How to Quit Smoking

Different stop smoking methods work for different people, but the bottom line is that you are the only person who can make the decision about when, how, or even if you will quit smoking. If you'd like to quit, but are daunted by the prospect, there are quite a few methods from which to choose.

Cold Turkey

You decide to quit, set a time, and just stop. Sometimes an action plan, such as reducing the amount you smoke every day until you're down to nothing, or exercising instead of smoking, can really help.

Stop Smoking Program

There are various stop smoking programs available, many of them free of charge. These might be run by local health authorities, self help groups, or other interested bodies.

Nicotine Replacement

Nicotine replacement therapy is available as gum, lozenges, inhalers or patches. The nicotine they contain replaces the nicotine from smoking, making it easier to break the habit.

Hypnotherapy and Acupuncture

Hypnotherapy works for a great many people, and involves hypnosis. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese method of balancing energy by inserting very fine needles into certain points in the body.

Drugs

There are at least two drugs that doctors sometimes prescribe for patients to help them quit smoking. They are called Zyban and Champix.

Aversion

This is a method where, for instance, you smell a wet ashtray each time you feel like smoking. It smells so awful that you develop an aversion to smoking, and quit.

A Good Reason

Some people find it easy to quit when they have a really good reason such as illness, pregnancy, family, finance, or just feeling fed up with having to go outside for a smoke.

Read a Book

This was how I quit. I read Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking and easily quit after the second reading. This book has 475 reviews and a 5 star rating on Amazon. Neil Casey's The Nicotine Trick, a more recent book, has helped a lot of people quit. It has 36 reviews on Amazon and a 5 star rating.