Smoking out the urge

By Hannington Mumo

Despite the fact that about five million people have died from smoking, it is baffling statistic that many more millions continue to smoke.

Nicotine is the powerful chemical that is found in tobacco that makes smoking extremely hard to give up.

However, using nicotine-based aids as well as other methods, can help one tough out the withdrawal process. As such, there is still a possibility of smokers living a smoke-free life.

Some of the methods that have been used by addicts to quit smoking include:

Cold turkey

Quitting cold turkey means stopping smoking instantly. The success rates of people who quit cold turkey are quite high because nicotine is flushed out of the body more quickly, making the withdrawing process a bit faster.

If you decide to quit cold turkey, be prepared to face symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety, mood swings, as well as lack of concentration. Through this method, nicotine entirely leaves the body within 72 hours and the withdrawal pains diminish.

Drinking high amounts of water, exercising and meditation are also going to help you alleviate the severity of the withdrawal symptoms.

Replacement therapy

For people who fear confronting the symptoms of cold turkey withdrawal, some nicotine replacements such as Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) are recommended. Nicotine replacement aids come in various forms and are often sold over the counter.

There are also some nicotine patches that are worn on the arm daily. These release nicotine into the body system through the skin. The nicotine gum works in a similar manner, with nicotine being released into the body system through the mouth. But the doctor should recommend the strength of the dosage.

Reward system

Another way of stopping smoking is using the reward system. Through this method, one gives themselves presents for not smoking for a certain period of time. You can also spend the money you would have used to buy cigarettes to buy other pleasurable things. The gifts are going to keep you on track in your endeavour to conquer nicotine dependency.