Giving Up Smoking

Willpower

I was talking to a colleague about giving up smoking last week. “All you need is willpower” he said. That’s quite typical coming from a non smoker who has never been addicted to nicotine. My reply was that he would need more than willpower to be around me when I was getting withdrawal symptoms!

Yes some people can stop with willpower and good on them, but I and millions more can’t do it on willpower alone. We need something to help us through it other than willpower and in recent years several stop smoking aids have been made available.

Nicotine Gum

Not my favourite stop smoking aid, but used as part of a stop smoking programme it works for some.  I’ve never really liked chewing any type of gum and as I’m not allowed to chew gum in front of customers at work it’s not a method that I would try again.

Hypnotism

I have considered going to an hypnotist, even got as far as looking one up in the phone book. Why didn’t I pick up the phone? Scared I think. The thought of anybody else controlling me or my actions is completely off putting to me.

Nasal Spray

Another method that I haven’t tried, nasal sprays are supposed to offer rapid relief for withdrawal symptoms.

Not a method I fancy because I tend to sneeze when anything is sprayed by my nose and once I start it’s difficult to stop.

Laser Therapy

That was a new one on me until recently and you can read more about it if you click here. A bit too expensive for my liking for something that can’t guarantee results.

Nicotine Patches

My previous favourite method of quitting smoking and they have worked for me. Why am I still smoking then? Because after completing the course successfully I’ve been fine for a while and then something stressful happens and I reach for the cigs to help me deal with things.

Acupuncture

I really don’t fancy anybody sticking little needles in me, though acupuncture is a well known alternative treatment for many ailments.

Inhalator

Contains amounts of nicotine in a cartridge and inhaled through a mouthpiece as you need it. Helps to wean you off cigarettes and with withdrawal symptoms. I haven’t tried this method, but it is one that I would consider.

A relatively new stop smoking product that I am going to try next. E cigarettes contain nicotine but not the tar and chemicals that you get with tobacco products. They are reckoned to be healthier for you and as they come with differing amounts of nicotine in them you can use them to wean yourself off by gradually using smaller doses of nicotine.

I have mine in the battery charger and will try it for the first time within the next hour. I will then be giving you a blow by blow account of it’s effectiveness.

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