Taking to smoking without realizing its implications is a fatal mistake that smokers unknowingly embark on. Cigarette smoking is responsible for 1 in 5 deaths. Smoking-related deaths mostly happen from coronary heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A likelihood to attract other diseases like colds and infections, osteoporosis and hip fractures, pregnancy issues, erectile issues, stomach ulcers, gum diseases, and other types of cancers along with diabetes will be bound to your body for life unless you say no to smoking and make a serious effort at stopping it. However, though getting addicted to smoking is easy, weaning from it is an uphill task. It demands conviction, nicotine replacement therapy, cold turkey, help from the family, and much more to free yourself from smoking. But if you want to quit, you can do so at any time and any age. It is your chance to get back your lost health.
When should you consider yourself addicted to nicotine?
- When a person is smoking more than 1 pack a day
- Smoking as soon as you wake up within 5 minutes.
- Not quitting smoking even when sick
- Waking up in the night for a smoke
- Getting over withdrawal symptoms
Finding Your Path: NRT and Cold Turkey - A Closer Look
Nicotine in tobacco causes addiction. When you are addicted to cigarettes, nicotine deposits in various parts of the body, making the body used to nicotine. Quitting smoking creates a withdrawal as your body craves nicotine, being used to it from smoking. To overcome this withdrawal, Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is quite effective. The withdrawal is addressed by gum, patches, spray, inhalers, and lozenges. They insert nicotine into your body and help your body cope with withdrawals better. Pledging to not smoke demands great resolution. While many in this world decide to never smoke and stick to it, most cannot stay as resolute. For them, NRT for smoking is a better way to plan smoking cessation. NRT therapy together with counselling will help in beating withdrawal for not feeding your body with tobacco.
If you are planning to take the cold turkey approach, some feel it is effective. Cut down on your smoking habit immediately by setting a final quitting date. Quit abruptly, for some 'cold turkey' works better. If you are planning to take the cold turkey route, some feel it is effective. It should be remembered that quitting smoking has a daunting effect on your health and the risk of quitting can cause reclusive withdrawals, somewhat flu-like conditions. But remember these are temporary symptoms and if you hold on, this too shall pass. Quit smoking and find your body recovering from it within 20 minutes. Remember withdrawal symptoms are temporary and coping with withdrawal is better without smoke than with smoke.
The Benefits of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)
Quitting tobacco is not easy as withdrawal symptoms can be quite intense. Craving for tobacco is so strong that people often succumb to getting back into smoking rather than giving up on it. An effective way to combat smoking is through Nicotine Replacement Therapy. This therapy has greatly benefited people seriously attempting to quit smoking. Smoking is a serious addiction and draws you back to it, but various therapies unite to keep a person from going back to the fearsome path. Counselling, family support, support from friends and colleagues, and Nicotine Replacement Therapy together combine to break the addiction. It must be remembered that it is mainly the person's resolute intent that works in their favour and brings them out of smoking despite various temptations luring a smoke.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy comes in the shapes of gums, mint lozenges, patches, etc. You can choose a good nicotine replacement brand and start your smoke-free journey with help from NRT therapy.
Drawbacks and Considerations of NRT
While Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is quite effective it helps in the withdrawal of the physical craving of an individual. This therapy has no power over the psychological and emotional cravings in a person. But this is a step in your journey towards a tobacco-free life and every bit of support has some value to protect you from the urge of tobacco. If you want to hang around with colleagues who take you out for a smoke break and smoke in front of you, overcoming your craving will require huge mental strength. The patch, gum, and mint are aided essentials that will dull the urge. Your mind in this case will have to take a firmer stand.
Some patches have reportedly shown skin infections and rashes. Use patches of dependable companies only. Gradually lower the patch dose as you want to lower the portion of nicotine entering the body. If you start with a 24-hour patch, plan on reducing it to 16 hours. Manage your sleep better. Once you have somewhat worked to stop physical urges, try weaning out of the patch and using other methods like gums and lozenges.
The Cold Turkey Approach
As mentioned earlier, some feel the cold turkey approach to smoking cessation works better than allowing the effects of nicotine to linger in the body through patches. If you have the right environment, smoking can be given up faster through this therapy. Stopping tobacco intake all at once can have adverse effects on health and disrupt the chemical balance of the body. Nicotine boosts the dopamine level of the brain and sudden withdrawal from stopping tobacco impacts the emotional and physical wellbeing of smokers. The obstacles and cravings for reversal to smoking can impede recovery from nicotine. While quitting smoking is a huge mental process and demands immense willpower, without some help, this recovery may not always be successful.
It has often been noted that people taking this approach succumb to craving, unable to withstand psychological withdrawal symptoms. They cheat and sneak a cigarette or two and can't help but return to their old smoking habit.
It depends on the individual. While some experience mild withdrawal others go through strong withdrawal with an intense urge for at least one smoke. This usually happens within 24 hours of quitting. Some experience withdrawal after three days of quitting. If they can hold up to their pledge, the urge gradually tapers off over the next three to four weeks. On each occasion, the individual should remain mindful and cease their urge when meeting familiar smokers in smoking zones.
The Boldness of Quitting Cold Turkey
"Cold turkey" is a severe and bold form of quitting in contrast to gradual or slower addiction eviction. The plan is instant, and you follow it with integrity. It is considered a bold step as needless to say, quitting smoking, an addiction that has taken over for months, years, and decades may not always be successful and just turn out to be a cold turkey. It is far from a realistic approach and is most often compromised by people who bravely declare that they are quitting the habit.
Challenges and Considerations of Quitting Cold Turkey
When someone decides to take the cold Turkey approach, it means ceasing all tobacco products containing nicotine at one go entirely. It does not mean a gradual weaning out of addiction but to quit smoking unconditionally. Individuals following this method with success are likely to be tobacco and nicotine-free sooner in a short spell than in a long-time procedure. But though this approach has been met with some success, the withdrawal levels that follow this procedure are intense. This approach is considered safe and there are no long-term side effects if individuals do not succumb to withdrawal.
The withdrawal symptoms can be quite challenging. As discussed, the impact is both psychological and physical. A person going through nicotine withdrawal will show symptoms like restlessness, headaches, tremors like flu, sweating, digestive issues, acute constipation, increased appetite, stomach cramps, and acute sleep disturbance. Until nicotine leaves the body the physical effects will linger. What is more impacting is the psychological effects that last much longer. Intense cravings, fluctuating concentration, and immense mood swings are common. The person grows very irritable, suffers acute frustration, anxiety level shoots up and there is a perpetual depressive mood.
Determining the Right Method for You
While the two approaches to quitting smoking are quite prevalent and different individuals choose to manage their quitting habits differently, the cold turkey approach as discussed has a very poor success rate. The environment is not always conducive for individuals to hold on to their willpower and often their resolution is broken. The other method, Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), is a better approach to smoking cessation. While it might be hard to give up completely, feeding your body with a small amount of nicotine gradually helps you to overcome the habit. Tapering off slowly can ease the craving without having to cope with the effects of withdrawals. To follow the NRT therapy start using gums, mint, and patches to head towards a smoke-free life.
Nicotex gum
This follows a 12-week therapy program that builds your body to fight against nicotine. With a gradual reduction in nicotine intake, smokers find this method of smoking cessation beneficial. Containing Nicotine Polacrilex, this product from Cipla is available in 2mg. The gum is flavoured for the Indian palate and its strong taste diminishes the taste of nicotine. It is available in 5 different flavors Mint Plus, Paan, Cinnamon, Ultra Mint, and Fruit Burst and you can pick your flavor online or from a chemist.
Nicotex mint
These are 10 lozenges in a pack. This is a Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) enabler, reducing the level of nicotine intake by the body and helping individuals to cope with withdrawal and gradual weaning from smoking. This is another trusted product by Cipla and contains Nicotine Polacrilex. Available in strips, just like gums, they can be a good friend of a smoker pledging to quit tobacco.
Nicotex Patch
This trusted transdermal skin patch from Cipla aids smoking cessation following the Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). The patch is fixed to the body by a derma-friendly adhesive which gradually allows the body to absorb nicotine in very small portions all through the day. This therapy is carried out for 12 weeks and gradually the dose of nicotine is lowered to help individuals free from nicotine dependency. The nicotine patch has shown a 60% abstinence from smokers after the use of the 1st patch. Over 24 hours, the patch slowly releases nicotine inside the body. This approach is a step-down process and being invisible you do not have to declare to people that you are on the verge of quitting smoking. This is a highly effective procedure. Patches are available in 21 mg 7 patches, 14mg 7, patches, 7 mg 7 patches, and 14 mg 1 patch.
Nicotex works on Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) approved by the World Health Organisation. If you are determined to give up smoking and have been unable to succeed through the cold turkey approach, it is time to try out Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) with help from Nicotex.