5 Tips for Breaking the Cycle of Cigarette Addiction
Quitting cigarettes is hard. Anyone who has tried can attest to that. According to thequitterscircle.com, less than 7% of smokers are successful when trying to quit cold turkey, and the average smoker tries to quit 6 to 11 times before they succeed.
It’s hard but not impossible. Millions of people have been successful in their quest to defeat the cycle of cigarette addiction. At one time, your only option was to quit cold turkey, but today there are a number of therapies that can help increase your chances of success. Let’s look at 5 tips that can help you defeat this addiction.
Prepare for Your Quit Day
One of the first things you need to do once you have decided to quit smoking is to pick a day to quit. You may decide to continue with your regular smoking habits until the date arrives, or you might try to taper off in preparation for quitting. Either way, setting a date and sticking to it is key to getting started.
Before the date arrives, tell family and friends so they can be prepared for any changes in your behavior. Decide if you will try a substitute or if you will be quitting cold turkey. If using an alternate therapy, be sure you have obtained everything you need. If trying the cold turkey route, stock up on oral replacements such as gum and hard candy to help you through the rough times.
Try Vaping
Vaping is a recent addition to the alternatives to cigarette smoking. With vaping, you can control your nicotine level and gradually wean yourself off of nicotine completely. The liquids used in vaping are available in different nicotine strengths, and eventually you can get to the point where you are using nicotine free vaping liquid like those being used by vape devices at present like the MIQRO vaporizer.
Another advantage of vaping is that you retain some of the physical components of cigarette smoking without the cigarettes. You still are bringing something to your lips and inhaling, which may help ease the switch away from cigarettes. It may take a little while to get accustomed to the change, but you will. You will also find that your clothes and car smell a lot better when you vape than when you smoke.
There are many ways to vape. You can choose from disposable electronic cigarettes as well as pens and mods, like these SMOK mods. The liquids, known as e-juice, come in an almost limitless number of flavors, so that you can find something that suits your taste while helping you quit smoking cigarettes. Vaping is definitely worth a try if you are contemplating quitting.
Nicotine Replacement Therapies
Nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) come in a variety of styles that have their benefits and drawbacks. Their use is similar to vaping, in that you continue to receive a dose of nicotine. The big difference is that there is no longer the same oral connection to your nicotine consumption.
Two very similar NRTs are nicotine gum and nicotine lozenges. Available in different nicotine strengths, they are designed to be used for several weeks. During that time the prospective ex-smoker reduces the strength of the product as well as the frequency of use to gradually defeat their nicotine addiction.
Nicotine patches are another NRT option. The transdermal patches are put on in the morning and deliver a steady dose of nicotine throughout the day. In a similar fashion as with the gum or lozenges, you reduce the nicotine strength over the course of several months before eliminating the patches altogether.
You can also obtain prescription sprays or inhalers if these other NRTs are not suitable for you.
Investigate Prescription Drugs
Prescription drugs are available that approach quitting smoking from a different direction. Rather than offer an alternative method of obtaining nicotine, these drugs attempt to curb the brain’s craving for the drug. There are two drugs that have been approved by the FDA for this purpose. They are bupropion (Zyban) and varenicline (Chantix).
The drugs work in slightly different ways. Bupropion interacts with your brain chemistry to reduce cravings and minimize the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. It is taken for a 12-week period over which the goal is to give up cigarettes completely.
Varenicline also impacts your brain chemistry to reduce any withdrawal symptoms, but rather than addressing the cravings you may experience, reduces the pleasure that your brain receives from tobacco use. Like bupropion, it is taken in a 12-week course of therapy.
Both medications can be taken for an additional 12 weeks after quitting to help prevent relapses. Some negative behavioral issues have been noted with their use, so caution needs to be taken if using these substances.
Stay Away From Smoking Triggers
The psychological cravings of nicotine can be harder to surmount than the physical ones. According to health.com, one of the reasons smoking is so hard to quit is that it is a very repetitive habit. Smokers tend to light up in certain situations or times. Knowing your triggers and preparing for the psychological cravings that will ensue can be a big help in allowing you to successfully quit smoking.
One of the hardest triggers to conquer is watching other people smoking. This means when you are trying to quit you may need to avoid certain places where smokers may congregate. For example, the break area where your co-workers go for a smoke needs to be avoided. Talk to your friends when they get back in the building.
Meals, coffee, and alcohol are triggers, as many smokers associate the consumption of these substances with smoking. You can’t avoid eating, but you can steel yourself to avoid smoking when you are finished. One strategy is to brush your teeth immediately after your meal, developing a new and much healthier habit. Other triggers include driving and stress, and you will need to devise strategies to conquer cravings that arise in these situations.
We hope these tips have motivated you to attempt to break the cycle of cigarette addiction, whether it’s your first time or your twentieth. Good luck with whichever method you choose.
