Best Method to Stop Smoking: Cold Turkey or Gradual Withdrawal?

Basically, there are two major methods of stopping smoking: the “cold turkey” approach when you quit abruptly and do not take another puff anymore (can be recommended for those whose nicotine addiction is still relatively weak) and the method of gradual withdrawal.

Many people opt for the second approach, especially those who have smoked for many years, who consume more than a pack a day, whose nicotine addiction is too strong in order to attempt the abrupt cessation, and those who have already failed, maybe several times, in trying to quit smoking “cold turkey”.

The method of gradual withdrawal is best suited for people who do not want to abruptly change their smoking habits. They can continue smoking, but the trick is to slowly and gradually cut down the number of cigarettes they puff every day. Say, if a smoker is used to consume two packs a day, which are 40 cigarettes, he can start his smoking cessation process by consuming just one cigarette less the next day. He can continue smoking 39 cigarettes a day for about a week, after which one more daily ‘lung rocket” is out. With this approach, the former smoker will become completely smoke-free in about nine months, without any unpleasant symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. The process can be facilitated by reducing the amount of consumed cigarettes at a higher rate, if the smoker tolerates that well, but a faster rate is usually not recommended because it can easily trigger full-blown withdrawal symptoms since the body won’t have enough time to adjust to a reduce intake of nicotine.

Most smoking people will agree that the gradual withdrawal method is a very efficient and comfortable approach to smoking cessation. Remember that the key to success is not to reduce the amount of daily smoked cigarettes too abruptly, but to stretch the whole process for nine plus months so that quitting smoking should come naturally and pain-free.

Finally i just want to say giving up smoking can not only add years to your life, it can help stop premature aging before it's too late.

Post by Goh