Quitting smoking may be incredibly difficult for some people, but doing so can have lasting positive effects on your health. In addition to the addictive nicotine, cigarettes contain over 4,000 other chemicals, some of which are also used in arsenic, DDT and rat poison, according to the National Cancer Institute. Quitting smoking is a matter of finding the remedy that works best for you and your body.
Nicotine Products
One reason many people struggle to quit smoking is an addiction to the nicotine contained in cigarettes. In order to break that addiction, many companies offer nicotine patches that deliver regulated doses of nicotine to your body without the other harmful chemicals and smoke from the cigarette, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Nicotine patches usually come in a set with decreasing doses, which will allow you to wean your body gradually from the nicotine over an extended period of time. The FDA regulates these nicotine patches, so you should check to make sure you are buying one that is approved before using. Similar to patches, nicotine gum is chewed by the person wanting to quit, which delivers nicotine directly into the body when a craving to smoke is felt. Like patches, nicotine gum comes in varying doses, allowing the user to gradually reduce the amount of nicotine intake over time.
Prescription Medication
Two drugs have been approved by the FDA to help in the process of quitting smoking, neither of which contain nicotine. Chantix is a drug that is formulated to act in the same way nicotine does, affecting the same parts of the brain, without the addictive properties, according to the FDA. The other drug, Zyban, curbs the urge to smoke through an active ingredient also used in common anti-depressants. You should talk with your doctor before taking any prescription medications, due to the risks and side effects of the drugs.
Self-Help
Quitting "cold turkey" is a remedy many people who don't want to spend money choose in order to quit smoking. There are several methods for quitting on your own, including setting a date sometime in the near future to be completely cigarette-free, according to the National Cancer Institute. Other people throw away all of their cigarettes, lighters, ash trays and other smoking paraphernalia in an effort to rid themselves of anything that could remind them of their habit. Many people chew regular gum when they feel the urge to smoke.
Hypnosis
Another alternative remedy for quitting smoking, hypnosis is a popular type of intervention for people hoping to avoid nicotine products or other drugs, but can't seem to do it on their own, says Dr. Timothy Carmody, a researcher and professor at the University of California, San Francisco. Hypnosis seeks to train the subconscious mind to resist and eliminate the urge to smoke and has been shown to be more effective than counseling in helping people quit.
