Your Health Saudi Magazine مجلة دليلك الصحي Oct 2013 | Page 8

Don't Go Cold Turkey
It may be tempting to toss your cigarettes and
declare you've quit, plain and simple. But going
cold turkey isn't easy to do. Ninety-five percent of
people who try to stop smoking without therapy
or medication end up relapsing. The reason is that
nicotine is addictive. The brain becomes used to
having nicotine and craves it. In its absence, the
symptoms of nicotine withdrawal occur.

Ask About Prescription
Pills
To ease nicotine
withdrawal without
using products that
contain nicotine, ask
your doctor about
prescription medications.
There are pills that
help reduce cravings
by affecting chemicals
in the brain. They may
also make smoking less
satisfying if you do pick
up a cigarette. Other
drugs can help reduce
troubling withdrawal
symptoms, such as
depression or inability to
concentrate.

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Try NicotineReplacement Therapy
When you stop smoking,
nicotine withdrawal may
make you feel frustrated,
depressed, restless, or
irritable. The craving for
"just one drag" may be
overwhelming. Nicotinereplacement therapy
can help reduce these
feelings. Studies suggest
nicotine gum, lozenges,
and patches can help
double your chances
of quitting successfully
when used with an
intensive behavioral
program. But using
these products while
smoking is generally not
recommended.

Don't Go It Alone
Tell your friends, family, and co-workers that you're
trying to quit. Their encouragement could make
the difference. You may also want to join a support
group or talk to a counselor. Behavioral therapy
is a type of counseling that helps you identify and
stick to quit-smoking strategies. Combine behavioral
therapy with nicotine replacement products and/or
medication to boost your odds of success.No.

|YOUR HEALTH MAGAZINE OCT. 2013