Stop Smoking Without Side Effects

Stop smoking without side effects - if only that were as easily said as done.

Watch this video first - it will make you want to quit smoking immediately

When you say you would like to stop smoking without side effects, do you mean to say without the side effects of nicotine withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, etc.?

Or would you like to stop smoking without side effects of the stop smoking medications you may have to take in order to help you completely kick the habit?

Either way you may not be able to stop smoking without side effects of some type and to some degree however minimal.

Let's look at nicotine addiction.

Nicotine is a drug.  And your addiction to nicotine can be as strong as an addiction to heroin or cocaine. Attempting to beat an addiction to heroin or cocaine without side effects of withdraw is nearly impossible.

Nicotine causes the receptors in your brain to release a feel-good chemical called dopamine.  When you deprive your brain of nicotine and thereby cause a decrease in the production of dopamine, your body rebels.

Most folks who are attempting to quit smoking need an alternative chemical substance to replace this decrease in dopamine production.

Some use what's called nicotine replacement therapy which can be found in nonprescription over-the-counter medications such as nicotine gum, nicotine patches, or nicotine lozenges.

Other folks, after consultation with their healthcare provider, decide on prescription medications such as Zyban or Chantix.

Although both of these smoking cessation therapies have proven to be successful in helping folks stop smoking, neither therapies are without potential side effects.

The side effects of the nicotine replacement products such as the gum or the patch for instance, although minimal, are still present however.  With both products you do run the risk of trading your dependence on cigarettes with your dependence on these products instead.

Also, failure to follow directions when using these products can possibly result in using them too much.  The side effects of too much nicotine in your system which results from overuse can cause symptoms such as abdominal pain, cold sweat, diarrhea, nausea, headaches, amongst others.

In addition, chewing gum can have side effects of its own including damage to dental work and sore jaw.

The doctor prescribed stop smoking medications such as Zyban and Chantix can come with their own set of side effects as well.

Zyban contains the same active ingredient, bupropion, as does the antidepressant drug Wellbutrin.  Antidepressant drugs come with their own unique set of potential side effects such as insomnia, headaches, and dry mouth.

Antidepressants also come with the warning to folks under 24 years of age to be aware of thoughts of suicide. From the GlaxoSmithKline website, "Antidepressants increased the risk compared to placebo of suicidal thinking and behavior (suicidality) in children, adolescents, and young adults in short-term studies of major depressive disorder (MDD) and other psychiatric disorders. Anyone considering the use of ZYBAN or any other antidepressant in a child, adolescent, or young adult must balance this risk with the clinical need."

Chantix, a stop smoking drug originally developed specifically for helping folks stop smoking, includes potential side effects such as nausea, intestinal gas, constipation, headache, sleep disorder, and loss of taste.

Of course some folks decide to go the all natural route and choose homeopathic herbs in their anti-smoking campaign. These herb blends can be found in the herbal patch which is used just like the nicotine patch or in a liquid blend which is added to water or your favorite beverage (non-alcoholic of course).

These herbal combinations can help fool your brain receptors and lessen your cigarette withdraw symptoms and addiction to tobacco as do the other products mentioned. And these herbal blends may even do so without any of the physical side effects that may accompany the others.

However they, like the others, probably won't completely eliminate the initial withdraw side effects of stopping smoking.

Although most smokers probably will not be able to find a way to stop smoking without side effects, with attention to the directions that come with the product you may be using, the side effects can be minimized.

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