What are the best ways to quit smoking? This isn’t a one-size-fits-all deal. A personalized program works best!
With the rising increase in smokers there is a corresponding increase in cessation products, programs and therapies to 
help you stop. In fact there is such a wealth of information that it can be difficult to know where to start. This can be daunting for the millions of people that want to stop smoking right now. Everyone is well aware of the negative impact of smoking and knows that health issues are a primary concern, but that is not always a deterrent as the nicotine takes hold and takes the smoker deeper into the darker addictive, and sometimes secretive, world. There are so many ways to stop smoking that you would wonder why quite so many people do smoke. The reason is simple – they enjoy it, regardless of what they say. The whole smoking situation is based upon a pleasure principle as nicotine induces the body to release hormones that make us feel better. That and the many chemicals make it addictive, but only for a short time. However, at some point, you will want to consider stopping smoking.
It is hard to say what will work for you as we are all very different in nature and whilst one way may be perfect for me – it may be completely unsuitable for you. Therefore, there is an element of trial and error involved but as there are many different options to try you need not give up immediately if you fail to stop straight away.
Many people choose to use nicotine replacement patches to start with. These are usually given to you after consulting a doctor and the relative dosage worked out based on the amount of cigarettes smoked. One problem with this is that people are not always honest or seriously underestimate the amount they smoke, which can affect the amount of nicotine prescribed. As the nicotine is absorbed directly from the patch it can be quite concentrated and can cause huge nausea in some people. However, for others it is a perfect option and engages them with excellent results.
Some people prefer to try chewing gum, which has a reduced nicotine level in it, but this can have the same effect.
Hypnosis is an up and coming option for many people as its successful results are publicly bandied about. However, this again is not for everyone. Some prefer to have one to one sessions with a Hypnotherapist, others attend a smoking cessation seminar with others who are wanting to stop smoking. These can be effective but are only as successful as the therapist giving the information. The interesting thing about hypnosis is that its effect can be immediate or it can suddenly manifest some time later. So you may think that the initial session has been worthless but may find yourself smoking less naturally until the point of cessation.
If you know your own mind then you will know what will work best for you. It can do no harm trying different methods if you don’t manage to succeed straight away with one. The important thing is not to feel guilty about not succeeding straight away. Some of the most successful ex smokers have succeeded after more than 5 attempts. If you need a disincentive then you can find many images of damaged lungs or heart disease that you can pin up around you. In fact anything that will encourage you to stop is permitted, within reason of course. Don’t forget that there are also lots of support groups and forums out there, so that when you feel tempted and there are no friends or family available to talk you out of it – just log on and you can have help within seconds.
I was not lucky enough to have people that supported me in stopping smoking, as all my friends continues to smoke. I was also not successful the first time I tried. However, I have been smoke-free for over 6 years and how did I do it? Cold turkey! I completely filled my everyday waking time by absorbing my mind. There were times that it was hard but once I turned my attention away from smoking a few months had elapsed before I had realised it. I confess that there are still occasions today when I feel an urge but I just go do something and it is complete gone. If I can do it after 20 years – then so can you – you just need to find the right solution that’s right for you.
