
At any given moment there may be thousands of people who are struggling to quit smoking. The health risks like cancer, emphysema, and heart disease have been pounded into our heads long enough that these people are finally trying to do something to shake that dangerous habit. Although most people eventually succeed in their efforts to quit smoking, it may take several attempts and it normally can’t be done without a little help.
Even for people with a lot of willpower, breaking the smoking habit can be a challenge because it means breaking not just the addiction to the nicotine, but stifling the urge to smoke that is purely psychological. Lighting up after a meal or when driving can be a hard habit to break.
One of the things that can help when trying to stop smoking is Nicorette gum. Nicorette contains nicotine, the substance in cigarettes that cause the physical addiction. While this may seem strange, cutting out the nicotine “cold turkey” can result in some very unpleasant symptoms of withdrawal, which only enhances the cravings for a cigarette.
While trying to quit smoking, using aids like Nicorette that contain small amounts of nicotine is referred to as nicotine replacement therapy. This type of therapy works by letting you have small, controlled amounts of nicotine at a much slower rate than when smoking. This helps relieve the symptoms of withdrawal like headaches, irritability, and insomnia. When you get nicotine this way, you also avoid the hazardous effects of inhaling the smoke.
With the help of Nicorette, your chances of quitting successfully can actually double. Your body slowly adjusts to having less nicotine until you get to the point that you don’t need any at all. With the withdrawal symptoms and physical urges for a cigarette at bay, you can begin to tackle the psychological habit of smoking.
When you chew Nicorette gum, the nicotine gets into the blood through the lining in your mouth. In order for this to happen, Nicorette is not chewed as you would chew a regular stick of gum. It should be chewed slowly for approximately one minute and when the gum becomes strong tasting, it should be tucked between your gum and your cheek. When the taste begins to diminish, repeat the process until there is little to no taste.
Besides helping you to completely quit smoking, Nicorette can be used as an aid when you just want to cut back on the number of cigarettes you smoke. Just chew the gum rather than smoking a cigarette. Then when you are ready to quit completely, the job will be easier. If you have successfully shaken the smoking habit, you can also use Nicorette whenever you have an urge for a cigarette so that you don’t start to smoke again.
Nicorette gum can be purchased in either 2mg or 4mg pieces. People who smoke fewer than 20 cigarettes a day should use the 2mg Nicorette. If you smoke your first cigarette each day more than 30 minutes after getting out of bed, this is the proper strength for you as well. Those who smoke more than 20 cigarettes each day and light up soon after they get up should use the 4mg Nicorette. Follow the directions on the package concerning the number of pieces you should chew each day.