How I Quit Smoking

The following is an article by a guest writer for this site. This man, John, had a very hard time trying to stop smoking. I hope that after reading this message you are encouraged to quit smoking.

How I Quit Smoking

I started smoking when I was fifteen years old. I was a skinny, awkward kid with zits, a bad haircut, and a burning cigarette between my lips which helped me fit in with a certain clique of skateboarding punk rockers. It wasn’t long before I was deeply addicted to nicotine.

I tried to quit smoking several times over the years. The first time was a cold turkey attempt: it ended a day later with depression and tears. The second time I tried Nicorette. It ended with me again crying while driving down the street to the corner store for a pack of Camel Filters. I am a fairly tough man, and, all of these tears struck me as rather unexpected.

What took me a long time to realize was how deep nicotine addiction runs on the emotional level. When a cigarette is smoked, the nicotine binds with receptors in the brain releasing the chemical dopamine. Dopamine is the “feel good” hormone, and, it provides a sense of reward.

Essentially, what I did for twenty years was regulate my emotions through abuse of the drug nicotine which was delivered via tobacco cigarettes. Now, I realize that seems like a highly formal and stilted phrasing, but, I think it’s useful to think of it this way: the cigarette delivers the drug nicotine which the nicotine addict uses to force a dopamine emotional experience.

I understand this now. But, for those many years, all I understood was that I was terrified of quitting. I knew what to expect: a murky depression rippling all around me and plenty of tears. I was so scared of this experience that I came to accept that I would die as a cigarette-smoker: and, most likely from a smoking-related complication.

And, at my physical last spring, this is what I told my doctor when he recommended that I quit smoking. My doctor then told me about Chantix: a pill medication created by Pfizer which, he said, has helped very addicted people quit smoking. I was naturally pretty skeptical of this, because I tend to get a bit cynical about what I call the “magic pill” mentality.

My doctor explained that the Chantix essentially tricks the brain causing the nicotinic receptors to release a bit of dopamine (as if they were still receiving nicotine.) And, although very simplified, this basic process is what prevents the awful cigarette withdrawals.

I was in my mid-thirties, and, I have a daughter for whom I want to set a good example. In addition, I was ruining my health with cigarettes. So, yes, I had nothing to lose, and, I accepted the prescription.

It’s recommended that you stay with the medication for a course of at least three months. I got off in two months. I now go to the gym three times a week, and, I’ve never felt better.

It’s now been nearly six months, and, I am still cigarette-free. It hasn’t been an easy road. There are still cravings, and, on two occasions, I slipped-up and took a few puffs. But, a lot of days have passed, and, I haven’t been going to the store and buying a pack a day and sucking them down and coughing myself to sleep.

The Chantix is not a wonder drug. You have to be motivated and committed. And, if you are, it can certainly give you a good bit of help in choosing life over death. I am thankful to the medication, and, I blogged about my Chantix experience in depth to create a permanent record.

If you are a smoker who thinks you’ll never have a chance of quitting, I recommend you talk to your doctor about the medication. And, I wish you good health and a happy life.

Very truly yours,
John Smith

The medical advice and health tips at this website will give you ways to quit smoking and information on other medical symptoms too.

Tags: Stop Smoking Aids