Smoking addiction means a person has formed an uncontrollable dependence on cigarettes to the point where stopping smoking would cause severe emotional, mental, or physical reactions. Everyone knows that smoking is harmful and addictive, but few people realize just how risky and addictive it is. Chances are that about one in three smokers who do not stop will eventually die because of their smoking. Some will die in their 40s, others will die later. On average, they will die 10 to 15 years earlier than they would have died from other causes. Most smokers want to stop and do indeed try, but only one in three succeeds in stopping permanently before age 60. By this time, much harm may have been done to the body - some of it irreversible. Those who eventually quit smoking usually try to stop two or three times before they're successful. Only 2.5 percent of smokers successfully quit each year. The reason why so many people fail to stop is because they are addicted. Being addicted does not mean that you cannot stop - only that it is likely to be difficult. Anyone can succeed if he or she goes about it in the right way. If you're fighting a smoking addiction, you know how difficult it can be to break. But if you are able to replace that unhealthy addiction with healthier behavior, you will find that the battle against a smoking addiction is much easier to win. We consulted the largest team of addiction experts we could find, and were able to bring you a list of the most useful alternatives to smoking that will help you to break your smoking addiction. Try one or try them all; just remember that quitting smoking now can greatly improve your health. One of the best things you can implement in your lifestyle in an attempt to break a smoking addiction, is a healthy diet and exercise routine. Both of these factors will help your body to readjust so that it does not need its dependency on nicotine products. A daily regimen of high energy exercise will release the same chemicals into your brain that nicotine simulates, and will help to decrease your dependency on the drug. Another factor in breaking a smoking addiction, is to learn to eat a wellbalanced diet. Smoking decreases your body's natural ability to feel hunger, and so most smokers end up with nutrient deficiencies they aren't even aware of. This is one of the reasons that so many people suddenly find themselves overeating once they have quit the habit of smoking, and end up experiencing sudden weight gain. Make certain that you get a healthy balance of all of the food groups each day, and you will find that your smoking addiction is much easier to break. When your system is not being deprived of the nutrients it does need, it will be less likely to crave the nicotine that it does not. Many have found that drinking a glass of orange juice each time a craving for a cigarette is felt, helps to decrease the intensity of the urge, thereby making it easier to break your smoking addiction.
Taking on a new hobby is another great way to help break a smoking addiction. Not only does it offer you the chance to learn a new skill and make new friends, but the learning process itself has helped many people turn their focus away from the things they crave, be it smoking, drinking or drugs. A smoking addiction can be one of the most difficult to break. Make certain that you have a solid support system around you when you decide to quit smoking, and you will find it much easier to put those cigarettes down for good.
Roger Thompson writes for Leading Leading Portal for health care, medical, biotech and hospital jobs. http://www.idohealthcare.com/