It's no secret that smoking is crazy addictive — and quitting as hard, many say, as overcoming a heroin addiction. As soon as the effects of nicotine wear off, an addict's body shout out for more. Attempting to quit will yield withdrawal symptoms that, ultimately, seem to be sending you one clear message. Nicotine. Now.
Nicotine replacement therapy can't help you avoid the psychological battle you face as a quitter, but it can assist you with the physical withdrawal symptoms.
Why should you consider nicotine replacement therapy?
Cigarettes contain around 600 ingredients that come together to create thousands more toxic chemicals when you light up. It's not just nicotine. Nicotine replacement therapy is exactly what it sounds like — a steady (but decreasing) supply of nicotine alone, delivered to you through inhalers, nasal sprays, lozenges, patches, or chewing gum, designed as a therapy to help you quit smoking.
Smokers who don't want to be smokers any more should consider nicotine replacement therapy because it works. Note that people who half-heartedly try to quit smoking even though they don't really want to stop are not going to succeed. But if that's not you, and you do, really, want to liberate yourself from cigarettes, nicotine replacement therapy can actually double your odds of success. That's pretty good news, because stopping smoking is hard.
Why might nicotine gum be the right choice for you?
When you first stop smoking, you chew one piece of gum every hour or two. If you let it sit between your cheek and gum once the nicotine taste appears, the nicotine will reach you more effectively. After six weeks, you reduce your use to one piece every two to four hours. In the third stage, after nine weeks, you bring it down to every four to six hours. And then you stop after 12 weeks. Having successfully tapered your dose of nicotine down, you will avoid physical withdrawal symptoms.
Your odds of staying quit are greater if you use at least nine pieces of nicotine gum during those initial six weeks, but you can't have more than 24 pieces a day for your own safety, and should not also smoke while using the gum.
Will nicotine gum ultimately simply fuel your addiction?
Will nicotine gum help you overcome your nicotine addiction, or will you simply replace cigarettes with nicotine gum? It's a legitimate question, but research has shown that only five percent of people who use nicotine replacement therapy continue to rely on it for long periods of time. Some, of course, return to smoking, but others are successful in their quitting efforts and become nicotine-free.
Your nicotine gum efforts should last up to 12 weeks. After that, for the sake of continuity so you don't feel deprived, you can switch to a chewing gum that doesn't contain nicotine. Let your doctor know if you can't seem to kick the gum or if you feel like smoking again. Research has actually shown that using two forms of nicotine replacement therapy makes quitting efforts more successful, so if this isn't your first rodeo, you can consider asking your doctor about using gum in combination with an inhaler or nasal spray as well.
Is nicotine gum alone enough?
No. You also need to have will power, and a plan. If you're worried nicotine gum alone won't cut it, you are probably right.
Make sure to also join a quitters' support group, whether online or in person, make a list of reasons you're quitting cigarettes, consider therapy, and make a plan for dealing with your personal smoking triggers. Nicotine gum will help you combat nicotine withdrawal symptoms, and that will make things a whole lot easier. It will also help meet your oral needs. But smoking isn't just about physical addiction; there is also a mental component, and dealing with that requires both support and an iron will.
You can do it. It may still be tough, but you can do it!
- Photo courtesy of SteadyHealth
Your thoughts on this