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Does anybody recommend medication to stop smoking or should I do it naturally
Need advice
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Welcome to the community!
The important thing you can do right now is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind. To that end, I highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This easy and entertaining read provided a world of good information about nicotine addiction, most of which I was not aware. I credit it in large part with my success at quitting. You can search for it online or at your local library.
You should also read the posts here and perhaps go to the pages of folks who you think might be helpful. You might visit whyquit.com, quitsmoking.com and livewell.com for the good information contained there. @https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/best-of-ex has lots of blogs written by members of this site with their experiences and guidance. Here is a video to inform you further about nicotine addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be.
After you have completed the recommended reading, it will be time to make an informed choice of the quit aid, if any, you will use. If you go that route, I personally recommend the aids that don't let the addict control the dose such as the available prescription drugs or the patch. If used properly, gum, lozenges and inhalers are fine, but they need to be used only as a last resort after you have tried to delay and distract. I have seen folks become addicted to them if they substitute them for every cigarette they used to smoke - just trading one addiction for another. You need to start out with a plan to reduce use of them over time - which the patch does by decreasing the dose contained in them.. For the gum, you can start by cutting each piece in half, then in quarters, then sub regular gum of the same flavor in between, adding more and more regular gum. For the lozenge, you need to start subbing a mint in between to begin, increasing the number of them over time. I do not recommend the e-cigarette for four reasons: 1) the vapor has been compared to the polluted air in Bejing on a bad day, 2) they just provide another nicotine delivery system while continuing the hand to mouth smoking motion, 3) it maintains the addiction to nicotine, and 4) they are proving to be unsafe.
It will be informative if you do the tracking and separation exercises recommended here on the site. As you track each cigarette smoked, note its importance, and what you might do instead. Put each one off just a little to prove that you don't NEED a cigarette just because you think you do.
The idea is to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced. Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand in a place different from when you smoked. Maybe switch to tea for a bit. If you always had that first smoke with your coffee, try putting your tennies on right out of bed, going for a quick walk, then taking your shower and THEN your coffee! Rearrange the furniture in the areas you used to smoke so the view is different. Buy your gas at a different station. Take a different route to work. Take a quick walk at break time where the smokers AREN'T.
You need to distract yourself through any craves. You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all), put your head in the freezer and take a deep breath of cold air, do a few jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk or march in place, play a computer game. Keep a cold bottle of water with you from which to sip. Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. Sometimes you need to quit a minute or an hour at a time. You will need to be disciplined in the early days to distract yourself when a crave hits. Get busy! Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of smoke if you need some fresh ideas:
https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instea...
The conversation in your head in response to the "I want a cigarette" thought needs to be, "Well, since I have decided not to do that anymore, what shall I do instead for the three minutes this crave will last?" Then DO it. You will need to put some effort into this in the early days, but it gets easier and easier to do.
Stay close to us here and ask questions when you have them and for support when you need it. We will be with you every step of the way!
Nancy
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Welcome to the community jdeezy84 please read the links suggested above me and keep reading everything you can because there's a wealth of information right here on this site to strengthen your resolve to kick the nicotine poison to the curb permanently it's not easy by any stretch of the imagination BUT boy oh boy it's so worth it to be Free and we're all here to help you in any way we can everyone's quit is different with methods once you do some reading you can figure out which way is right for you, you've made the best decision that you'll ever make in your lifetime and it's definetly the best gift that you'll ever give yourself which is the gift of LIFE....
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I think that this is a question only you can have the answer to.
I don't know your history , medical wise or quit wise right to recommend one thing or the other . At least I would be leary of doing that , so I would recommend or suggest you talk with your doctor . Also do some research on NRTs available to help . Knowledge is power . I'm fairly new here so I'm sure their may be more information and resources available here to help you here . I'm glad you asked the question . Good job asking . Keep in mind that you will still have to work very hard no matter what you choose but good things come from hard work . If you are willing to work to keep it, you can do it . The ex is a good team for support . Welcome to the ex community .
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This is a question only you can answer. We all know ourselves better than anyone. Hopefully, you will get lots of responses on here with people telling your THEIR experiences with using an NRT or not......but still, that is only them telling you what THEY did. Doesn't mean it is right for you.....you have to read their responses, why they used something or did not and then decide for yourself. ALSO....read everything YoungAtHeart has indicated. This will also help you decide.
For myself....one of the reasons ( just one) that I wanted to quit was the MONEY I was spending on smoking....it was SUCH a waste. So, I did not really want to use an NRT because I didn't want to spend money on something else. ALSO----I rarely even take an aspirin as I am just not someone who likes to "take" medicine. AGAIN.....this is just me! It may NOT be what you decide and that's fine. This is a No Judgement Zone (apologies to Planet Fitness!!). We support....not judge. Do what will keep you from smoking. Because I can tell you one thing.....whatever method people use to quit....NO ONE ever says...."gosh, I wish I had not quit smoking".
Stay Strong
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Whatever you decide, please know there is no magic method.
You will have to do the work, and it can be quite uncomfortable at times.
My suggestion is to arm yourself with knowledge, keep the mindset that you can and will commit, and stick around for tons of support - we all understand.
Please post often - it really helps!
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Lots of good suggestions here for you jdeezy84 regarding using nicotine replacements or going "cold turkey"- what works for one may not work for another. So, being educated on all choices is great advice.
I also want to say a bit more about the Alan Carr book Youngatheart suggested to you, The one titled "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking."
You can google a free pdf form online. Also some libraries carry it. Additionally, it can be purchased online, at Amazon for instance. One of the great things I liked about the book is the author encourages you to not quit until you are done reading the book. That helped me gradually work toward my quit date.
He's a great proponent of quitting cold turkey but the book also works well for those who chose to use nicotine replacement products (such as the patch, gum, mints.)
If you are serious about becoming a non-smoker, you can do it! And the people here at the Ex are so helpful.
Wishing you well~ Suzy
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Make a good plan boss...
stay on the plan, if you choose to go with medication, do it.
Cold Turkey..yes , It will work.
Take counselling sessions if needed in case of cold turkey.
I would say, do not shift plans.. once you decide, do it.
It is huge pendulum between not so easy to impossible.
You will keep pendulum swings from once point to another, however good to stick to you plan.
All the best !
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HI and Welcome to Ex’s jdeezy84 You received some great advice above me...do the work and quit smoking. Also, keep close to the support site, we are here for you...Happy Wednesday ~ Colleen 436 DOF
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As everyone has said, it really is your choice. People on this site have quit cold turkey, with NRT or medications. I used Welbutrin and nicotrol inhalers this times. Along with a smoking and cessation class and support from the Ex, I'm approaching two years. Some aids are OTC and some require a prescription. Do you're research and decide what's best for you. No matter what you decide, the important thing is to educate yourself about nicotine addiction and create a quit plan. That's what made all the difference for me this time.
Barb
