Stopping the physical act of cigarette smoking brings on a number of other issues, and when you quit, the smoking withdrawal symptoms may be even worse to deal with than you may realize. Just as with any other addiction, there are physical and mental symptoms to deal with. The cravings may be a nagging need to a raging monster that is impossible to ignore. Symptoms may sicken you and weaken your will until you find yourself standing outside, helplessly puffing away yet again. Before you even think about quitting, you should have some knowledge. Knowing what to expect when you quit smoking, including the withdrawal symptoms may be half the battle. Knowing what you will do to combat the effects of each issue as it arises will be comforting to you. Having a plan of action will strengthen your resolve which may be the push that you need to get you over that last hurdle.

When you quit smoking, withdrawal symptoms can include:

- increased nervousness, depression and sleeplessness
-increased appetite and weight gain
-tremors and other physical manifestations
-sweating and dry mouth
-dizziness and headache

If you know what to expect, you may not panic and then reach for a cigarette because of this added stress. Know what your triggers are. When do you smoke most frequently? Try to avoid the situation or replace smoking with another habit. Know techniques to deal with each of the withdrawal symptoms. Have several in mind in case one is failing you. Make sure that you have a support system in place for the days when you are at your most miserable. Not only should you use your friends to lean on in these trying times, you should consider:

-To combat nervousness and other mental symptoms, ask your doctor about nicotine replacement therapies that should lessen these effects.
-If sleep is becoming an issue, try a walk in the cool night air followed by a relaxing soak in the bathtub before bed. Add lavender to the water and try to keep you water to comfortably warm, not hot. Lowering your body temperature is key to good sleep.
-Find a way to fiddle and fidget that is acceptable and keeps your mind off of smoking. Start a crossword puzzle or find a word.
-Wear loose fitting, comfortable clothing, preferably made of cotton to combat sweating.
- Take frequent sips of water, chew gum or suck on hard candies to combat dry mouth.
If any symptom persists, becomes unbearable or develops suddenly it may not be entirely smoking related and should be investigated by a doctor.

Know what information you need to have, and where to get that information. Make a step by step guide and set small goals for yourself along the way. Reward yourself each time that you meet a goal and soon you will a proud, non-smoker.

Step one: What quit smoking information do you really need?
Depending on how long you have smoked, and how much you still smoke, you may need information about a variety of things. Consider information which answers the following questions:

- Why did you start smoking in the first place? Is an addictive personality a genetic issue?
- What can you expect when you first try to stop smoking?
- What are some of the best methods for quitting and what is the success rate for each?
-What are the benefits of stopping smoking?

Step two: Decide where you are most comfortable getting the above information. Some people are thrilled to death to snoop on the web and find their own info. Some people do not trust the Internet or their own navigation skills. While researching on the Internet is fast and easy, not to mention free, it is not the only option and is certainly not for everybody.  Consider the following options for finding your quit smoking information:

-Do you own a computer? Are you familiar with net searches or research? Would you know how to tell the difference between a scam site and a real one?
-Do you see a doctor on a regular basis? Does this doctor yammer and harp about smoking? If so, then enlist his help and ask him for information. Most doctors are literally buried in literature, samples and other information. They can refer you to hotlines, clinical trials and other options that may not be known to the general public.
- Your company health insurance provider. Many insurance sites offer stop smoking information and programs for their clients.

Step three: Make your plan of action based on the method that you think best suits you. Make sure that your plan is broken done into smaller, more doable steps. A small goal is easier to obtain than just a big one. Reward yourself along the way.

- Your plan should include identifying triggers and patterns and then ways to break those.
-Your plan should also include identifying friends that may not be as supportive to your progress. (Also include friends that are positive influences.)
-The plan should include what to do if there is a slip up.

Step Four: Seek out support.
Do not suffer through the cravings and withdrawal symptoms entirely on your own- tell your friends and family your intentions, your course of action and your timeline for accomplishing your goals. The more support you have, the more likely you will be to succeed.

Acupuncture and acupressure are both thought to be beneficial for smokers for different reasons. Consider these only if you are open minded, willing to try something that is still considered to be an alternative health treatment. If you have any serious or chronic health conditions, including diseases of the skin, consult your doctor before attempting acupuncture or acupressure.

Speaking of alternative health theories, there are many herbs and other products sold at health food stores that claim to help smokers either with the habit or the withdrawal symptoms. Again, make sure that you are aware of any product that you try and how they can interact or interfere with medications that you are currently taking.

Reducing the amount of nicotine until you can finally walk away from it is another method to quit smoking and can be done with nicotine reduction products like the patch, gum or inhalers. Using these products can allow you to step down gradually from level to level which in theory will reduce the amount of withdrawal symptoms that you have to deal with.

Hypnosis to quit smoking can be considered borderline in that some people swear by it and some will feel no lasting effect from the session. If they hypnosis occurs as part of a  huge group of people as is often the case, it is less likely to work across the board and may depend more on personal perception than real results.

Finally, replacement theories suggest that you replace smoking with something entirely different, including drinking a glass of water every time that you feel the urge to smoke. While increasing the amount of water you drink is certainly a good thing, as a method to quit smoking it probably leaves a lot to be desired. Of course, it is not as harmful as some of the other suspect methods that are touted, so watch out for the following signs that you are looking at a potential scam:

- Guarantees that seem unreasonable. Remember the adage if it sounds too good to be true, it isn’t.
-Companies that seem familiar but when researched either have no history or a spotty one. Scam artists will play on words to use familiar brands to fool their victims.
-Fake doctor testimonials. It is not ethical for doctors to advertise for a particular product. Be careful, and make sure that you choose a method that is valid and has some chance at success.

First, know your role in this process. You cannot stop smoking for your friend, you cannot make him stop. He has to be the first step in the program or no matter how much you want it to work, it will fail. Your role is as a secondary player, a support person. The smoker has to make the decision to quit, and must follow through with all of the steps. You, as the friend will have to guide and help him along these steps.

Second, do your research. Your friend should do some research to know what methods he would like to try and which might work for him. Your research will be on these methods and how to help someone quit smoking. Read the firsthand accounts and advice so you know what to expect from your friend. Think about this friend on their very worst day. Now double that day and seriously consider whether you can help in any way.

Know that no matter how bad things are for you, it is far worse for your friend and that may help you overlook being shouted at, cursed at or threatened. If you have never smoked yourself, you probably do have at least one bad habit that you have had to deal with. Think back to the struggle that you went through with that and try to have some sympathy.

Something that is probably overlooked when you are trying to help someone quit smoking is the need to take care of your own needs. Caregivers tend to minimize themselves which does not benefit anybody at all. Make sure that you have someone you can vent to when your friend is at his most difficult.  Get proper rest, nutrition and exercise. Take a break from your friend, even if you have to unplug or turn off your phone for ten minutes at a time. (If your friend cannot make it ten minutes on their own they are either not ready to quit or need more help than you are qualified to give them.) Have someone else in place that your friend can call if you are not available or advise your friend to call the hot line number.

Knowing how to help someone quit smoking is more of a process- you have to have basic knowledge of several methods as well as of your friend. You have to know when to speak up and when to keep quiet. And you have to know that eventually your friend will succeed and you will no longer have to secretly plot his demise.

– Physical Benefits
Good:  Most people report a lessening of smoking related wrinkles on their face in as little as one month from their last cigarette. These include the fine lines around the lips that are almost always seen on smokers.

Better: Nonsmokers have less instances of cough and colds even during the cold and flu season and those who do get ill are more likely to return to good health in a few days as opposed to a few weeks for smokers.

Best: Nonsmokers have more physical stamina and endurance than smokers and are more likely to engage in healthier activities like walking, jogging and running. Lungs begin clearing and working more efficiently in as little as a few hours after quitting.

-Mental Benefits:
Good: Smoking may mask or hide the symptoms of treatable mental health problems. Once the smoker stops, they may be able to recognize and get help for these issues.

Better: Smokers may tend to make poor choices in social situations. Quitting smoking may allow for better thought processes to return or develop.

Best: Nonsmokers are less likely to develop cognitive problems later in life. The rate of smokers who develop Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias is high enough to be scary.

- Financial Benefits
Good: Smoking can cost over $2000 per year (at the very minimum) just for cigarettes alone. This does not include the other associated costs of smoking.

Better: A nonsmoker pays far less for health and life insurance simply because they do not smoke. Becoming a nonsmoker can qualify you for these reduced rates.

Best: Smoking costs $97 billion dollars or more each year in health care costs and the cost of lost productivity from ill workers every single year.

It does not take a lot of thought to see that there are no real benefits for continuing to smoke, but plenty to be realized if you quit. Fewer places allow smoking, anywhere near their buildings, so it will only be harder and harder to smoke. Remember this image: most smokers took up the habit to fit in with popular crowd when they were teens. Now they are adults, reduced to sitting alone in their cars, puffing away. Not a really pleasant thought, is it? Add that to the list of benefits- increased socialization. Once you quit smoking, you can spend your lunchtime and work breaks talking to your coworkers.

Smoking cessation programs can be found in a number of places, including at your doctor’s office, on the Internet, the local library and at the health department. Many insurance companies will refer you to programs that are meant to be the easy way to quit smoking. (Remember, the insurance companies would like to see you quit smoking to reduce the health costs of the typical smoker.) Think about your own personality for a second: Are you a social person? You would probably benefit from a network of support people who all have the same goal in mind. If you are more of a loner, you might be okay with a more centralized, self-led method.  Think about your reasons for quitting as well. Do you have a loved one who is ill, or you yourself suffering from a physical ailment or chronic condition? If this is the case, it might be in your best interest to have the advice and assistance of a medical doctor to stop smoking.

For some people, the physical aspects of smoking are the hardest to get around and for them, the easy way to quit smoking may include medications to relieve withdrawal symptoms. For others, the mental and social aspects of their addiction may be the biggest part of why they smoke, so the easy way to quit smoking for them will include some behavior modification and new habits to replace smoking. Of course, smoking is not one or the other, and the majority of people will find it easier to break free from the habit by incorporating a program that addresses both the physical and mental aspects of smoking.

Replacing the nicotine that smokers need and then tapering it off, may be a valuable first step to a successful stop smoking program. Nicotine replacements are available over the counter, but if you are on any kind of medication for a chronic health condition, consult your doctor for advice before using any of them. Seeking some form of counseling to get to the reason for why you smoke may also be effective and can be used in addition to other programs or on its own. Again, counseling will depend on your willingness to work through your addiction and face the underlying reasons, as well as your personality. Your options for this are one on one, group or over the phone counseling. Choose the counseling option that will work the best for you.

The easy way to quit smoking is the way that you will stick to and succeed at, bottom line. There is no magic spray that will automatically stop you from smoking. There is no pill to take that will end your cravings from day one. You must do the work, and follow the steps, but eventually you will be smoke-free.

When you stop smoking, the bad side effects you might notice are:

- Weight gain. (Moderate to Severe Risk)  Many smokers tend to gain some weight, the amount varies based on a number of factors. If you were a very frequent smoker with an addictive personality, the amount may be higher. If you were already overweight or obese, then you should be aware of and try to keep a handle on the potential for weight gain from the very start.

- Sweating, dry mouth and tremors.(Moderate Risk)  Just as with the withdrawal from any other physical addiction, you may find some very unpleasant side effects to deal with when you stop smoking. If these become unbearable, speak to a professional who can offer tips to lessening the effects.

- Moodiness.(Moderate to Severe Risk)  For many smokers, stress is a major trigger for their addiction. Once they no longer have the crutch of smoking to lean on during stressful periods, they may become angry, churlish or nearly impossible to deal with. Smoking may mask symptoms of other mental health issues by giving a false sense of euphoria. Once that fake happiness is taken away, the smoker will have to deal with real emotions head on. Seek the support of friends and family, and if necessary seek medical treatment as well.

The good side effects:

- Increased sense of smell and taste. Once you stop smoking, you will eventually notice that you are able to smell and taste things much more than ever before. The amount of time that it takes for these senses to return will depend on how long you have smoked.

- Increased money in your pocket. Smoking is a very expensive habit, maybe even more than you even realized. Count your money at the end of the first non-smoking week, and you might be shocked.

- More affection from friends and family. You might not have noticed that your loved ones had stopped kissing and hugging you as much. Once you stop smoking and no longer smell like an ashtray you might find that you are being hugged and kissed again.
-Returned good health. Just stopping smoking can increase your health from day one.  Your heart rate will return itself to normal. Your lungs will clear and your breathing will become easier. You may find yourself better able to handle physical activity. And romantically? Non-smokers enjoy better, more fulfilling sex lives than their smoking counterparts.

Smoking is becoming more and more expensive, less and less welcome and has never been a good idea, health wise. The sooner you stop, the better you will be able to handle the side effects.

When you stop smoking cold turkey, you are taking a bull by the horns, staring your addiction right in the face. Not only do you stop the behavior, you cut the supply of nicotine off in one fell swoop. If you are planning to stop smoking cold turkey you should keep several things in mind:

1. Smoking is not only a bad habit to break. It is a vicious, serious addiction that will leave you with symptoms of withdrawal to deal with.

2. To stop smoking cold turkey you must have a high drive and strong willpower. If you have a history of poor follow through, this may not be the way for you to go. Think back to prior hobbies, or projects that you have started. Did you finish them, or are there countless, half finished jobs around your home?

3. Remember that smoking has been a big part of your life, so there will need to be something to fill that void. Do not attempt to stop smoking cold turkey without a replacement activity or you may find yourself falling into another unhealthy habit.

4. Smoking is not just physical- some people who never light up again still consider themselves a smoker several months or even years later. It is a mental addiction as well as physical.

5. Know exactly what is motivating you to stop smoking, especially in such an extreme way. If you have recently been diagnosed with a medical condition that makes you think that you must stop smoking cold turkey, you should consider that the additional stress of that alone may make you more likely to feel the need to smoke.

The why is not as important as the how- if you have the willpower and the strength to try cold turkey, then it may be the right method for you to pursue. If you know that you do not, by all means seek professional advice and find the right path to becoming a non-smoker for you. Remember that there are support groups and programs that are designed to fit an individual’s personality and needs. They can help you identify your patterns and triggers and then come up with a plan to change them. Stop smoking cold turkey? It is the least recommended and sadly, the least successful of all methods and only for the strong.

Quit smoking…why, you may ask? How about for the health of your children?  Every year millions of babies are born to smoking households. Would you really be happy bringing your brand new baby home if you were told your house was polluted and toxic to him? That is exactly the case when you bring baby home from the sterile hospital to your home if you are a smoker or live with one.

Even if the smoker goes outside to smoke each and every time, the fumes and harmful chemicals linger on the clothing, the skin and hair. About ten million children are suffering from being exposed to secondhand smoke which leaves them at a higher rate for respiratory diseases like bronchitis and asthma, chronic ear infections and other physical ailments. Children of smokers tend to miss more school than those from a non-smoking household and they are also more likely to have at least one behavioral issue or developmental setback.

Even more devastating than all of these chronic, life-altering problems is the fact that smoking during or right after pregnancy increases the odds of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The more secondhand smoke the baby is exposed to, the higher the rate of these unexplained deaths becomes. (If both parents smoke, the percentages double.)

If the health of your children is not enough reason to quit smoking; how about your own health? Every year almost half a million Americans die from a lung disease, most commonly cancer. Thirty-five million live with some form of a chronic lung disease that costs them at least one month of lost time at work. Over $97 billion dollars is spent in this country on healthcare costs and this lost productivity to care for these smokers. And if all of these numbers are not frightening enough, if the direct health links are not clear enough, here is one last one: Nearly ninety percent of all lung cancer cases that are diagnosed each year are smokers.

Finally, how about looking at the question of why quit smoking from a financial standpoint. Consider the extreme high cost of cigarettes now: even the lowest grade, generic cigarettes are around $4-6 dollars per pack. For a pack a day smoker, that is a weekly cost of $28-42. That cost is $112-168 per month. Yearly? The cost is: $1344-2016. That does not take into consideration the cost you will incur from having to take time off work for illnesses, your increased insurance rates, or the even higher costs to buy name-brand cigarettes.  If nothing else, consider this as a reason to quit smoking: the money that you save could very well pay for a gym membership, some great new clothes or a vacation.

First, acknowledge that smoking fulfills both a physical and mental need. It is an addiction that can be devastating to try to break free of. It is not just a bad habit; it can be a deadly one. Once you understand how horribly pervasive smoking can be, you can give it the attention that it needs to be ended. You would hopefully see a doctor if you had a serious illness or chronic condition of any other kind, so why would you assume you can handle smoking cessation on your own? Treat it as seriously as any other disease and you are more likely to follow through with a program designed to help you stop.

Second, only with seeking professional advice, do not try to quit smoking in private. Make sure that everyone knows what your intentions are and enlist their help and support. Let them know what kind of assistance you need, from moral support to actually taking your cigarettes from you. Make sure that you are comfortable enough with your friends and family to be able to say “back off” if they are getting to exuberant with their support, but understand that they are only doing what they think is best for you.

Set small goals at first and reward yourself for meeting them. Understand what your personal smoking triggers are and work to either avoid them or reset the behavior if you cannot. If you are used to lighting up as soon as you finish a meal, then do something else after eating. Get up and clear the table and wash the dishes instead. Clear the table and go for a walk to keep your body active and your mind distracted from the cigarette it is used to having.

Make sure that you have one person, even if it is a stranger on a stop smoking hotline that you can call, day or night, when your cravings are impossible to ignore. Talk to them, work through the suggestions that they give you. Remember, not one method works universally. What works for your neighbor may fail for you. You may need a combination of methods to be successful. Or, you may stumble on the right tool on your very first try. Do not get discouraged if you slip up or even if you fail the first time. It is estimated that of the over 46 million smokers in America that 32 million (that is over two-thirds) would actually like to quit smoking. Many try and fail every year, but they try again and eventually they join the ranks of the non-smokers. Best of luck to you and your health.