Stop Smokng Aids and Tips

Experiencing Extreme Withdrawal From Quitting Smoking Cold Turkey

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:07:24 +0000

Quitting smoking and continuing to stay off the nicotine is an extremely tough battle. This is something that many smokers know all to well when they are attempting to end their addiction. A smoker who is quitting cigarettes is always going to experience withdrawal and cravings to some degree no matter what type of method they are using. The thing is, when you are going the cold turkey route you are going to experience withdrawal symptoms at a more extreme level. Quitting cold turkey intensifies withdrawal and cravings to a point that can be unbearable for many smokers trying to get through it all.

So, what is one to do when experiencing extreme withdrawal from quitting smoking cigarettes cold turkey? How can one prepare for these extreme levels of withdrawal? The best thing that you can do in order to prepare yourself for extreme withdrawal symptoms is to be aware of what it is to come. Sounds corny, I know, but it is something that you really need to do. Being conscious of the conflict you will be facing ahead is a whole lot better than going the route of naiveness and getting blindsided. You see, when you know what problems are ahead of you then you can properly prepare for them, and when you do experience extreme withdrawal and cravings it won’t be as much of a “slap if the face”.

Now, as far as actual actions to take in order to combat the effects of extreme withdrawal there are a few key things that you can do. Your main goal when it comes to combating withdrawal is to just get through and not succumb to the drug, nicotine. If you are able to get past intense feelings of cravings and withdrawal then you have one the battle. However, in order to really win you need to be able to do this on a regular basis. So, in order to get through intense cravings and withdrawal associated with quitting cold turkey, you should be planning out how you will deal with specific instances of both. Do you get extreme cravings when you are stressed out? Is it normal for you to reach for a cigarette after eating a nice meal (or any meal for that matter)? Is it uncomfortable for you when you are in a social situation with smokers and aren’t smoking yourself? These are the types of things that you need to think about when you are properly planning out how you will battle extreme cravings and withdrawal. You need to identify certain situations that set you off and then you need to figure out how you will get by during that period of intense withdrawal.

Remember, your own will power is your strongest asset when it comes to not giving into cravings. So, it is always a good idea to practice telling yourself things like, “This craving will go away in a few minutes” or “I don’t need to smoke. I am completely fine without a cigarette”, whenever you are triggered. It is basic affirmations like these that can really help in the long run if you actually stick to them and make it clear to yourself that they are indeed true, even if you don’t believe them at first. With that said, we all know of the extreme power of nicotine and how it can bring pretty much anyone to their knees. It’s because of this that you need to try and find something more physical that you can do in addition to using mental techniques, whenever you experience extreme withdrawal. Most people feel on edge when they are jonesing for a cigarette and a simple way to cope with this type of feeling is to chew on some gum. It keeps the mouth occupied and it’s an almost soothing repetitive motion. Another idea would be to try and talk to someone whenever you are feeling extreme withdrawal. The thing is, it really doesn’t matter what you do as long as it’s something that works for you. So, work on finding out different things you can do to combat more extreme withdrawal and cravings and then implement them regularly in order to make it a routine.

The Real Cost of Smoking – Video Demonstrating The Harmful Effects of Smoking

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:16:34 +0000

The following video is a pretty basic one but it is one that yet again reiterates just how harmful smoking cigarettes can be and why it is a great idea to pursue quitting if you area smoker yourself. The video focuses on Dr. Joshua Fink, M.D. who outlines the negative effects of regularly smoking cigarettes for us. Again, it’s a pretty basic video but it also does a good job of projecting some of the major health concerns as far as regular tobacco use goes such as an added risk for heart attack, tar filled lungs, a greater risk for lung sicknesses such as bronchitis, and discoloration of the skin.

Overall, this is a quality video but that’s not to say I don’t have a few issues with it. The thing is, whenever you are presented with anti-smoking information such as the following video (even if smoking is generally deemed bad for the health it still is anti-smoking), the information presents the negatives with aligned with heavier tobacco use. Smoking a pack of cigarettes is obviously going to wreck havoc on your lungs and body in general. But, if you are a smoker who is smokes cigarettes in moderation (less than 5 or so cigarettes a day) then you probably won’t experience the negatives to the same extent. Another thing to keep in mind is that it is mainly the added chemicals in cigarettes and heavy use that make them extremely dangerous in the lung run and leave smokers prone to cancer. I’ll be covering these topics more in depth in later post(s) but keep them in mind when watching the video.

Lastly, take what I said above with a grain of salt. I’m no medical expert and this is merely what I have concluded based on my own research. I’ll also be exploring these topics more in depth and explaining why I believe what I believe at a later time. And yes, this is a stop smoking related website! My goal is not to get you to start smoking cigarettes but rather to give an unbiased view on smoking and to help you quit if you so choose to do so.

The Stop Smoking Industry Is Going Nowhere

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:27:50 +0000

This post is going to be a little different than any other post up until this point as it is less informational and more observational. Basically, I wanted to take a time out and really look at the stop smoking industry. It’s friggin’ huge! When you think about it, the smoking cessation industry is set up for infinite success. There are tons of different products and services related to quitting smoking out there such as stop smoking aids, stop smoking hypnosis, medication, guides…the list goes on and on. This isn’t the half of it, though. The real money factor is the fact that there will always be smokers who are trying to quit and there will always be new people becoming smokers.

The fact that this industry has an endless cycle of buyers is just mind blowing. I mean, when you step back and begin to think about it, it really is humbling. It’s kind of funny too because you’ve got insanely profitable industries on both sides of the smoking game. On one side you’ve got the drug which makes addiction happen in the first place and keeps people coming back for more and more and more. And on the other side you’ve got products that help those smokers who desperately want to quit their addiction and move on. One industry is obviously ethically better than the other but they are both extremely huge nonetheless. Thinking about the economics behind quitting smoking really is something interesting, I’ll tell ya. Anyway, just some food for thought.

Getting An Extra Push In Your Smoking Cessation Efforts

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:09:33 +0000

Quitting smoking is something that is extremely hard to do in most cases. I think that this is something that most will agree on and I think that this is something you simply cannot deny. Because if you are denying the fact that quitting is a pretty darn hard thing to pull off then you are setting yourself up for failure. But anyway, since quitting is very hard to do, many smokers find themselves overwhelmed and wanting to give up entirely on their efforts. And this just creates a vicious cycle of failed attempts at quitting which leads to even more failed attempts at quitting due to automatically expecting to fail. So, what can smokers due to make sure that they can be successful at quitting? Smokers will have a much better chance at successfully quitting if they can give themselves an extra “push”

A Little Nudge Towards Smoking Cessation

Above all, the keys to successful smoking cessation are commitment, motivation, and will power. These 3 things are a must for smokers who want to successfully kick the habit. These things cannot be avoided or replaced. It is a very simple fact – if you aren’t committed from the beginning, motivated to quit, and you don’t have the will power to push yourself, then you aren’t going to get very far.

However, there are things to make the process easier such as stop smoking aids. Stop smoking aids are meant to make the process of quitting more bearable by lessening the effects of nicotine withdrawal and nicotine cravings. So, the idea is that you are able to deal with cravings and symptoms of withdrawal much easier when you are using something like a stop smoking aid. Basically, you’ve already got the drive to quit and the aid makes effects of quitting less apparent, which means that you are going to have an even better chance at making it through the journey of quitting. So, if you want a little extra help with your smoking efforts then considering the use of a stop smoking aid is definitely worth a shot.

A Stop Smoking Video To Get You Motivated To Quit

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:46:43 +0000

Considering the fact that nicotine is a highly addictive drug up there with the likes of cocaine in heroine in terms of its addictiveness and ability to bring the user back to regular use, it’s no surprise that many smokers find it difficult to truly motivate themselves to quit. Sure, most smokers have many moments of reflection where they despise themselves for smoking and question whether or not what they are doing to their health is really worth it, but few are able to hold on to a true sense of motivation that can be turned into successful smoking cessation. There’s a huge difference between self deprecation every once in a while due to regretting being a smoker and gaining motivation on a profound level – a source of motivation that pushes the smoker over the edge and causes them to do whatever it takes to quit.

The video below helps to motivate smokers to quit once and for all by visually demonstrating the devastating effects of smoking to one’s health. Hopefully, by watching this stop smoking video you will be able to gain a new source of motivation to finally quit cigarettes. No, this video isn’t going to take care of all the motivation and willpower you need in order to quit by itself, but it should help to get you thinking about your habit and what you want to do about your habit.

Watch The Stop Smoking Video Right Below

Quit Smoking – The best bloopers are here

Personally, I think the video does a good job of demonstrating what you are actually doing to your lungs each time you take a puff of a cigarette. Another thing is that the video is what it is. This isn’t some ridiculous ridiculous anti-smoking ad you see all too often these days. This video is the real deal. If you’re a smoker then all you need to do is get yourself a napkin and try it out yourself. You’ll see the same results. You really don’t even need to go this far to realize that this video is the truth. If you look at the filter of your cigarette you’ll see that it is pretty darn brown by the end of your smoke…and this is only a fraction of what you’ve collected in your lungs. All of that tar, and in most cases a ton of different harmful chemicals, is being poured into your lungs with each and every puff. Again, this video does a great job of demonstrating that. Hopefully you take this video to heart and use it as fodder to get yourself motivated to finally give it your all when it comes to putting down the cigarette for good.

Quitting Smoking Is A Process – Remember This!

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:15:16 +0000

The subject that I am about to talk about is a subject that I have probably already brought up and one that I will reiterate time and time again here on this website. What I would like to talk about is quitting smoking and how quitting is a process. Because that is exactly what smoking cessation is. Smoking cessation isn’t something that you decide to pursue one day and then accomplish the next. The reality of nicotine and cigarette addiction is that the addiction is something that needs to be dealt with over a relatively large period of time. In fact, you’ll probably be dealing with your addiction for your whole entire life even after successfully quitting cigarettes. Unfortunately, this is just the hard truth when it comes to quitting smoking cigarettes and what you’ll have to deal with after doing so.

Quitting Is A Journey – A Very Long Journey

So, quitting is a journey? A journey that is pretty darn long? Yes, it is! I think that a lot of smokers who want to quit fail to realize that successful smoking cessation is something that is done over a long period of time. And by a long period of time I am talking about your whole entire life. This is why so many smokers fail to be quitters in the first place. A smoker who thinks that quitting can be done with some sort of magic aid and denies the fact that they are going to really have to work at it, is a smoker that has set themselves up for failure.

The truth is that stop smoking aids can help tremendously with the process of quitting and can even make the process a whole lot easier, but it does not mean that a stop smoking aid will totally eliminate the work that needs to be done – the work a smoker must put in in order to abolish their addiction. Likewise, there are no magic techniques or tips that can take the responsibility off of a smoker when it comes to doing their part in warding off addiction and cravings.

Quitting smoking is a journey. It is a journey that requires continuous effort and a journey that never really ends. Yes, it is very much possible to quit cigarettes. The point of this post isn’t to dissuade you from trying to quit cigarettes and to make you think that quitting successfully is absolutely impossible. Rather, the point of this post is to get you to realize that the process of quitting isn’t something that can zapped away and is something that you must always work at. What I mean by always working at it is that you are always going to need to push yourself mentally to fight off and deal with cravings. Cravings do get better over time but they will most likely never go away. So, if you are able to let a craving pass with willpower and focus then you’ll be just fine. Just know that it will require effort. Now, go start (not) smoking!

Quitting Smoking Cold Turkey The Best Way To Stop Smoking?

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:02:59 +0000

Often times you here about quitting smoking cold turkey as being one of the hardest ways to go about quitting but hardly do you here about it being one of the best ways to quit. The truth is that quitting cigarettes cold turkey really is one of the hardest ways to end nicotine addiction and takes a tremendous amount of effort on the smokers part in order to pull off. The reason for this is because when you quit cold turkey you are suddenly cutting off your nicotine supply and therefor are going to experience a more intense nicotine withdrawal. Any time you try to quit cigarettes you are going to experience the effects of nicotine withdrawal (some symptoms include feeling agitated, fatigue, insomnia, and headaches) but you aren’t going to experience them at the same level as you do when quitting cold turkey. With that said, there are upsides to doing things the cold turkey way and this smoking cessation method can actually be the best way to quit depending on how you look at it.

Quitting Cold Turkey Offers Benefits Other Methods Don’t

I guess one of the biggest upsides to quitting cold turkey is the fact that there is no fooling around. This stop smoking method is black and white entirely. There is no in between here. You either totally cut off your supply to cigarettes or you don’t cut off your supply to cigarettes. That is just how it works when you decide to go cold turkey. A person who wants to go cold turkey usually is at the point where they really to quit and they want to do it now meaning that they probably aren’t going to be interested in nicotine patches, nicotine gum, smoking aids, medications, hypnosis, or any other methods/products that assist you in smoking cessation.

The reason why this approach to quitting, not fooling around with other products or methods, is a good one is because it brings the smoker right to the point of quitting and that is quitting. A smoker going cold turkey decides that they want to quit and so they stop smoking cigarettes. They do not prolong the situation by feeding their bodies nicotine through nicotine replacement therapy, they do not simply cut down on cigarettes, and they do not dance around the problem. A cold turkey quitter is taking quitting head on and dealing with the worst of it from the start. And this is why in some cases quitting cold turkey is the best way to quit.

The truth is that the worst of nicotine withdrawal symptoms are over within the first few days. Now, this isn’t to say that a smoker won’t experience withdrawal or cravings after the first few days, because they sure as heck will, it’s just that it is a whole lot easier to cope after making it through that initial period. Taking this into account, if a cold turkey smoker can make it through the first few days then they can probably deal with the rest of their days as a non-smoker. There is a catch though. Smoking cessation is hardly a cut and dry science, especially when it comes to quitting smoking cold turkey. What this means is that different smokers are going to experience different levels of withdrawal, some smokers will be better than others at coping with cravings, and most importantly quitting will not be the same for all smokers! This is something that is extremely important to realize.

So, what does all of this mean? Basically, it means that quitting smoking cigarettes cold turkey can be a great way to stop smoking but it is also one of the hardest ways to quit. It offers the most amount of gains for the smoker but it also requires a ton of work. In the end, though, it is definitely worth it to commit to going cold turkey. A smoker quitting cold turkey needs to be aware that it will be difficult, be ready for the withdrawal and cravings ahead, and learn how to use effective coping strategies. Keeping these things in mind, a smoker really can stop smoking without the use of any aids, products, nicotine replacement therapy, or anything else for that matter.

Will Power And Quitting Smoking

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:45:54 +0000

It is nice to put our responsibilities in someone else’s hands but in the end our responsibilities are our own responsibilities. This applies to quitting smoking. Stop smoking aids and methods can help tremendously with the process of quitting but in the end it all comes down to you and your own will power. It is because of this reason that you need to harden your will power if you want to totally end your addiction to cigarettes. This is what drives you to quit and this is what determines whether or not you do quit in then end. Considering this, you might want to get your will power in check before you head on the road of smoking cessation.

A problem that many smokers face when attempting to quit is the fact that their motives are not strong enough. When you don’t have the motivation to begin with and you don’t have the commitment, you just aren’t going to make it very far in the world of smoking cessation. So, it is extremely important that you make sure you are committed from the start and that you have the necessary motivation. These two things determine how powerful your will power is and as a result whether or not you will be successful at quitting. This is why it is crucial that you have the commitment and motivation from the get go. Now, you are probably wondering how exactly you can be committed from the start and have the necessary motivation from the start. My answer to your worries in below in the form of a list. These are things that you can do in order strengthen your commitment as well as your motivation.

Give yourself a powerful reason to quit
Don’t decide to quit just because you want to quit
Talk to others for support and better yet talk to those who have successfully quit smoking
Take into full consideration what smoking does to your body
Believe in yourself

These are just a few basic things you can do to increase your commitment and motivation but they are very effective nonetheless. If you can do these things then you will be able to set yourself on the right path. Furthermore, these things will help to strengthen your will power. However, getting committed from the start and having a strong motivation isn’t enough to set your will power in stone. Maintaining a strong level of will power will require you to continuously to reflect upon yourself and realize that you can in fact quit smoking. It might sound like a bunch of bologna but it is the complete truth. If you want your will power to be there then you need to be telling yourself that you can and will quit smoking. Will power and successful smoking cessation go hand in hand so you need to be always working on maintaining your will to keep on going.

Stop Smoking Methods – Not All Are Created Equally

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:13:57 +0000

If you’d like to stop smoking then you should know that there are plenty of ways to do so – maybe even too many ways. You certainly aren’t tied down to a single method when it comes to quitting which allows for flexibility. With that said, it is important to note that there is no stop smoking method out there that is going to make the process of quitting easy. Well, I shouldn’t say that there are absolutely no methods out there that make quitting easy but the fact of the matter is that for the most part, quitting cigarettes is going to be hard. You can’t be fully reliant on a method because in the end a method isn’t what’s going to get you to quit, you are. And since you are ultimately responsible for your quitting success, you should put a fair amount of effort towards finding a method that is right for you.

The truth is that not all stop smoking methods are created equally. I’m not talking about the effectiveness of each and every stop smoking method but rather how each and every relates to you. Not all stop smoking methods are created equally because not all methods are going to produce the same results for you. For example, the use of nicotine gum might help one smoker make tremendous changes in their lifestyle and subsequently quit cigarettes for good while only prolonging addiction to nicotine for another smoker. This is something you need to realize when quitting smoking because it can help you tremendously throughout your journey.

By realizing that not every stop smoking method is going to do it for you, you will be able to make better decisions initially as well as keep on persisting. If you realize that you need to put forth some effort towards finding a method that is right for you then you are more likely to find a method that will in fact work for you. Yeah, you can jump into quitting cigarettes and pick the first method that you see but it probably won’t have the same effect as fine tuning your selection. Instead of picking a method at random you should be doing your research and considering methods based on what you think would work best for you. Also, if and when a certain method doesn’t work out for you, you will be more likely to keep on going with your attempt at quitting. You won’t give up on the idea of quitting but rather you will be open to exploring new methods since you know that not every method will work for you.

Using Nicotine Gum To Stop Smoking

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 03:14:56 +0000

Chewing a piece of gum in order to stop smoking? Yes, chewing nicotine gum can help you quit your addiction to cigarettes but it isn’t quite the same as chewing a piece of your favorite minty gum. Chewing nicotine gum in order to quit smoking works by allowing your body nicotine while you aren’t smoking cigarettes in order to do so. It is meant to help you deal with your nicotine cravings through a means that isn’t smoking tobacco. That is the idea here – you chew nicotine gum instead of smoking cigarettes in order to deal with your cravings. This way, you aren’t dealing with the intense effects of nicotine withdrawal and you are getting your nicotine in a way that isn’t smoking. But is the use of nicotine gum worth your time? Can it actually help you to quit cigarettes? Sure, you now know the idea behind chewing nicotine gum but what you don’t know is whether or not it is right for you.

Chewing nicotine gum regularly in order to deal with cigarette addiction is a rather tricky method. What I mean by this is that you are fighting fire with fire. Smoking cigarettes is obviously a lot unhealthier than chewing nicotine gum but it is the nicotine that gets you addicted to cigarettes in the first place. So, when you consider the fact that you are substituting nicotine with nicotine you can begin to see how this particular method can be counterproductive. The use of nicotine gum does allow a smoker to deal with withdrawal symptoms and kick the habit of smoking, but it does not totally eliminate the underlying addiction. With that said, it is important to note that the proper usage of nicotine gum is to cope with cigarette addiction as opposed to ending it entirely.

Chewing nicotine gum will not allow you to simply end your addiction to smoking cigarettes. The idea is that you chew nicotine in order to deal with the effects of withdrawal and cravings. You can’t simply “beat” your addiction with nicotine gum. It just doesn’t work that way. Rather, you are supposed to use it to get through the early stages of quitting cigarettes in order to get used to not smoking and to make changes for the better in your lifestyle. A typical usage period of nicotine gum is 12 weeks. What this means is that you to use nicotine gum for this period of time and then gradually stop using it. If all goes well, the nicotine gum will help you to become accustomed to a non-smoker lifestyle, eliminate triggers for smoking, and end your addiction to nicotine. However, as I said before this type of stop smoking method can be counterproductive.

You can’t use nicotine gum forever which means that you need to have a cut off point for its usage. Typically, you don’t want to use nicotine gum for more than 12 weeks. So in the time span of 12 weeks you’ll want to have reduced the amount of gum you are chewing and then finally end its usage completely. There is a problem here, though. As long as you are using nicotine gum you are still technically addicted to nicotine. You are no longer smoking cigarettes to fuel this addiction but you are getting your nicotine in another form. At some point you are going to need to rely on your own will power as nicotine gum cannot totally remove your urges to smoke. It can help you get on the right path and it can help you to get used to not smoking cigarettes, but you are the ultimate decider as far as whether or not you will smoke another cigarette. This is something you need to think about when considering the use of nicotine gum. Nicotine gum is a great aid to get you on the righteous path of quitting but it also cannot do all of the work for you and it still technically has you addicted to nicotine.