1. Get the Patch
There are a number of brand-name nicotine patches available on the market today to help you end your tobacco addiction. Nicotine patches contain measured doses of nicotine that are delivered to you through your skin. Most patches have a time-release mechanism that slowly releases the nicotine over a 24-hour period. The amount of nicotine you get is less than what you'd get from a cigarette, but it's enough to help your body deal with nicotine cravings as you slowly reduce your cigarette use. Nicotine patches adhere to the skin and are worn for up to 24 hours, usually on the upper arm or hip. As you reduce your use of cigarettes, you can begin to cut back on wearing the patch. Eventually, your body becomes accustomed to having no nicotine at all. At that point, your tobacco addiction will be over.
2. Chew Nicotine Gum
Nicotine gum serves two purposes when you're trying to quit smoking. It delivers small amounts of nicotine to your body, so you don't experience intense withdrawal symptoms while you're kicking the smoking habit. It also gives your mouth something to do when you're not smoking. One of the hardest aspects of ending a tobacco habit is the feeling of needing to have something in your mouth. You become so accustomed to having a cigarette there constantly that not having something between your lips feels unusual. Chewing nicotine gum stimulates your mouth and helps you get over this uncomfortable feeling.
3. Try Hypnosis
Hypnosis is considered one of the most effective ways to stop smoking. Contrary to popular belief, there are very few people who can't be hypnotized. In fact, anyone who has the ability to daydream can be put under hypnotic suggestion. The most effective hypnosis is performed in person, under the direct supervision of a certified hypnotherapist. However, there are some hypnotic CDs available that may be of benefit to people who are particularly open to suggestion. In hypnotherapy, your therapist will put you into a state of deep relaxation. While you're relaxed, he will make suggestions to you about how pleasant your life will be without cigarettes, and allow you to picture yourself as a non-smoker. He'll reinforce this suggestion by backing it up with unpleasant images about the worst aspects of smoking. Once you awaken, refreshed and alert, you'll carry these images in your subconscious, which will allow you to make the change to a non-smoking lifestyle. Most people see results from hypnosis in fewer than five sessions, and some people are able to quit after only one session.
4. Undergo Aversion Therapy
In aversion therapy, your therapist will try to get you to associate smoking with something unpleasant. Some therapists do this by administering a small electric shock each time you take a puff. Others put you through a rapid-smoking session, in which you smoke so many cigarettes in a very short period of time that you actually get sick. A milder approach to aversion therapy requires you to collect all of your cigarette butts and ashes in a large glass jar, which must be kept in plain sight. The effectiveness of aversion therapy is questionable, with many recent studies indicating it only produces positive results about 2 percent of the time. It may be worth trying, though, for people who respond well to negative stimuli.
5. Visit an Acupuncturist
Acupuncture has a high rate of success in ending addictions of all kinds, including addiction to cigarettes. Five different points in the ear are treated with needles to produce a release of endorphins. The endorphins produce a feeling of euphoria, which lessens addictive impulses. Many people find that they can quit or drastically reduce their smoking in an average of two to seven sessions.
