Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Quit Smoking Pill - Reality Or Dream

All smokers who want to quit smoking know how hard this really is. It may not seem this way, but it really is. And it's not the physical addiction that is the biggest problem, no. This one can be overcome with just a few days of ambition and self motivation. The real problem is the psychological addiction. The brain needs the nicotine, otherwise the craving starts. And it is really hard to succeed in convincing your brain that you don't want nicotine any more. That is why all persons who wish to quit smoking are hopping for a magic pill that would make everything easy, they want a quit smoking pill.

Fortunately for them this quit smoking pill exists, not in just one form but in more, although the specialists aren't totally sure how do these things work.

Types of Quit Smoking Pills

Zyban is a pretty new medication that does not contain nicotine and is designed to help people quit smoking, therefor it is a quit smoking pill. It was initially designed to be an antidepressant and it was first used in depression treatment. A lot of smokers have found it helpful when wanting to quit smoking. It is said that it also reduces the nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
Zyban must be taken twice a day, and it needs at least a week before its effects start to take place. Like the majority of the quit smoking pills, it is recommended that Zyban should be used for about 8-12 weeks, although the company producing him says that it can safely be used for a long term too.

Another quit smoking pill is called Rimonabant and it works pretty much the same way as Zyban does. Other quit smoking pills are currently being developed, drugs such as Ta-Nic, a resembling medicine from Xenova Group in England or Varenicline, a drug from Phizer medical company.

How does the Quit Smoking Pill works

All the quit smoking pills are based around the same idea. They have to boost the level of chemicals in the brain, and as a direct result the person taking them will have a pleasant feeling of comfort and joy. It can also give energy to the patient. This whole process is made to help the body eliminate the nicotine or at least lessen the withdrawal from nicotine.

At least in studies the quit smoking pill has a proven effect. In reality there are people who say that it really works, and there are also people who say the opposite. Whether you decide to take the quit smoking pill or not, the decision is yours to make. But make sure to ask the opinion of your doctor too, before actually making the choice.

Quit Smoking Aids – Help yourself Quit Painlessly and Successfully

"Quitting smoking is easy. I've done it a thousand times.” This quote by Mark Twain, aptly describes how tough it is for the addicts to stop smoking once and for all. Quitting cold turkey does help many smokers but many succumb to the temptation of having a puff again which gradually leads them back to their habit of chain smoking. In fact it has been observed that some smokers have to make 3 – 10 attempts to quit smoking in their life.

To make quitting attempts convenient and successful there are several quit smoking aids available in the market. Smokers can get help from a doctor or a dentist to decide on the most suitable quit smoking aid for them when they make a committed decision to quit.

Quit Smoking Aids
Smokers are very much aware of the health risk posed by cigarettes on their body and most of them have an unconscious desire to break the habit one day. The biggest fear faced by smokers thinking about quitting are the withdrawal symptoms and whether they will be too much to handle. Withdrawal symptoms like cravings, headache, cough, fatigue, anxiety, anger, insomnia, constipation, weight gain etc can put tremendous pressure on someone who is trying to give it up, and more than often leads to them picking up the habit again. Often, the fear of nicotine withdrawal symptoms dissuade smokers from even making an attempt to quit smoking while those who attempt give in to the symptoms and get back to their old habit.

To help smokers quit successfully with minimum discomfort there are large number of quit smoking aids available today. Listed here are few of the most successful ones –

-Nicotine Replacement Therapy
The nicotine in cigarettes causes an addiction and unpleasant feelings of withdrawal when a person tries to quit. Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) works by providing the body with nicotine generally in the form of a Nicotine Chewing Gum or Nicotine Patch without the other harmful parts of tobacco. Other forms of nicotine based quit smoking aids include nicotine tabs, lozenges, nicotine nasal spray, inhalators. These aids can help a person concentrate more on quitting the habit of smoking by relieving the symptoms of withdrawal.

However, since NRTs contain nicotine, a certain risk of re-addiction is involved when using these products. Therefore, one must use this method carefully by following instructions from doctor.

-Nicotine-Free Quit Smoking Aids
These days there are several forms of quit smoking aids that do not use nicotine as an active ingredient. These are prescription based drugs and hence should be taken under a doctor’s care.

Zyban - The active ingredient in this quit smoking aid is bupropion hydrochloride. Developed as an anti-depressant drug, Zyban has been shown to dramatically reduce physical withdrawal symptoms associated with nicotine and hence works well as a smoking cessation aid.

Chantix – Developed by Pfizer, Chantix (varenicline tartrate) was approved by FDA in May 2006. Unique property of this popular quit smoking aid is that it reduces the level of satisfaction derived from smoking. Chantix also reduces the nicotine withdrawal effects and thus makes it convenient to quit.

Processes to Follow Quit Smoking Aids
Following processes may help smokers quit smoking successfully -

1.Decide to Quit – This is the fundamental aspect of any smoking cessation program. Tell yourself honestly that you want to quit and you will quit.

2.Prepare to Quit – Planning makes it possible. Set a quit date, seek support of your friends and family, and be prepared for the cravings that come with withdrawal.

3.Use Quit Smoking Aids – Quitting cold turkey is tough for people addicted to nicotine. Prescription drugs like Chantix reduce the impact of withdrawal and helps you quit successfully.

Benefits of Quit Smoking Drugs
Studies reveal that quit smoking drugs quadruples a person’s chances to quit smoking as compared to trying it cold turkey. The best part of quit smoking drugs like Chantix is that it makes quitting a painless process as it significantly reduces the effects of nicotine withdrawals. The other good characteristic of Chantix is that is makes smoking less enjoyable for you. People on Chantix do not derive any pleasure out of smoking and are therefore reluctant to light up again. This is a significant feature of Chantix for smokers who are unable to bear the craving and have a tendency to break their smoking cessation program by lighting a cigarette.

Seek your doctor’s approval before using Chantix as a quit smoking aid and get the cigarettes out of your life, forever.