Why It Is So Difficult To Stop Smoking?

According to a recent study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are over 80 percent of more than 20 percent of the U.S. population over 18 lit up at least one stick of cigarette per day. In 1990s, a study showed that male adult smokers lost more than 13 years of life while female smokers lost more than 14 years of life due to their smoking habits. Smoking habits make smokers hard to breathe, work, exercise and play, to name a few.

For many smokers, stop smoking is probably easier said than done. Most of today’s smokers wish they could quit smoking but find it difficult to do due to the additive effects of nicotine. The negative effects of smoking have been popular issues in various media and publications, earning cigarette the nickname “cancer stick”. Cigarette is often cited as one of the causes of strokes, cancers and heart attacks, to name a few. It is said that half of smokers who keep their smoking habits suffer from smoking-related illness, which in the U.S. has been major death cause for 1 in 5 deaths.

Several cases of mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas and larynx cancers are also arguably caused by smoking habits. Smokers have twice the chances of death due to heart attacks, strokes and caught other blood vessel diseases than the non-smokers. And smoking causes premature aging. Those who smoke are likely to develop wrinkled skins at younger age than those who don’t. Not to mention the yellowish fingernail and teeth, smelly-breath and clothes.

So, if you want to: live longer, reduce your risk of getting perspiration diseases, cancers and other smoking-related illness, boost your energy, save more money and gain self-respect and feel of accomplishment, you may want to start learning on how to stop smoking. But before you start your stop smoking program, it is necessary that you fully understand you need to have the will to give up your habit and set the right mindset about smoking. You may want to know reasons why it is difficult to quit smoking. Nicotine withdrawal symptoms are some of the reasons why it is difficult to stay out of cigarettes once you quit smoking.

Here are several nicotine withdrawal symptoms (please note that length of symptoms may vary due for different smokers):
1. Day 1 – few days : craving for tobacco, dizziness, insomnia, headaches, chest discomfort, fatigue, cough, nasal drip, lack of focus and hunger.
2. Few days – week 1 : craving for tobacco, insomnia, headaches, chest discomfort, fatigue, cough, nasal drip, lack of focus and hunger.
3. Week 1 – week 2 : tobacco craving, headaches, chest discomfort, fatigue, cough, nasal drip, lack of focus and hunger.
4. Week 2 – week 4 : tobacco craving, fatigue, cough, nasal drip, lack of focus, hunger.
5. Week 4 – few months : tobacco craving, hunger.

There are various methods of quitting such as hypnosis, acupuncture, cold laser therapy, cut down to quit, cold turkey and treatments using medications approved by the U.S. FDA that could be obtained easily such as the trans dermal nicotine patches, gum, lozenges, sprays and inhalers; some help in managing nicotine withdrawal symptoms and some help in decreasing cigarette cravings.

If you are planning to quit smoking, here are few simple tips to quit smoking for good:
1. Think about quitting. Change your mind set about smoking by reading facts and success stories.
2. Load up on information about effects of smoking, its negative effects on your health and the people around you.
3. Create a journal where you could write the reasons you quit smoking and your personal goals.
4. Get safe stop smoking aids that have been approved by the U.S. FDA and join treatment groups or forums where you could share your experiences and talk with people who were once in your shoes.

Many times, ex-smokers may relapse. Be patient with yourself and try again. If you are concerned about gaining more weight after you quit smoking, here are some of the tips to avoid weight gain after quit smoking:
1. Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day to keep you feel full and hydrated.
2. Prepare three cups of fruit, cut-up vegetables, or a mix of nuts and fruits in your fridge daily to help you hands busy between meals.
3. Maintain your health by managing your food and activities. Go to gym regularly, join therapy groups or plan for new business venture, anything to keep your mind busy.

With the right mind set, planning and executions, chances are you will be able to stop smoking for good. If you relapse after few months or years, be patient with yourself and repeat the same steps or find new proven methods to quit smoking.