Try to limit your intake little by little. I started by only smoking half cigerrettes when I had the craving to have one and then saving the rest for later. Good luck!
posted 7 months ago
Nicotine is one of the most addictive chemicals to have been created by pharmaceutical companies. I understand your frustration in trying to figure a way to overcome such an addictive habit. Here are some ways:
1.) Cold Turkey is one of the most common ways people attempt to quit. During my medical school experiences in the hospitals and clinics, these people tended to have a personal experience or scare in their life that motivated them to make such a move. This technique is only successful if you have an internal motivation that is so strong that it overpowers the withdrawal symptoms you will inevitably suffer from during the first 3-6 weeks post-quitting. What gets most people back to smoking is their inability to deal with all the side effects they feel from nicotine withdrawal. Here are some side effects you will feel: Tremors, anxiety, panic attacks, mood fluctuations, difficulty concentration, problems sleeping, desire to compensate addiction with over-eating. The patients I worked with that successfully quit cold- turkey had STRONG INTERNAL MOTIVATION and STRONG FAMILY/SPOUSE SUPPORT. Overcome the side effects and you will over come your addiction
2. Wean yourself off. As mentioned above, you can slowly wean yourself off of smoking by slowly decreasing the amount of cigs you allow yourself to smoke. Example would be on week 1 you can only smoke 1 pack per day. Week 2 only 3/4 pack per day, week 3 only 1/2 pack per day and so on. This is an effective technique because you slowly decrease your body’s addiction and drive for nicotine to the point that you will need less and less nicotine to calm your nerves. Eventually you reach a point where you will find other means to help you relax other than smoking.
3.) Mediators: Nicorette gum, Chantix, and Zyban (buproprion) are medications that are commonly prescribed by doctors that target the addictive centers in your brain to help “shut off” the addiction switch to smoking. These can be very effective for people who are unable to handle the side effects of quitting cold turkey and have been unsuccessful with weaning the amount of smoking.
Please keep us updated with your progress, we would all like to see you quit and live a long and healthy life!!!
posted 7 months ago
