A person who is struggling to give up cigarettes may find it a lot easier to break the habit with the help of a solid smoking cessation help program. There are a number of products on the market that can help smokers wean themselves off of cigarettes. Some are only available by prescription. Others can be purchased over the counter.
Many of the products aimed at helping a person quit smoking are designed to help ease withdrawal symptoms. However, there are emotional challenges that smokers must also come to terms with when they are giving up their habit. To increase their success rate, smokers must use smoking cessation methods to address both the emotional and physical aspects of their nicotine addiction.
Smoking Cessation Methods
There are a handful of government approved smoking cessation methods that a person can use to quit tobacco use. Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) can help curb the addiction. According to the American Cancer Society, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved 5 forms of NRT. Get advice from a doctor about which one to use.
Nicotine gum is a NRT that helps reduce withdrawal symptoms, making it easier for smokers to give up their habit. The gum releases small traces of nicotine throughout the body. It's recommended that a person chew around 10-15 pieces each day. Avoid drinking soda or coffee while chewing nicotine gum. Nicotine lozenges release nicotine into the tissues of the mouth. One lozenge should taken be taken every two hours.
Another option is the nicotine patch, which eases tobacco cravings by releasing a steady dose of nicotine over a period of several hours. The smoker will place a new patch on the upper portion of the body each day. For best results, smokers who use nicotine patches should also participate in a program that offers support in coping with the emotional aspects of quitting tobacco.
The nicotine nasal spray is a fast acting NRT that allows nicotine to go directly into the bloodstream. The FDA recommends limiting the use of the spray to 3 months. Nicotine inhalers offer users an experience similar to that of smoking a cigarette. The inhaler consists of a thin plastic tube that contains a nicotine cartridge. A nicotine vapor is released into the mouth when a person takes a puff from the inhaler.
Smoking Cessation Benefits
According to the American Cancer Society, the health of a person who gives up cigarettes will start improving almost immediately after the person begins a plan for smoking cessation. Benefits include reduced heart rate and blood pressure, improved circulation and lung functioning, and a reduction in coughing. Long term benefits include reductions in the risks for heart disease and cancer.
Smoking Cessation Support
Smoking cessation support programs help improve the success rate for smokers who are quitting their habit. The American Lung Association recommends smokers join groups so that they can discuss their experiences with others who share a common goal. This will help them deal with the mental aspects of their addiction.
Look for a program that guides smokers through the challenges occur when a person stops smoking. This helps maintain the motivation necessary to continue on their smoking cessation journey. An effective smoking cessation help program will also offer individual, or group counseling. Programs that offer in depth counseling tend to have the highest success rates.
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