The Best Way To Quit Smoking
Method Three
People who smoke at a rate of at least one (1) and a half pack per day are already considered as addicted to smoking.
Addiction to cigarettes poses great risks not only for the smoker, but also to the people surrounding him or her who inhales the smoke he puffs out. This is most commonly known as "second hand" smoke (also believed to be more fatal than the actual process of smoking).
Health risks involved in smoking are the following:
1. Bad breath
2. Development of lung cancer over long periods of addiction
3. Pigmentation of the lips
4. Body smell (the smell of smoke from cigarettes tend to linger on the body, if not ones clothes)
There are a number of ways (even hundreds) on how to quit smoking. It all boils down to the point that in every smoker, there is a unique method that would apply solely to him to enable him to stop puffing. Listed below are some of the most common, if not widely used, methods of quitting smoking.
1. Chewing Gum
Perhaps the best known method is that of the "Chewing Gum", wherein the smoker is intended to chew a gum whenever there is an urge to smoke. This would keep the smoker busy for the duration of the time that he would want to puff a cigarette.
2. Acupuncture
Acupuncture may be the least known method in aiding smokers to quit. This usually costs around $50-$100 depending on the frequency of the assigned visitation or consultations. Most people declare that they feel little or no pain at all during the process. The idea or goal of acupuncture is to reduce the craving for nicotine in cigarettes through proper blood circulation.
3. Nicotine Patches
Nicotine from cigarettes is the addicting agent that brings out the cravings to smoke. For some people, nicotine patches are perhaps the easiest method to use since the smoker would only be required to wear the patch for a period of time to reduce the cravings to smoke, until such time that he can do without said patch. The patch would release nicotine into the bloodstream of the person that would replace his or her craving to smoke.
4. Fake cigarette
Most often than not, people tend to smoke out of habit, not need. To quit smoking, some people use a real cigarette, go through all the regular motion of taking one out of the pack, getting the lighter, but, the clinch here is NOT to light the cigarette. One may pretend to inhale or blow smoke, but the idea is to not loose the regular movements associated with smoking (which makes it harder to quit), but reducing nicotine intake.
5. Gradual smoking reduction
A chain smoker usually has a regular time when he or she smokes, say after every meal or office breaks, while walking the dog or simply during watching TV. Delaying the next cigarette intake, even for a few minutes, may greatly reduce one's intake in a day.
6. Herbal cigarette
Some stores offer herbal cigarettes that are tobacco and nicotine free. This would give the smoker an illusion that he or she has not lost his or her regular habit, a plus in the reduction in probable health problems.
7. Hypnosis
This method perhaps is one of the most powerful modes to quit smoking. People reported to quit the habit even after only one session. During hypnosis, the therapist or hypnotist would ask the subject (the smoker) to trace the event when he or she first started to smoke. From there, the disadvantages would be instilled in the unconscious mind and would allow the smoker to dwell on the other parts or benefits of not smoking.
8. Quit the bad habit for someone special
What most people do is to place a picture of the person they intend to stop smoking for, like their very own kids or ones wife or girlfriend, on the pack of cigarette. Every time they have the urge to pick one from the pack, they would be reminded of why they have to stop smoking.
9. Snacking
Whenever there is an urge to smoke, grab a bag of healthy snack bits (vegetable sticks, breads or fruits) and chew ones cravings away. Lollipops and pretzels are also known to do the trick.
