Smoking Cessation: Common and Alternative Methods to Quit Smoking

Smoking cessation means trying to quit smoking tobacco. Smoking is an addictive habit that can have a detrimental effect on one's health leading to conditions such as lung cancer and emphysema. There are a variety of ways one can attempt to quit smoking including cold turkey, using nicotine replacement therapy, drugs such as nortriptyline, varinicline, and bupropion, counseling, acupuncture, and hypnosis.

Cold Turkey

Stopping smoking cold turkey means one just puts down the cigarettes one day and decides they are never going to smoke one again. According to Wikipedia, 3-5% of people are able to stop smoking using willpower alone. I have watched friends and family first attempt to quit smoking using this method. While my adoptive dad was successful stopping smoking cold turkey, it was not an easy ride. There were many times he gave in to the temptation of a cigarette, sneaking out to the garage on a particularly stressful day. Finally after a year or more of struggle he proudly announced to us that he had not smoked a cigarette in 3 months. Others I have seen try to quit this way have struggled, often not lasting more than a week, sometimes not more than a half an hour before giving in to withdrawal symptoms.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy.

Nicotine replacement therapy is the use of other products to replace the addictive substance of nicotine in tobacco products. These come in the form of over-the-counter patches, lozenges, gum, sprays, and inhalers. The way it works is nicotine, the addictive substance in tobacco products, is slowly released and helps calm cravings. Typically, people who use nicotine replacement therapy are about twice as successful quitting smoking as those who try cold turkey. I do know one lady I went to college with who was able to quit smoking using Nicorette gum, but who continues to chew the gum on a daily basis. I suppose she is better off being hooked on the gum considering she is not ingesting any harmful carcinogens found in cigarette smoke.

Medication

Doctors can prescribe medications to help treat nicotine addiction. Three of these drugs are nortriptyline, varinicline, and burpropion. These drugs are tricyclic antidepressants that treat chemical imbalances in the brain. It is important to discuss using these drugs with one's doctor as there are side effects and interactions with other drugs.

Counseling

According to Wikipedia, "group or individual therapy can help people who want to quit. Some smoking cessation programs employ a combination of

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Acupuncture

Acupuncture is the use of thin needles inserted into specific points on the body for therapeutic purposes. A good program will prepare and educate a patient about what acupuncture will and will not do and what to expect. Normally a session will last up to a half an hour. The first month there will be about 4 sessions and after that once a month for half a year.

Hypnosis

When most people think of hypnotism they picture a guy on stage swinging a watch back and forth saying "You're getting sleepy" and then getting the volunteer to do something silly like cluck like a chicken. Real hypnotherapy is done by a certified hypnotherapist and helps people to overcome fears, anxiety, problems and stress. Hypnotism causes a relaxed state in which the subconscious is opened up without interference of the conscious. One can visit a hypnotherapist in person for one or multiple sessions, or listen to video or audio recordings, which is usually a less expensive alternative.coachingcoaching, motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, and pharmacocounseling.cognitiveognitive behaviour therapy."