Anyone who has ever tried to quit smoking knows that willpower alone is often not enough to see you through the withdrawal symptoms. Going in with the proper mindset is essential, but a little medical intervention can help you get through rough patches.
Bupropion Hydrochloride
GlaxoSmithKline produces bupropion hydrochloride under the brand name Wellbutrin as a smoking cessation tool. It is identical to Zyban, its drug prescribed for depression. It works on the brain by producing "feel good" chemicals similar to what you experience when you smoke. Clinical trials report a success rate of up to 36 percent, but side effects include headaches, nausea, insomnia, dry mouth and a fuzzy mental feeling. Worse, some users have experienced seizures. You can't get Wellbutrin without a medical consultation and a prescription.
Varenicline
Manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer under the brand name Chantix in the United States, varenicline forms a barrier between nicotine and your brain so your body receives no physical award when you smoke. Pfizer claims a success rate of 22 percent. But there are side effects. The most frequent include nausea, headache, insomnia and nightmares, and some users have reported suicidal tendencies. The drug isn't available without a prescription.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
NRT brand names include Nicorette and Nicabate. The downside with this method is that you're replacing nicotine with nicotine. The difference is that with NRT gums, lozenges and patches, you don't smoke it. It gets delivered directly into your system by some other means, usually through the skin. The nicotine contained in NRTs is also a lower dosage than what is contained in cigarettes, but you can still become just as addicted to your nicotine gum as you are to cigarettes.
Sublingual Sprays
Smoke Deter produces a non-nicotine spray, administered under the tongue. The idea is to spritz whenever a craving hits. The success of this method is on par with other nicotine replacement therapies, almost doubling quit rates.
Lobelia
Lobelia is a nicotine substitute. Essentially, it fools your body into believe it's getting all the "benefits" of nicotine. The downside is that this herb is highly toxic in its own right. It can cause heart palpitations, sweating and dizziness. High doses can slow your pulse and respiration, and low doses can speed them up. It isn't sold commercially in the United States, but you can grow it. You shouldn't take it unless you consult with your doctor first.
Other Herbal Aids
Other herbs touted as being beneficial in the war against smoking include peppermint and cinnamon bark. Many herbal supplements are available online and through health shops, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration doesn't regulate them and many include Labelia as an ingredient.
Acupuncture and Acupressure
Acupuncture is credited with successfully treating a host of physical problems, including nicotine addiction. Needles inserted into energy points in the body reportedly restore energy flow. Acupressure works by the same premise, using hands and pressure rather than needles. No authoritative research is available as to whether the practice actually helps in quitting smoking.
Laser Treatment
The process of laser therapy is similar to acupuncture and acupressure, but uses laser lights instead. Treatment is expensive, and the FDA is looking into its legitimacy for smoking cessation, as of 2010.
Hypnotherapy
This aid goes back centuries and depends a great deal on whether you believe it can work. When combined with other therapies, it has shown some results for smokers who enter into the process with the right mindset.
Bioresonance
Bioresonance, a new-age approach that electronically alters the body's energy frequencies, was first mentioned as a cure for cancer in Europe in the 1980s. In the millennium, it has also been recommended for smoking cessation. But there is no research into its effectiveness, it is expensive and isn't readily available.
References
- The Ultimate Quit Smoking Guide: Ways to Stop Smoking
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Bupropion Hydrochloride
- MedlinePlus: Varenicline
- SmokeFree.gov: Dispelling Myths About Nicotine Replacement Therapy
- PubMed.gov: Nicotine Replacement Therapy for Smoking Cessation
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Lobelia
