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There are numerous ways to quit smoking and they each differ in effectiveness from person to person. Some people will prefer to to reduce their intake down gradually before stopping completely, while others insist that going cold turkey is the only way to go. Still others find the need to take nicotine replacement products like gum, lozenges, and inhalers, while others prefer prescription medicine to minimize withdrawal symptoms.
There are also a number of alternative methods that can help in quitting smoking, like acupuncture (insertion of fine needles into pressure points on ones body), aromatherapy to induce feelings of calmness and peace, 12 step programs like nicotine Anonymous (similar to the well-known Alcoholics Anonymous), and hypnotic suggestions to overrule the desire to smoke.
With numerous alternatives, how do you know which method will work for you? That depends on a several factors. Consider first which aspect of quitting smoking is hardest for you; the physical withdrawal symptoms, emotional dependence or the psychological habit.
- Physical withdrawal symptoms
If you have no trouble refraining from the act of smoking but find yourself caving under the pressure of physical cravings for nicotine, you may be more successful using nicotine replacement products. Nicotine gum, patches, lozenges and inhalers can be helpful in getting you through the first several weeks of cravings and many of them offer a plan for gradually cutting back on your nicotine intake to minimize discomfort.
- Emotional turbulence.
On the other hand, managing the physical cravings may be easy for you, but you end up feeling like a basket case when you can't smoke - yelling, crying and cringing at even the smallest challenge. If so, you might be more connected to smoking on an emotional level and you may find relief with hypnosis, meditation or other alternative treatments like acupuncture or acupressure. Even deep breathing and rigorous exercise can help calm your feelings, if for no other reason than they distract you temporarily.
- Psychological connection.
If your strongest challenge in quitting smoking is feeling like you have been cut afloat and don't quite know what to do with yourself, you may find it helpful to take up a hobby that involves the use of your hands. Knitting, crocheting, painting, woodworking and gardening are great ways to keep yourself active and overcome feelings of restlessness.
If necessary, you can even combine more than one method to manage multiple facets of the withdrawal. No matter which method(s) you choose, determining the reasons you most often smoke and coming up with coping strategies to deal with the unavoidable reactions will go a long way in ensuring your success to quit smoking.
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