Quitting Smoking Made Easy

Smoking cigarettes for a long time can be addictive.  This dependence is thanks to nicotine.  Nicotine is a habit forming substance found in the leaves of tobacco plants and makes up about four percent of the weight of the plant itself.  After processing, the leaves get to retain about seven to twenty milligram of nicotine per stick.  And the average smoker takes in one milligram of nicotine per stick.  It is this inhaled nicotine that creates the dependency.  And the best question to ask is: “How can I start quitting smoking?”

It's true that it is difficult to stop smoking.  It takes a lot of determination to stop yourself from lighting that next cigarette.  It's difficult enough to have to come up an enormous amount of will power to keep yourself from puffing away, you will inevitably go through withdrawal symptoms like anxiety attacks, nicotine cravings, irritation, and an inability to concentrate to name a few.  But thanks to modern science, there are now a lot of different ways to quit smoking.

Here are a few simple and effective ways to quit smoking:
l Medications.  There are different medications that doctors prescribe to help smokers in their battle to quit the habit of smoking. These can be either relaxants or sedatives that help calm and control your nerves.  These medications aid in alleviating the discomfort brought about by withdrawal symptoms.

l Hypnotherapy.  This is considered a moderately effective way to let go of the smoking habit. The willing smokers agrees to be subjected to a hypnosis session.  During session the therapist will use the method of auto-suggestion to give the smoker will power to quit smoking.

l Will power.  It takes no less than iron will to push through plans of quitting smoking.  Will power is nothing but a state of mind, a very state of mind that is very difficult to achieve.  People who have very weak will power will encounter a lot of difficulties trying to stop smoking.  Just keep in mind that if  you put everything into quitting smoking, you will be able to do it.  It also helps have yourself surrounded by supportive family and friends to encourage you in your fight to quit.

l Seek counseling.  Even the strongest of will power falters at some point in time.  It is during these times that you should seek professional help to back you up on your cause.  Counseling is very important for behavioral support.  It helps boost up your morale and bring you back on track to quitting smoking.

l Stop using smoking aids.  This doesn't necessarily mean that you can't depend on smoking aids to get you through quitting smoking.  It's just that smoking aids do nothing more than release little amounts of nicotine into your bloodstream.  Smoking aids are only good for satisfying your body's nicotine craving without the dangerous tar and poisonous gases found in cigarettes.  However since it still has nicotine, there is a tendency for the smoker to drop smoking but get hooked on the smoking aid instead.

l Alternative therapies.  Various alternative treatments have been discovered to help smokers with their nicotine cravings.  Among these therapies are: aromatherapy, acupuncture, acupressure, yoga, and meditation.

Smoking may make people look sophisticated and classy, but people should take into consideration more important things than the fact that it makes people look cool.  It is important to know that cigarette smoking may become addictive before you even start on your first stick.  After all, starting is easy, quitting the habit is the hardest part.