Choose Your Favorite Stop Smoking Aid

There are as many stop smoking aids as there are smokers – and just like smokers, they come in all shapes and sizes. All the aids to stop smoking have one thing in common, though: they are designed to help you become a nonsmoker.

When you decide that you want to stop smoking, you need to realize that you are going to be overcoming not only a physical addiction, but a psychological one as well. Therefore, you’ll want to choose a stop smoking aid that can work on your physical addiction to nicotine, and find others that will help you psychologically and emotionally.

Finding Physical Stop Smoking Aids

Nicotine is highly physically addictive; there are many products on the market today to help you fight this first and foremost. You can find many over-the-counter nicotine replacement items to give you the boost you need and prevent your withdrawal symptoms from becoming too severe.

The nicotine patch is a very popular stop smoking aid. Each patch provides a measured amount of nicotine, which is absorbed into your skin. Every couple of weeks, the nicotine in the patches is lessened, and gradually you will be weaned from your addiction. The nicotine patch is designed to be used for three to five months. There are a few possible side effects, and these can include skin irritation around the area of the patch, dizziness, a racing heartbeat, sleep disturbances and vivid, strange dreams. Muscle aches and stiffness can also occur.

Nicotine gum is also available. This is very fast acting, giving you that nicotine feeling through the mucous membranes in your mouth. This is an inexpensive, effective way to curb your smoking, and many people have found it to be a successful stop smoking aid. However, not everyone likes the taste of the gum, and it can irritate some individual’s throats, or cause mouth sores. Another thing to be aware of is that nicotine gum can become addictive in itself. To avoid this, plan on using it for only up to six months.
Laser therapy has recently been very popular and effective for many folks. While this is costlier, the results are more immediate and the procedure is painless and relaxing.

You can also ask your doctor to prescribe a stop smoking aid in the form of a pill like Zyban. This contains no nicotine, but is actually an antidepressant that has been found to be quite effective in helping smokers quit.

Choosing a stop smoking aid for your mind

Since smoking is psychologically addictive as well as physically, you’ll want to make sure you plan a program that works on both your body and your mind. You can explore options like hypnosis and acupuncture, and you can look into support groups available in your community. Individual and group counseling sessions can be a real help, and you’ll most likely learn some behavioral techniques to help you develop new, healthy habits.