Cold Turkey
Many people try to quit cold turkey, especially on the day of the Great
American Smokeout, which occurs each year on November 20. My uncle was successful
with this technique, and I know a few other people who have also been successful
with this technique. However, the addictive properties of cigarettes make a quick
stop difficult for most people, so don’t be surprised if you find you need
a little help.
Rehab
If you have the time, money and inclination, you can check yourself
into a rehab center and quit smoking under the supervision of real
medical professionals
(please note that I did not use the word “doctors”). After a three-day
detox, during which you’ll get all traces of nicotine out of your system,
you can participate in group or one-on-one counseling and attend classes about
life after smoking. Outpatient programs are also available for people, as are
individual plans for helping you quit.
Nicotine Substitutes
Since the Nicotine Patch went
OTC a few years ago, “stop smoking” companies have created an abundance
of related products that all function on the same premise. Whether you stick
it on your arm, suck it through a fake plastic ciggy-butt, chew it in rank-tasting
gum or suck on a lozenge, you’re taking in nicotine, the magic substance
that makes smokes so tasty. If these types of products work for you, that’s
great. Personally, I don’t know anyone who has quit smoking and stayed
smoke-free by using these products, but everyone is different.
New-Age Cures
While I tend to view hypnotherapy, motivational tapes and other “touchy
feely” cures as being a little whacked out, I also believe that if it
works for you, it works for you. Over the past few years, hypnotherapy has
become an accepted way to quit smoking, with many therapists claiming they
can cure you of the habit in just one session. Acupuncture and acupressure,
while not as scorned as some of the crackpot motivational tapes hawked on smoking-cessation
websites, are still not as accepted as they could be. A devout believer in
both disciplines, I am still unconvinced that either will actually enable you
to quit for good.
Support from Strangers
Developing a support network can be critical to your success with 86ing ciggies.
A good friend swears by QuitNet,
an online community of real people who are trying to quit smoking. She logged
in each night and bemoaned the agony of quitting, sharing her withdrawal with
hundreds of other people who were suffering the same woes. Two years later,
she’s still smoke free.
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