If you are a smoker and you want to give up then you are making a wise decision
. Giving up is easier said than done because the addiction to nicotine can be very strong. There are some people who can wean themselves of their addiction to nicotine on their own without any help. Unfortunately, not all are as lucky to be able to do that as many people need some support along the way especially, if they have been smoking for many years.
Fortunately, there are three programs that have proven to help people overcome their addiction to nicotine. These programs can either be done on their own or they can be done with a group.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
Today there is a huge variety of nicotine replacement products that you can buy and many of these do not need a prescription from your doctor. These products come in the form of nicotine patches or chewing gum, inhalers and sprays. The nicotine patches are very popular as you just stick them on your arm. If none of these products work for you then you have the option of speaking with your doctor who may provide you with prescriptive alternatives.
Social Support Communities
One of the most important key aspects that will improve your chances of quitting is having support from other people. This can be support from family and close friends. There are also many quit smoking groups that are established in the local community to help people give up and provide a friendly and understanding face to talk to. Check with your local doctor or council as they will have details of these community groups in the local area. Alternatively, it you have access to the internet then you can do web search with the term quit smoking groups. Prefix the search term with the location you live to narrow the results. This will give you more accurate and relevant results of the local groups in your area.
Motivational Skills
One of the most effective ways of helping people to quit is listening to and learning from people who have successfully done it. They can provide the tips and techniques they used to overcome the inevitable temptations and to succeed in following through on their commitment to quit smoking. Expert and specialists can provide you with this help and your local physician should have the details. There are also phone hot lines available where you can speak directly to a counsellor over the phone. If you are finding it difficult and you need extra help you can attend intensive counselling course that are run by qualified practitioners.