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There’s no shortage of methods to stop smoking. But do they work? Following is an overview of some of the more common ways to quit. You can decide for yourself if any of them will help you stop smoking for good.

Pharmaceuticals

Many people who decide to stop smoking give nicotine patches a try. This method allows you to gradually taper down the amount of nicotine that goes into your system. This will lessen the withdrawal symptoms when the nicotine is stopped for good.

A new option in prescription drugs is the quit smoking pill known as Chantix. This medication causes the release of dopamine, a feel good chemical in your brain. The brain experiences the same effect as if nicotine were present in your bloodstream. Using this form of treatment, withdrawal symptoms are virtually nonexistent.

Keep in mind that pharmaceutical approaches to help you quit smoking aren’t always as successful as you might wish. That’s because it’s not just a chemical addiction you’re dealing with. Smoking is also psychologically addictive, which is equally difficult to deal with.

Cold Turkey

This is one of the most popular methods among people who decide to quit smoking. Essentially, it involves simply quitting, without any gradual tapering off or pharmaceutical assistance. Although it’s popular, it’s not necessarily the most successful method.

Most people who smoke are addicted to the large quantities of nicotine that are contained in cigarettes. It’s an extremely addictive substance, and if you don’t get your fix, you’ll exhibit withdrawal symptoms right away. When you quit cold turkey, these symptoms are severe and will last for a couple of weeks or more.

The hard part is to learn how to take your mind off these symptoms when they come over you. Smokers usually have too much difficulty with this approach and end up succumbing to the craving.

Substituting

This method typically replaces the act of smoking with a substitute. Some people pop a candy in their mouth or chew some gum whenever they feel the need for a smoke. Sometimes this will help to satisfy the oral fixation by giving your mouth something else to do.

Other people substitute exercise for smoking. If they feel they need a smoke, they choose instead to hit the gym or go for a walk.

Any ex-smoker will tell you how hard it is to quit. Those who have managed to stop smoking will likely agree that it took more than one try before they were able to quit smoking for good. However, it’s important that you don’t give up. Your life might depend on it.