoking is one of the most important things he/she will ever do. Quitting smoking will certainly lower your chance of having a heart attack, stroke, or cancer. If the addict is pregnant, quitting smoking will improve her chances of having a healthy baby. The people you live with, especially the children, will be healthier, not to mention your own health. Studies have shown that following simple measures can prove useful in quitting smoking:

• Get ready: Get rid of all cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car, and place of work. Don’t let people smoke in your home. Review your past attempts to quit and think about what worked and what did not.
• Get Support and Encouragement: You can get support in many ways – Tell your family, friends, and coworkers that you are going to quit and want their support. Ask them not to smoke around you or leave cigarettes out. Get individual, group, or telephone counseling. Various local hospitals and health centers hold special workshops and councelling sessions for people who want to quit.
• Learn New Skills and Behaviors: When you first try to quit, change your routine. Drink tea instead of coffee. Eat breakfast in a different place. Do something to reduce your stress. Take a hot bath, exercise, or read a book. Drink a lot of water and other fluids.
• Get Medication and Use It Correctly: Medications can help you stop smoking and lessen the urge to smoke.

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Withdrawl symptoms:

The first few weeks after quitting smoking are usually the most difficult and it normally takes at least 8-12 weeks before a person starts to feel comfortable. Physical symptoms include tingling in the hands and feet, sweating, intestinal disorders (cramps, nausea), headache, & various symptoms of cold as the lungs begin to clear (sore throats, coughing etc). Mental and emotional symptoms include feelings of being an infant, intense need, and a state of near paralysis, insomnia, mental confusion, vagueness, irritability, anxiety, and depression may also occur.

Treatments:

Some medicines that don’t have nicotine have already been approved to help with quitting smoking. Bupropion (Zyban) was first used as an antidepressant, and later approved by the FDA to help people quit smoking. It affects chemicals in the brain that are related to nicotine craving.

Some medicines seem to work by stopping nicotine from stimulating the brain, either by blocking the brain receptors that nicotine normally attaches to, or preventing it from reaching the brain altogether. Varenicline (Chantix) is one such medicine which is FDA-approved for help with quitting. It attaches to nicotine receptors in the brain, reducing the pleasurable effects of smoking and helping to reduce nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

Other medicines still being studied include rimonabant, which is also a pill, and some vaccines that are given as a series of injections. They seem to be safe, and may help some smokers quit. However, using different quitting aids simultaneously is still the best way to increase your chances of success.