Now that you know that smoking kills hundreds of thousands of people every year and that it causes lung cancer, pregnancy complications, strokes and heart disease, you may want to quit.
Here are some tips to help you kick the habit:
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- Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can be used to stop smoking. It is available as a nicotine patch, inhaler, nasal spray, gum, tablets and lozenges and for most people is perfectly safe. NRT helps deal with withdrawal symptoms and cravings caused by the nicotine from cigarettes and other tobacco products.
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- A prescription medication Zyban (bupropion) is the latest aid in smoking cessation. This anti-depressant seems to increase levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain, leading to an enhanced feeling of pleasure. Long-term research is however necessary to determine its effect on the prevention of relapse.
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- Combination therapy, which involves counselling, the simultaneous administration of nicotine replacement therapy and/or the prescription medication Zyban, seems to be an effective solution for many people who want to stop smoking. Preliminary research results indicate a 50% six-month success rate for combination therapy.
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- When you stop smoking, stress management techniques, like exercise, can play an important role in long-term success, regardless whether you want to stop by fighting the habit on your own or join a programme.
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- Nicotine replacement therapy and other medication to stop smoking are temporary measures. You need to take steps to address the core psychological factors involved in smoking addiction for long-term success. To help in this regard, Smoke-enders offers a programme in which you learn how to quit and then acquire the skills and behaviours to live as a non-smoker.
Sources
Quit smoking. Fedsure Health
www.webmd.com
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