Smoking is a common habit; over 20 million people in the United States smoke. Smoking is also the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), smoking accounts for 1 in every 3 deaths in the United States. These facts are undeniable. If you’re wondering how to stop smoking, here are some effective strategies.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy: What’s the Deal?
Nicotine replacement therapy is an essential component in how to stop smoking and is usually offered as a part of smoking cessation programs. This type of therapy is a combination of two medications that work together to ease symptoms of nicotine withdrawal and give your brain a boost to return to its normal functioning.
What Are Nicotine Replacement Therapy and Varenicline?
Nicotine replacement therapy is a combination of two medications that work together to ease symptoms of nicotine withdrawal and give your brain a boost to return to its normal functioning. The first medication in this combination is varenicline, which is a medication that blocks the actions of an enzyme (a chemical that regulates the function of your body) called an acetylcholine esterase. This enzyme is the primary source of nicotine for your body. The second medication in this combination is nicotine replacement spray. This medication is designed to replace the nicotine that you’ve been deprived of throughout the day.
What Are the Benefits of Nicotine Replacement Therapy?
For starters, nicotine replacement therapy helps ease the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. A 2015 study published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology found that nicotine replacement therapy helped reduce the severity of withdrawal symptoms and help smokers to smoke fewer cigarettes.
Nicotine replacement therapy can also help reduce the negative effects of nicotine withdrawal. A 2016 study published in Nicotine and Tobacco Research found that nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) was associated with a lower risk of relapse to smoking and a reduced rate of smoking relapse.
Nicotine replacement therapies can also help you quit smoking and give your body a boost to return to its normal functioning. A 2010 study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that varenicline and nicotine replacement therapies were associated with a slower rate of worsening of lung function during the first year of smoking cessation.
Nicotine replacement therapies can also ease the discomfort of withdrawal. A 2014 study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that smokers who used NRT experienced less pain and discomfort when quitting smoking.
What Are the Side Effects of Nicotine Replacement Therapy?
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), side effects are common with both varenicline and nicotine replacement therapies. These side effects can include:
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Itching
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
Nicotine replacement therapies are also associated with some more serious side effects. These serious side effects may include:
- Confusion
- Hallucinations
- Seizures
- Convulsions
- Heart problems
- Chest pain
- High blood pressure
- Stroke
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- Skin rashes
- High blood sugar
Nicotine replacement therapies may also cause problems with weight gain. One 2014 study published in the Journal of American Medical Association found that smokers who used NRT experienced weight gain compared to smokers who didn’t use NRT.
How to Quit Smoking?
There are many things you can do to quit smoking. Here are a few suggestions to help you quit smoking and start living healthier.
1. Get Help From a Tobacco Cessation Program
The first thing you need to do is get help from a smoking cessation program. Your doctor can refer you to a program that works for you. You can also contact a local or state quit-smoking hotline. Call quitline or go to the American Cancer Society’s quit.org website to find a program in your area. Learn more about quitting smoking with the American Cancer Society.
2. Limit Your Exposure to Tobacco
The second thing you need to do is limit your exposure to tobacco. There are many ways to do this, and here are several suggestions.
- Avoid tobacco products in public places, including restaurants, bars, shops, and schools.
- Avoid tobacco products in places where you spend a lot of time, such as work, your car, and your home.
- Consider using a smoke-free room in your home or car when you smoke.
- Use indoor and outdoor air filters to help you limit your exposure to cigarette smoke.
- Use a smoke-free room when you prepare and smoke your cigarettes.
- Find ways to help you relax when you smoke.
- Choose natural tobacco products that don’t contain a lot of nicotine, such as chewing tobacco or snuff.
- Use a non-smoker’s product when you smoke to help you manage your cigarettes.
- Avoid social situations where smoking is common.
3. Find Support
The third thing you need to do is find support. You can find this support by joining a smoking cessation program. You can also talk to a close friend or family member about your smoking.
4. Take Risks to Quit
The fourth thing you need to do is take risks to quit smoking. This can include:
- Quitting smoking alone.
- Quitting smoking when you’re with others and in public places.
- Quitting smoking when you’re with others and in places you can’t avoid, like your car.
You can also try quitting smoking when you feel your urge to smoke. This is called nicotine replacement therapy. Find more tips on smoking cessation.
5. Learn to Manage Stress
The fifth thing you need to do is learn to manage stress. This can help you deal with stressful situations better, including stressful situations when you quit smoking. Learn more about managing stress.
6. Manage Your Sleep
The sixth thing you need to do is manage your sleep. This can help you deal with stressful situations better and help you sleep better at night. Learn more about managing your sleep.
7. Manage Your Diet
The seventh thing you need to do is manage your diet. This can help you deal with stressful situations better and help you lose weight. Learn more about managing your diet.
8. Manage Your Alcohol Intake
The eighth thing you need to do is manage your alcohol intake. This can help you cope with stressful situations better and help you quit smoking. Find more tips on quitting smoking.
9. Manage Your Caffeine Intake
The ninth thing you need to do is manage your caffeine intake. This can help you cope with stressful situations better and help you quit smoking. Find more tips on quitting smoking.
10. Manage Your Exercise
The tenth thing you need to do is manage your exercise. This can help you cope with stressful situations better and help you quit smoking. Learn more about managing your exercise.
11. Get Good Sleep
The eleventh thing you need to do is get good sleep. This can help you cope with stressful situations better and help you quit smoking. Learn more about good sleep.
12. Manage Your Stress
The twelfth thing you need to do is manage your stress. This can help you deal with stressful situations better and help you quit smoking. Learn more about managing your stress.
13. Be Patient
The thirteenth thing you need to do is be patient. This can help you deal with stressful situations better and help you quit smoking. Learn more about being patient.
14. Consider Other Treatments
The fourteenth thing you need to do is consider other treatments, such as medications, if you smoke. Learn more about quitting smoking.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy for Children
You can use a nicotine replacement product to help your child quit smoking. Talk to your child’s doctor to help decide if this is the right treatment for your child.
Possible side effects of nicotine replacement products include:
- Drowsiness
- Nauseated stomach
- Headache
- Trouble sleeping
- Increased sweating
- Dizziness
- Difficulty breathing
- Irritation
Follow-up Tests and Exam
Follow-up tests can help your doctor find out what’s going on with your child. They can also help you and your child decide if treatment is working and if you should continue to use the treatment.
Many children who have stopped smoking have also quit using tobacco products. This makes it more likely that your child’s doctor will want to follow up on your child after you’ve stopped using the nicotine replacement product.
Follow-up tests and exams may include:
- Blood tests. These tests can help your doctor learn if your child has a problem with nicotine.
Final thoughts
There are a lot of things you can do to help your child quit smoking. But it’s not always as easy as you might think
You can help your child by:
If you’re ready to help your child quit smoking, call our toll-free number or chat with us online today.
We’re here to support you and help you quit smoking.
We’ll help you learn the steps you need to take to stop smoking. You’ll also learn what you need to know to be a good parent and how to be a good role model
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