Many people who try to quit smoking attempt to go “cold turkey,” that is, they just stop abruptly without the use of any of the aids that are available to help quit smoking. There may be medical reasons for this, or some may simply feel as if they “should” be able to quit on their own.

Going cold turkey will get nicotine out of your system quickly, usually within a couple of days or so, however, the withdrawal symptoms are usually pretty severe and intense, as is the physical discomfort that goes with this. Many people find themselves itching for a cigarette very early on, and when this happens, you would do well to consider using some of those quit smoking aids that are available.

Do Quit Smoking Aids Really Work?

The happy news for anyone in this situation is that most quit smoking aids, even those available over the counter at your local pharmacy, seem to have good results for those who use them. They are usually very affordable and easy to use, and have few side effects.

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is a popular aid in quitting smoking. These therapies include the patch, gum, spray, and inhaler. These products work by allowing nicotine into your system gradually over a period of time, thereby reducing your cravings for a cigarette. The other advantage to these types of quit smoking aids is that, unlike cigarettes that consist of thousands of poisonous and carcinogenic chemicals, NRTs contain only nicotine. Also, the chemical reaction that happens when one burns cigarettes causes people around a smoker to suffer the consequences as well, something that doesn’t happen with the patch, gum, inhaler, or spray.

Other quit smoking aids are available from your doctor in pill form. Most are considered mild anti-depressants, and work by calming and relaxing you, thereby decreasing your nervous habit of reaching for a cigarette. Some however have more severe side effects than those products you can get over the counter, and should only be used when under a doctor’s care.

In the end, trying to go cold turkey may be an option for you, but if you’re worried that it might not work and aren’t really looking forward to the withdrawal symptoms and the cravings – and your family isn’t looking forward to them either! – then you have a number of options when it comes to quit smoking aids.

If your trying to quit smoking I can highly recommend Allen Carr’s book ‘Easy Way to Stop Smoking’ It’s available in the USA from Amazon.com and in the UK from Amazon.co.uk

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Filed under: Quit Smoking Aids

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