Quit Now!

There are many products and medications to help you stop smoking. First are the nicotine replacement products in the form of gum or a patch. Some people are able to use these products with success. They do not, however, ease the burden of changing habits.

Drugs available include the antidepressant Wellbutrin or Zyban, and a newer product Chantix. Wellbutrin or Zyban helps some people quit, although the way it works is not well understood. Chantix is believed to hit the nicotine receptor sites in the brain and stimulating them and also blocking nicotine from getting to the site. All of these are prescription products and have potential side effects.

There are many habits that are tough to quit. Smoking is one of the toughest! Everyone refers to smoking as an addiction. It does have some addictive properties, but as a former smoker, I believe it is much more of a habit than an addiction. When you quit, you get through the addictive withdrawal in about 5 days, but the habit is another issue.

If you are a smoker, you really want to strive to be fit and healthy, and quitting is the first step.

There are many triggers to lighting a cigarette. Triggers are common. If you get in a car and put the key in the ignition, that is a trigger to fasten your seat belt. The triggers to lighting a cigarette are numerous. Triggers include getting in a car, answering the phone, finishing a meal, having a cup of coffee or glass of alcohol, or a friend coming over. All of these are triggers that make you want to light a cigarette.

Quitting smoking takes a lot of gumption. You must gear up for it, plan for it and expect to battle it for 4 to 6 months. I suggest starting by cutting your cigarette consumption by 1/2 each day. If you are smoking 2 packs or 40 cigarettes a day, on day one smoke only 1 pack or 20 cigarettes. On day 2 you can smoke 1/2 pack or 10 cigarettes and on day 3 you can have 5 cigarettes. Then on day 4, you quit. The first day when you reduce by 1/2 it is not too hard. But days 2 and 3 are harder.

Before you quit, you will want to examine your triggers. Write them down. Decide which ones you can change. For example, you could give up coffee for a couple of weeks and have a soda instead. You will still get your caffeine. You could give up alcohol for several weeks. You could not get together with your friends who are smokers. At the end of each meal, you must immediately get up and do something. You can't just sit there and talk. If you stay preoccupied, it helps. Also, take lots of showers. You will find that while you are in the shower, you will not desire a cigarette. You will probably want to go to bed early.

You must fight a daily battle for between 4 and 6 months before you finally forget about them! But the battle is worth it. You will find your lungs feel better in the first few days. You will smell better in a few days. You will be able to taste food again in a couple of weeks. And 1 to 2 years later, your lungs will recover greatly. Good luck. It is worth it and you can do it.

Phil Kennedy, MD family physician and new author. Providing quality quit smoking writings, articles and reviews online.