Take it from a former smoker, quitting isn’t easy. You may be under the illusion that it is and that’s because addiction affects individuals differently. Some people can take or leave a cigarette. Others, will be addicted after their first puff of smoke. That’s just the way the world works and for that reason it might be harder for you to quit smoking than it was for your friend. There are lots of different ways to get rid of the nicotine monkey sitting on your back. Some are effective and others… not so much. Here are the best and worst methods of beating your craving.
Going Cold Turkey
This is the absolute worst way to beat any addiction, but for smoking it can be particularly nasty. Essentially, you’re taking away something your body has had access to for, I imagine, quite sometime. It’s going to react negatively and you will experience withdrawal symptoms. Your body might develop signs of sickness, your skin might itch. Withdrawal often has the effect of causing mood swings. It’s not something that you want to go through if you can avoid it. But perhaps the worse effect of going cold turkey is that usually, it doesn’t work. You have to have some serious willpower for it to stick. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself back smoking cigarettes in a couple of months. Usually, you will also be craving more because you were off it for a short time so your addiction becomes worse.
Chewing Gum
Nicotine gum has two advantages. It’s cheap, and it’s easy to get your hands on. You can also chew it in public without anyone realising you have an addiction. Just be careful how quickly you scramble to open the packet because that can give it away. But, you’re not really beating your addiction at all. Nicotine gum still has nicotine in it, obviously. We imagine the reason you want to stop smoking is to get healthy. Nicotine is the unhealthiest part of smoking, and now you’re just chewing up the flavour. As well as this you won’t get the sensation of inhaling your body craves so again for many, it won’t work.
Nicotine Patches
Similar to nicotine gum, this is the cover-up way to quit, or perhaps to continue smoking. Nicotine patches again are not a healthy solution. You’re injecting the substance right into the bloodstream so you’re streamlining the unhealthy habit. Patches have been proven to be just as bad for you as smoking a pack of cigarettes is.
E-Cigarettes
E-cigarettes are the current best way to quit smoking. You won’t be going cold turkey because you can still have a small dose of nicotine included. Gradually, you can work this down to zero. Vaping liquids are cheap, and you can buy them at great prices online. You won’t be faced with the constant burden smoking puts on your bank account. As well as this, you’ll still get the feeling of inhaling that you will continue to crave. E-cigarettes are also often seen as socially acceptable, so you won’t have to worry about being ostracized.
Whatever form of quitting you take, don’t go through it alone. Remember to gain the support of your friends and family and they will help you get to the other side of addiction. You’ll get rid of it for good.
