‘Quit Smoking’
Becoming a Smoker
Smoking is strange behaviour. Almost every smoker knows that it’s bad for his health, but many smokers continue the habit for decades, each year experiencing a further decline in health and well-being.
Why is it Difficult to Quit?
There is no doubt that smoking is addictive. It doesn’t seem to affect everybody the same way though. Some people have great difficulty quitting smoking, while others give it up with almost no effort.
Dangers of Smoking
Almost everybody knows that smoking is bad for the health. Images of blackened lungs line school hallways and hospital waiting rooms, but despite this people continue to take up smoking.
Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms
When people try to give up smoking they will experience both psychological and physical withdrawal symptoms.
How to Choose the Right Method to Quit Smoking
Once you have made the decision to quit smoking, you should choose a method to help you overcome the habit. Each method has advantages and disadvantages, so it’s a good idea to examine all of them before deciding.
How to Cope with Lapses
During the quitting process the urge to smoke will be very strong. At some point, many people succumb to those urges. In fact, most people will have lapses or relapses on the road to smoke-free lives.
Natural Ways to Stop Smoking
There are many paths to a smoke-free living. You can use aids like patches, gum, or drugs like Zyban to help get over the physical addiction to nicotine.
Zyban
One of the therapies for quitting smoking is the use of a drug called Zyban. The generic name of Zyban is buproprion hydrochloride and also goes under the names Wellbutrin or Wellbutrin SR.
Nicotine Gum
Nicotine is the addictive substance of tobacco, and smokers become accustomed to the stimulation that nicotine provides. When smokers try to quit, the cravings that they feel are mostly due to nicotine withdrawal. A Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) can help overcome these cravings for nicotine.
Nicotine Patch
Smokers find it hard to quit the habit because they are addicted to nicotine. They may also be accustomed to the habit of smoking in certain situations, but it is the nicotine which causes cravings for cigarettes.
Quitting Smoking for Good
We have all met people who claim that ‘quitting smoking is easy.’ They usually say this as they are puffing on a cigarette. Sure — it’s easy to quit for an hour or a day, but it’s the staying quit part which is difficult.
Avoiding Weight Gain
Many people believe that it is inevitable to gain weight when you quit smoking, but this is not necessarily true.