Quit Smoking: How to Stop the Nicotine Habit

Nicotine is the bugbear of the new millennium. For almost ten years now, various countries have been increasing tobacco taxes, campaigning to reduce the number of young smokers and implementing new laws that prohibit smoking in public places. This article looks at some of the ways smokers can kick the habit.

Of course, there are plenty of good reasons to quit smoking. The most commonly cited are the dramatic improvements to personal health, improved finances and the social advantages.

Health is, understandably, the primary focus of quitting smoking. Not only does stopping reduce the chances of heart disease, lung diseases and cancer, but it also improves fertility and general circulation (which in turn protects from such things as gangrene).

With cigarettes being so heavily taxed, the second major advantage of quitting smoking is financial. This is particularly the case for heavy smokers who go through more than a pack a day - the savings can be significant. Add to this the social factors of no longer smelling bad, better skin tone, whiter teeth and so on, and the positive side of stopping smoking becomes more apparent.

To quit smoking, the most important ingredient is, quite simply, the desire to stop. Without this real, heartfelt purpose, a smoker's chances of kicking the habit are virtually nil. Don't try to give up for someone else or because it sounds like a good idea: do it because you want to. Once that decision is made, there's a lot of help available, depending on how you wish to try to stop smoking.

The level of addiction is a factor that should not be underestimated when deciding how to quit. Some people are addicted more to the social and manual aspects of smoking - that is, having something in their hand, smoking with a drink and so on - while others are more addicted to the physical sensation of breathing the smoke. The latter class of individual may find the physical aspect of quitting smoking more difficult, whereas the former may have difficulties breaking their ingrained habits and dissociating the cigarette with pleasurable pastimes.

Some of the side-effects of quitting should also be mentioned at this point. It is entirely possible - indeed likely - that you will put on some weight. You will feel nervous and jittery. You will be easily frustrated and annoyed. To combat some of these effects, many people take up a physical activity at the same time as quitting, such as running, cycling or just regular visits to a gym. This can be an excellent idea, as it not only channels the frustration and aggression into a more positive outlet, but also adds to the health advantages of stopping smoking. Be sure to consult your doctor before making any decisions, though.

The least complicated but most difficult way to quit is through pure willpower. Toughing it out for the first 48 hours or so can make a big difference to your chances, as this is the period where the body hankers for the nicotine it's suddenly not getting. After those first two days, all the nicotine is gone from the body: from that time on, the ability to quit smoking becomes less dependant on physical matters and more on the psychological aspect.

Note that there will also be a period after around 7 to 10 days where the tiny little hairs in the lungs start to grow back: this is when the serious coughing begins and many smokers fail, preferring to light up a cigarette rather than put up with the cough. If you can get through that part of the quitting process, your chances of remaining a non-smoker are greatly increased.

If relying on willpower alone while you quit smoking is not enough, there are other options. Before making any choices, you should go and talk to your doctor. With smokers being the new social pariahs, doctors have generally been updated on the latest techniques and options available to quitters. Be honest with your doctor: they will be able to advise on the best methods, given your physical state and addiction levels.

The best known support tools to stop smoking are, of course, nicotine patches, gum, tabs (little pills that dissolve in the mouth), inhalers and even nasal sprays. These work on the reduction principle: by slowly reducing the amount of nicotine in the body, the symptoms of withdrawal are minimized, thus making it easier to stick with the quitting process. They're often available over the counter as well as on prescription.

The reduction principle can also be used by switching to lighter and lighter brands of cigarette, reducing the amount of nicotine over time. This is even easier than the patches, as it does requires less psychological adjustment (the cigarette is still there), but it does run the risk of the quitter replacing lower nicotine with more cigarettes to maintain their levels. Discipline is essential.

If the patches or slow reduction aren't helping, which can be the case for the severely addicted, there are medical alternatives available on prescription. These drugs do not contain any nicotine, but instead affect the way the body responds to cigarettes and/or reduce the craving. For example, Zyban or Champix (two of the many drugs) can be prescribed by a doctor, but they need to be taken for a period of a couple of weeks before you quit smoking. Treatment lasts two or three months and is not available for pregnant women.

If standard Western medicine isn't your scene, there are alternatives: hypnosis (with a real person or on audio CD) can work for some individuals, as can acupuncture. Yoga is also a frequent choice and is reputed to do a great deal of good. It is, however, unlikely you'll be able to get any of these through your medical insurance!

Finally, if you intend to quit smoking, be aware that many health services are now also running special 'Stop Smoking' support lines by telephone, over the Internet or even in 'group therapy' style meetings. These can help a lot for individuals who have no human support when they quit smoking, by putting them in contact with others in a similar situation, or even just someone who can listen and advise. As with any form of withdrawal, it is important to be able to discuss your feelings.

Just remember: after two weeks, your circulation is better; after three months, your lungs start to improve their function; after five years you'll have roughly halved your chances of a heart attack (compared to a smoker) and after ten years you'll have done the same for your chances of lung cancer. That's got to be worth serious consideration.