Smoking/Nicotine Addiction Treatment

Counseling and behavioral therapies are using in smoking addiction treatment.

Some people are able to quit smoking on their own which is possible, but many addicts need help just like heroin, cocaine, and other drugs of abuse addicts do. The NIDA states, “Treatments can help smokers manage [withdrawal] symptoms and improve the likelihood of successfully quitting.” This is why, though someone you know may have quit cold turkey, you should consider treatment. Not every quitting method is right for every individual, and you should do what will make your quitting process easiest and best for you as an individual.

Though many individuals do need multiple attempts in order to quit using tobacco products and to stop being dependent on nicotine, you should not become discouraged. Just remember that you are fighting against an addiction which can be extremely difficult and that you must retrain your brain to work against the changes nicotine has made on it.

Several of the most popular nicotine addiction treatments are as follows

• Behavioral Treatments
  Counseling can be extremely beneficial in any type of addiction situation. “These interventions teach people to recognize high-risk situations and develop coping strategies to deal with them.”
• Nicotine Replacement Treatments (or NRTs)
  NRTs were “the first pharmacological treatments approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in smoking cessation therapy.” These include:
  • Nicotine gum
  • Nasal sprays
  • Inhalers
  • The nicotine transdermal patch
  • Lozenges
  • With NRTs, the individual receives a “controlled dose” of nicotine in order to relieve their withdrawal symptoms and be able to live their lives more easily while they are trying to quit. Over time, the individual can lessen the amount of the NRT product being used. This works well in combination with behavioral treatments, as stated the NIDA.
• Bupropion
  Bupropion (brand name Zyban) does not contain nicotine and is still able to block the effects of nicotine in the brain while also easing withdrawal symptoms.
• Varenicline
  Another non-nicotine medication, varenicline tartrate is known by its brand name Chantix and works the same way bupropion does to help the individual quit.
• Smoking cessation program
  These programs may offer a combination of behavioral therapy and medication like other substance abuse treatment programs.

Nicotine addiction can be dangerous and deadly, just like other types of addiction. This is why it is important to understand the signs of this type of addiction and the treatments available to help.