subject: The Worst Ways To Quit Smoking [print this page] You've probably already read articles on the best ways to quit smoking, and there's a good chance you haven't found them too helpful. Most of them are just regurgitations of the same old unhelpful platitudes. "Avoid triggers." "Believe in yourself." "Visualize success." Gee, thanks for the wonderful tips, guys.
And the more practical tips for how to stop smoking usually aren't that helpful, either. "Drink lots of water." "Go see a doctor." "Chew nicotine gum." "Formulate a plan." As if you never thought to try these things. And in the end, what's important is that you've probably done them all, yet you're still smoking, aren't you?
That's why sometimes the best practical advice relates not to what you should do, but to what you should not do. After all, not doing things is easier than doing things, right? So I'm going to help you narrow down your options for how to stop smoking. Then, we can go from there.
1. Nicotine replacement therapy: I hate to rain on the parade of this multibillion dollar industry, but nicotine replacement products fail 90% of the time, making them statistically one of the worst ways to stop smoking. Things like nicotine patches and gums don't treat your addiction; they just make it so you don't feel quite so inclined to smoke.
This may work for a little while, but there will always come that day when you're stressed out or emotional about something, and you'll say, "Screw this" - if I'm gonna keep taking nicotine, let me have a cigarette!" And then you're back to where you started.
In other words, if you want to quit smoking, you can't have anymore nicotine. I know it's rough, but no one said quitting was going to be easy.
2. Cutting back gradually: Gradually cutting back on cigarettes can be a good way to prepare yourself to quit smoking, but it's not a quitting method in and of itself. No matter how long the interval between cigarettes, as long as you're still looking forward and expecting to smoke in the near future, your dependence will remain on the same level.
And when your dependence is still the same, you're always one rough patch away from returning to your old habits. Again, if you want to quit smoking, you can't have anymore nicotine. End of story. If you stop smoking with hypnosis or other nicotine-free solutions, you won't run into this problem.
3. Prescription drugs: There are a few drugs approved by the FDA for treatment of nicotine addiction. And if your doctor seriously recommends you take one, go for it. But in reality, these pills are primarily for people who don't want to face up to the difficulty of quitting, and who want a magic solution to their addiction problems. That's why most people who try these drugs end up being disappointed to find that quitting is still difficult.
There is no magical solution. The worst ways to quit smoking are the ones that give you false hope along with dubious results. Prescription drugs are top on that list.
