Stopping Smoking - Which Way Is Right For You?

By Author: Gareth Hoyle
Total Articles: 675
Comment this article

When you want to stop smoking, there are a number of different ways to go about it.

Some people find stopping smoking relatively easy, whilst for others, it's much more difficult.

Different people respond better to different ways of stopping smoking and, in the rest of this article, you'll find out more about the five most common approaches people take when they want to stop smoking.

" "Cold turkey"

Depending on how many cigarettes you smoke per day, you may want to try good old fashioned willpower first in your bid to stop smoking.

This "cold turkey" approach isn't easy though, especially if you've been a heavy smoker and it's your first attempt at giving up smoking. Many people find they're most vulnerable to smoking when they're in a social situation such as sitting having a drink with friends in a beer garden or at a barbeque.

" Cutting down gradually

Cutting down gradually is a more structured and realistic approach when you want to stop smoking. For example, if you currently smoke 10 cigarettes per day, you could cut down gradually to 9, then 8, and so on, until you've ...
... stopped smoking completely.

Many people find that stopping smoking this way works well, but others may find it hard, especially if they're used to smoking at a certain time of day i.e. first thing in the morning.

" Nicotine aids

There is a wide range of nicotine aids on the market to help people stop smoking. This includes products such as nicotine chewing gum, patches and inhalers.

If your approach to stopping smoking is going to include nicotine aids, you may have to experiment with them to find out which one works best for you. A trained smoking advisor at your local Co-operative Pharmacy can help you to make an informed decision about which nicotine aid best suits your needs.

" Counselling and group support

Stopping smoking on your own without any help, advice or support can be incredibly tough. There are free groups all over the UK that specifically help people to stop smoking.

Many people find it's easier when they know they're in the same boat as others, and it can help to talk about how you're finding it with people who are going through it at the same time.

The Co-operative Pharmacy has information leaflets on stopping smoking in its branches, plus trained smoking advisors to help you quit. They also have nicotine aids which can be used as part of your strategy to stop smoking for good.