Quit Smoking Through Nicotine Replacement Therapy

The first thing many people will try when they want to quit smoking is going "cold turkey" or stopping all at once. Now this may be good for you health but it's also really, really hard to accomplish. Therefore, many people try Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) which weans the smoker off of the nicotine in a more gradual fashion.

Nicotine is a strong drug that creates a dependency so whenever a smoker attempts to quit smoking, they begin suffering withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms will that make the smokers life extremely unpleasant until the symptoms pass. NRT allows the smoker to use other approaches such as patches, nicotine gum, sprays, nicotine inhalers, or nicotine lozenges. These substitutes can help break the smokers habit by using nicotine in smaller and smaller amounts every day.

It's true the that the smoker is still ingesting nicotine via the NRT program however,  they aren't ingesting the other deadly chemicals that are found in cigarettes. So it may not be a perfect system but it is much healthier approach than just smoking the cigarettes themselves.

What NRT does is it allows the smoker quit smoking by freeing up their mind to deal with the psychological  part of the addiction. If the smoker quits cold turkey, they will naturally be focused on the withdrawal symptoms. But they wouldn't be able to focus on their habit of smoking cigarettes for the pleasure it gives them mentally.

While the withdrawal symptoms aren't completely eliminated, they are reduced by 90% or more because the smoker is still getting a little dose of nicotine to keep the cravings at bay.  When smokers are asked why quitting cold turkey did not work for them, the majority of them responded that biggest problem was the onset of withdrawal symptoms, so NRT helps alleviate those cravings thereby increasing the odds of success.

NRT doesn't help you with the mental part of the addiction though. It only helps to reduce the physical cravings for nicotine. Smokers should always find something to help them break the mental addiction to smoking as well.

Always remember to check with your doctor before you attempt to start any kind of replacement therapy. The medical community believes that the benefits of NRT greatly outweigh it's risks for those who to quit smoking. Just proceed wisely.

If NRT sounds like it's for you, be sure to start the program right when you first quit smoking. Do not continue to smoke and use NRT at the same time. The reason is that you would be getting a double dose of nicotine and that won't do your health any good at all.

So it's up to you whether you choose to use nicotine patches, nicotine gum, nasal spray, inhalers, or nicotine  lozenges. With any of them  you could experience some minor side effects. If you do, call your doctor and do what he prescribes or just switch to a different form of NRT until you find one that's effective for you to help you finally quit smoking.

Quit Smoking by Facing Your Psychological Addiction

If you're currently addicted to nicotine the way I was then just thinking about trying to quit smoking can be really intimating. There are withdrawal symptoms that are physical and withdrawal symptoms that are physiological as well.  The physiological  part of trying to quit smoking can just as powerful as the physical if you ask me.

If you think it's finally time for you to quit then you need to make sure that you plan takes into consideration how smoking affects you mentally. How many times have you lit a cigarette when you already had one lit. That is just one example that shows how smoking can affect you mentally. 

Physiological counseling as well as medication can really help your transition to becoming a non smoker because smoking is an emotional habit that people do socially. It's not just about moving your fingers to your mouth again and again.

Many options exist for the physiological  part of your smoking addiction and they need to done at the same time as the physical elimination of the nicotine not just after you finally quit smoking. 

The American Cancer Society has a toll free "Quitline" that may be effective for you. If you call in you will be talking to a trained counselor who's been where you are at. They can be a huge encouragement to you and they may be what you need to get you over the hump.   

There are many very common pitfalls that these trained counselors can help you overcome. Phone counseling can be a very effective way to help those who want to quit smoking. It's also convenient as you can call anytime and be sure you'll be talking to someone who wants to help you. 

For some people who want to quit smoking, they need look no further than their own family or friends. Who cares about you more than your family or friends? It's very likely that someone close to you has been just where you are. They know how difficult it can be to quit smoking and they'd love to help and encourage you.

There are also other programs designed specifically for people like you who desire to quit smoking. If you become part of a group like this, it can be really helpful and beneficial and give you the kind of support you need to kick the habit for good.

Some people like individual counseling more than group meetings, but whatever you prefer, counseling definitely helps people quit smoking a lot more effectively than those who try to do it themselves. Some programs will be quite intensive and others programs will be more laid back. To me, the more intense it is, the higher your chances of success in your endeavor to quit smoking.

If you sense that your smoking addiction is very strong, then attempt to find a programs the meet more frequently. Get a buddy to hold you accountable and especially someone who has been there so you'll know that they know what they're talking about and won't feel impositioned to help you out. And be aware of any people that might be there making exaggerated claims just so that they can make a quick buck. Just stick with your plan to quit smoking and you'll be glad you did.

Some of the Immediate Benefits When I Quit Smoking?

Everyone realizes that it is much healthier for a person to quit smoking than it is to continue their smoking and addiction to nicotine. However, a better long term health is just the beginning of the benefits of kicking the habit.

As soon as you smoke your last cigarette and start to breathe fresh clean air, your body is instantly improved. Within 18 minutes after you have your last puff, many changes begin to transform your overall well being.  Your blood pressure and your heart rate will begin to drop to a healthier level. Within a day, your blood will show normal levels of carbon monoxide.

Within just a two months after you stop smoking, your lungs will function at a normal level. You'll be able to tell be your improves stamina. You'll likely be able to walk a flight of stairs without gasping for air. Not to mention, you circulation will be greatly improved.

Within the next six months you'll notice that you don't feel a need to cough nearly as much as you used to because your body is healing and transforming itself. The cilia in your lungs do the work of moving the mucus out of your lungs. Now they're able to function much more normally. It's likely that you're getting sick less these days as your body continues to clear out infections and other impurities.

By the time that you're celebrating your one year anniversary since you quit smoking, you should celebrate the fact that your risk of heart disease has dropped in half since you were considered a smoker!

In the next five to ten years after you kicked the habit, your risk of stroke is greatly reduced as well. The non smokers death rate from lung cancer is less than half of that for a smoker. Cancer of the pancreas, bladder, throat and mouth are greatly decreased as well. 

There are many other benefits to quitting smoking besides the obvious health reasons. Smoking can cause unattractive & ugly yellow teeth and yellow finger nails. Smoking can cause premature aging. Smoking can cause a man or womans voice to drop an octave or two. Smoking can carry a foul odor that clings to your clothes, vehicles and furniture.  

But, as soon as you quit smoking, your skin immediately begins to rejuvenate itself. Before long the smoky odor goes away as well. You can talk to people again without fear of them smelling your stinky breath. There are many  teeth whiteners that will eliminate your yellowed teeth.

After you quit smoking, you'll notice improvements in other areas of your life such as your sense of smell. It's very common that when people quit smoking they realize what they were missing because their sense of smell is no longer dull but much sharper. 

Maybe we covered some of your reasons or maybe you have other reasons that you want to quit smoking. But either way, the benefits to quit smoking are many and it worth your effort to once and for all say sayonara to cigarette for ever.

Quit Smoking to Save Money

While your health is of the utmost importance, there are more than just health reasons to quit smoking. The monetary cost of buying those cigarettes every day or every week really adds up and can have big impact on your budget.

Smoking cigarettes is certainly a very expensive habit. What's worse is that many people (it used to be myself as well) smoke more than one pack per day. Many smokers may start out smoking just a few cigarettes per day. But as time goes by and their addiction goes on, they start increasing the number of cigarettes they smoke every day in order to get their "fix". Therefore, the cost of their habit goes up accordingly until they take steps to finally quit smoking for good.

It's easy to calculate the amount of money that you spend on your smokes by averaging how much you spend per pack and multiply that number by the number of packs you smoke per day. Then take that number and multiply it by 365. That's the annual out of pocket cost for your nicotine habit. Of course that doesn't include health issues related to your smoking, smoky clothes smell or gas to go to buy them, etc.

If where you live, cigarettes cost $3.59 and you smoke a pack a day, you're spending $1,310.35 just for the cigarettes themselves. Wouldn't you rather take that $1,310.35 and do something wild with it. Imagine if you smoke 3 packs a day or if cigarettes cost $5 a pack where you live. We're talking about some serious cash here.     

If you decided to quit smoking your pack a day and invested that money in a 401k plan or a IRA and got an average of 8.5% interest for 30 years, you would be looking at a nest egg of a quarter of a million dollars from this alone!  

If you continue to smoke, you will also be paying  many other expenses associated with your habit. Besides the fact you're a higher risk for cancer there are expenses such as cleaning smelly clothes, teeth cleaning, cleaning your vehicle and repairing holes from the ashes.

You're also paying substantially higher insurance costs as a smoker. Health care workers know the direct impact smoking has on the publics health and out overall economy.

Have you ever tried to sell a vehicle that you smoked in for years. Good luck with that. Everyone can smell a smoky car right away and no one likes it so the value of your vehicle is less. It's also a proven fact that on average, people that smoke tend to earn less and be less productive than non-smokers. Just put yourself in the position an employer. If you had a choice to hire a smoker or a non-smoker and they were otherwise equally qualifies, who would you rather hire?

These are some of the costs costs associated with smoking. When you consider the health impact smoking has, the cost is even greater. You should quit smoking for your health. You should also quit smoking to reduce your financial waste and put that money towards something that goes up in value.

Nicotine Won’t Let You Quit Smoking

How much of a hold on you does nicotine have? A lot. Especially if you're trying to quit smoking. Nicotine is found naturally in tobacco and it's one of the more addictive substances in the world. While nicotine isn't actually illegal, it's just as addictive as drugs like heroine and cocaine - two drugs that are know to have qualities that are extremely addicting.

  

When a person uses nicotine, their body starts to rely on it both physically as well as mentally. One of the main reasons that it's so hard to quit smoking is because you have physical as well as psychological effects that you have to deal with and this can be absolutely overwhelming for anyone.

           

Do you realize that your smoking addiction is not caused by the smoke itself? It's really the nicotine the flows from the smoke down deep into your lungs where it finds it's way into your blood stream. From there the nicotine moves into other parts of your body and has a dramatic affect on your overall health.

Every main part of your body is affected by nicotine including your brain, your blood vessels, hormones and even your metabolism. Logically, you may realize that there may be major damage being done inside you but your ability to quit smoking is lessened due to the nicotine. Nicotine has similar effects as endorphins which release mood elevating feelings that can cause you to desire even more.    

But nicotine also has other results. As soon as you attempt to quit smoking or even if you stay at approximately the same number of cigarettes a day, your body sends a message to your brain to smoke more...  It tells you that you have become too tolerant at your current cigarette usage level. Nicotine can actually cause your body to react faster than if you were given a drug intravenously!

If you do quit smoking, be advised that the nicotine stays in your body for about four days after you quit smoking. Your body will then begin it's withdrawal routine and that's a physical as well as mental road block that you need to overcome.

Poor sleeping patterns, dizziness and head aches are part of the physical side that you'll need to deal with. But the mental side is no cake walk either. The new ex-smoker will likely need to deal with mood swings, frustration, some times depression and even anger when the nicotine withdrawal begins.

Sadly, many many smokers will turn back to their cigarettes to relieve the pressure from both their mind and their body. And so the cycle begins. This is the dilemma of nicotine withdrawal. The withdrawal symptoms can last for just days or for many it can last weeks depending on the severity of their nicotine addiction.

Thankfully though, all these symptoms will eventually disappear. That incredibly strong grip that nicotine had on you will sooner or later loosen up. This is the time that smokers will finally kick that bad habit forever. Now, many long time smokers will need to go through this cycle more than once. But, eventually they will be able to say good bye to their addiction. 

Remember, you don't have to go through this cycle again and again. you can quit smoking today with one of the many smoking cessation aids available. So kick that habit today!

A Kid Learns To Smoke... & An Adult learns To Quit Smoking

As a long time smoker, believe me when I say that I understand what it's like to try to quit smoking. I started smoking at an early age. So early that I can't even remember how old I was!
I would guess that I was about 8 years old or so. My earliest memories of learning or at least trying to smoke cigarettes was taking a cigarette from a pack in my dad's pick up truck and one of his match books and sneaking away behind a building.
Since I grew up on a farm, we had lots of buildings to hide behind. I remember that my dad smoked Salem and Winston brand cigarettes. When I took the first cigarette and tried to smoke it, it didn't go too well as I had now clue what I was doing.
Before you learn to inhale properly you tend to take a puff and swallow it. Yuck! Why people persist in trying to smoke after that is beyond me. I guess that's a good indicator of how strong peer pressure can be and also what a kids perceptions of what "cool" is.
Well, I did persist in trying to learn how to smoke. I felt a little guilty taking my dad's cigarettes but I didn't think he'd actually notice that any were missing when I just took one here and one there. As the months passed, eventually I got the idea of how to inhale.
No longer did I need to swallow like I eating food but I simply breathed in deeply and was able to blow out smoke the way I my dad did. That felt kinda cool and I felt kinda proud of myself for figuring this out. I noticed other kids in school that obviously didn't understand how to inhale. They would take a puff and swallow. Ha! That looked funny because I new that they couldn't possibly like that. It also made me much cooler because I was getting smooth at inhaling and feeling pretty good about myself.

Little did I realize at the time, how I was getting addicted slowly by surely...

In high school I would tend to hang out with the other "smokers". I new who smoked and who didn't but I also was naive enough think that others didn't think I was smoking. I smoked throughout my high school years but desperately tried to keep it from my parents. I would buy a pack of cigarettes from a vending machine and hide them in my car, in my clothes dresser or in one of the out buildings on our farm. Some times when I would come home I would forget that I had a pack of cigarettes sitting on my car seat in broad daylight and I'd throw them out the window at the last second for fear that my parents would find them. That happened dozens of times.

After high school I went to college and that's the period of time when my smoking habit really got consistent. Since my parents weren't around me on a daily basis and many other people smoked, I felt the freedom to smoke any time I wanted. I smoked in the morning, on the way to class, between classes, after school, on the way home, at home, at the bars (especially at the bars) and generally any time I felt like it.

Looking back, I don't think I really felt like I was addicted to smoking though. I remember thinking that I could quit smoking  if I wanted to quit. I just didn't want to quit. After my college years were over and I got a job, I smoked even more. Partly because I missed my friends from college and I was lonely, partly because I felt the stress of my job and partly because... I liked smoking.

Smoking became my companion. There was something about smoking that gave me some peace. It was something to do to take my mind off of life's struggles. I loved holding a cigarette. Twirling it between my fingers. I'm sure that sounds stupid to non-smokers but you smokers know what I'm talking about.

At this point in my life and for several years now, I was smoking about a carton (10 packs) a week. Some times more. One of the feelings that I always looked forward to was buying a new fresh carton of cigarettes. I can still feel how the carton felt. The weight of it, etc. I know that sounds weird. But, opening a new carton and taking that first pack out and "packing" the cigarettes was so normal.

Turning point

I don't know exactly when I first started thinking about quitting smoking. I loved smoking. It wasn't really the cost of cigarettes as I was paying about $10 for a carton back then and could easily afford it. But, whatever it was, I started to think about what it would be like to quit smoking.

Well, this is when you begin to understand just how important cigarettes are to you and how strong a hold they can have on you. Once I starting envisioning my life without smoking, it was on my mind constantly. I was beginning to want to stop smoking. Everyone knows the reasons not to smoke so I won't list them here. These reasons just weren't important when I was younger but when I got into my late 20's, I guess I was maturing.

Unfortunately, It took me several years to actually quit smoking...

My will power alone proved to be extremely weak. I also went through a paid program to help me quit. I did quit for a while but only because I paid a lot of money. I knew I would start again... Funny thing about that. I actually quit for 1 year. One miserably year. I wanted to see if I could make it a year without smoking and I did it. But, when that year was over, I started smoking again. I also went right back to a pack and a half a day just like I never quit!

About a year later, I decided to quit smoking for good. Just I had many times before. However, this time I did it. I had been reading a lot of psychological stuff about smoking and that helped me understand some aspects that I didn't understand before. Somehow I was a changed person. It wasn't that I didn't have a craving for a cigarette because I still did but more that my desire for not smoking was greater that my desire for a cigarette.

To this day, many many years later, I still would still like a cigarette! That thought pops in my head quite often. However, today I have a terrific wife who cares about me and three of the greatest kids who cherish me. When I think of the reasons not to smoke vs. the reasons to smoke, it's no contest. Living smoke free and remembering the reasons that I do gives my peace and contentment that nothing else especially smoking could! You don't have to be a slave to smoking any longer either. You can quit smoking.http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?B=49565&U=397403&M=9407