When somebody decides that it's time to quit smoking, it is best to start immediately. However, how can you stop smoking when you have been smoking for a number of years? Tobacco is extremely addictive and a very difficult addiction to break, even more so than cocaine. Tobacco contains the substance called nicotine which is addictive to both the mind and the body, a form of chemical dependence, similar to what affected Michael Jackson and led to his death.

Each time you smoke a cigarette, you eliminate five to twenty minutes from your life, hence the term coffin nails. Tobacco weakens your body, leaves you with halitosis, yellow teeth, dry skin, lower bone density, fertility problems that will inevitably affect your sexual health as well as an increased risk of being inflicted with deadly diseases such as cancer, heart disease, osteoperosis and COPD (emphysema). Smoking is costly and will reduce one's life considerably.

Methods to quit smoking can be found in several places and there are also a variety of medications that can be prescribed. Some smokers are prescribed nicotine replacement modalities such as nicotine gums, nicotine patches, lozenges, inhalers, etc. But the problem with all these is that they deal mainly with the physical aspect of what smoking does to the body. Understanding this fact, that the mind becomes quite addicted to pleasures of smoking as well.

The hardest part of quitting smoking comes when trying to deal with the mind. A smoker's mind usually becomes convinced that their happiness, enjoyment and leading a stress free life, all depend on smoking. Understanding this fact is just one of the key pivotal issues in quitting smoking.

The first thing to do to quit is to set a definite time to quit smoking. Circle the date on a calendar that you and everyone in your home see several times a day, and circle your quit smoking date with a red marker. Between now and then, prepare yourself to quit smoking by creating a timeline of items such as when you'll buy your last pack of cigarettes, clean and get rid of all the ashtrays and other smoking related items. If you smoke a lot while sitting at your computer or watching TV, try to change the room in which you do these things, and don't smoke in that room, so your don't associate smoking with that room.

There are also fun things to do once you've set a time to quit smoking. Make plans for rewarding yourself with a weekend getaway, buying new clothes or that new computer you want, using the money you would have spent on cigarettes. Don't laugh! Even if you smoke just one pack of cigarettes each day, at the cost of $3.50 per pack, you'll save $1,277.50 per year after you quit smoking.

One of the most important things to bear in mind when attempting to quit smoking, is the cessation of such connections in the mind. Smokers believe that they need to smoke a cigarette to help them deal with daily issues. Once you are able to overcome this problem, in time your mind will learn to deal with daily activities without needing a cigarette.

A good piece of advice when trying to quit smoking can be to seek counseling sessions and get advice from someone who is an ex-smoker, ie a person who has undergone a similar experience. Talking about your fears about quitting smoking and thereby relieving the doubts you have by going to such sessions can be beneficial to anyone who is trying to quit smoking.

The best motivation to quit smoking for me was reading about the facts. 99% of people who want to stop smoking, want to do so because they know it is bad for them. Below you can see my list of how bad it really is, and how fast your body will start to repair itself after you stop smoking.

Lung Cancer
90% of all lung cancer victims are smokers. Almost everyone who gets diagnosed with lung cancer quits smoking immediately. Don't wait that long. If you quit smoking today your risk of lung cancer will go down by the day. After 10 years the risk will have halved.

Live 10 years longer
The life of a smoker is on average 8-10 years shorter than a non smoker. No matter how old you are, you will have huge benefits of quitting smoking. Your risk of ill health will be reduced significantly.

No more Coughing
Long time chair smokers have problems with chronic cough. If you stop smoking today it will take 3 to 12 month before your cough is completely gone.

Disabled Blood
When you smoke you put carbon monoxide in your red blood cells. This means about 15% of your blood's oxygen capacity is removed. If you stop smoking today your body will repair itself in 2 days.

3,500 Chemicals
A cigarette has 3,500 chemicals in it. This damages your never throughout your body. If you stop smoking today it you body will start to repair is itself right away. This means you sense of taste and smell will sharpen.

High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is know as the silent killer. It puts you in a much higher risk of heart attack and heart disease. Most middle aged smokers have high blood pressure. A lot of people don't even know it. If you stop smoking today your blood pressure will start to go down without any other intervention.

Visual Motivation
A quick search on Google Images for the search term "smoking lungs" should give your motivation a little boost.

If this list doesn't motivate your to quit smoking I don't know what will. There are tons of quit smoking products available. Sadly most are not really that successful.

There are many n-ways that you can find rest and enjoyment in this life. For some people this rest comes in the form of smoking. The false paradigm of smoking makes people fell good about themselves without beholding how much of trauma they are doing to their bodies. When they realise this fact there are diverse ways and help of getting out of the coils of smoking.

One truly helpful way is to find a support group. With help to stop smoking support will forestall you from succumbing to the dependence of nicotine. Since many of us truly don't pay any attention to the versatile support groups which are about it is not surprising that you will not see any stop smoking support groups at first glance.

To find these groups there are some resources that you can look into. The first of these will be from your doctor. As these individuals will have a good idea of the many adverse effects of smoking they will know of some quit smoking support groups that you can get help from. The classifieds are so far another option to finding support groups which can help you with the cravings that you will get from not smoking.

The Net is however another option to finding these support groups that you are looking for. Once you have found all of the data it is critical that you make the effort to travel to one of these to quit smoking support groups. The help that you will have will enable you to realistically drop-off your dependence to smoking.

You will be able to hear and talk with former smokers who have gone through all of the trials which come with quitting smoking. The info that you get from these support groups will admit which type of stop smoking method is a good one for you to try. You will get to see the advantages and disadvantages which are found in each of these methods which are exploited these days to fight smoking.

When you become more easy with acknowledging your dependence to nicotine founded substances, then accepting the help from your support group will be easier. There is one very crucial way that a quit smoking support group can be of help. This is by having group members who are conformable to help new members deal with the strains of smoking withdrawal.

You must understand that the reason people smoke is not because they are stupid or mean or obnoxious or they wish to hurt their friend and families, but because they are human and they make mistakes. Smokers can be found guilty of experimentation with a highly dangerous and addictive drug - nicotine. You have to understand this point when you are trying to help with your quit smoking support, most people began smoking before they knew the risks and when they realized the dangers they tried to quit.

Ex-smokers' support

An ex-smoker may offer more than understanding, patience and love he can be a credible source and highly supportive with the individual who is trying to quit smoking. He/ she know what smoking it was like and how much better the life as an ex-smoker is and can share the knowledge.

If you are an ex-smoker and you are offering quit smoking support don't be afraid to share your thoughts with the "quitters". If you still think of smoking a cigarette tell them, but explain them what the thoughts are like. They occur quite infrequently and when they do they last only seconds; are passing desire rather than painful episode like those encountered during initial cessation.

Deal with new situations

People who give up cigarettes want to know the natural evolutionary process from smoker to ex-smoker. After the first two weeks the urges they encounter are no longer physical withdrawal effects, but rather they are reacting to a psychological trigger. For the first time they are experiencing a new situation without a cigarette, but after the urge will pass they will know how to face all future experiences with no discomfort.

There are a whole host of quit smoking side effects and not all of them are pleasant. Besides the obvious health benefits, there are also a number of side effects associated with withdrawal from nicotine. Coupled to this, if you quit smoking using a medication such as zyban or chantix, you may pick up some other drug related side effects.

The most obvious reason why people quit smoking is for the health benefits but what are they specifically?

Notably, blood pressure, heart rate and lung efficiency all improve very quickly after quitting smoking - in a matter of days. Nicotine levels and carbon monoxide levels in the blood return to natural levels with in a couple of days. These are very positive quit smoking side effects.

Smokers will also develop a much better sense of taste and their breathing may well become easier. However, one frequently reported quit smoking side effect is the amount of coughing some ex-smokers suffer from. In my own experience, I found the first six months to be a rather cough filled period of my life. It was all 'wet' as the cilia (the little hairs in you lungs) got to work clearing 20 years of tar out of my lungs! I also contracted more colds that winter than ever before but that could be for completely different reasons.

Looked at from that perspective, perhaps quitting smoking side effects are not so bad. At least they won't kill you. But the popular conception of how hard it is to quit and the horrors that await the reformed smoker have some basis in fact. The trouble comes because quitting smoking side effects are both physical, in the classic sense of withdrawal, and psychological, where the component of "habit" has a very strong grip.

One reason smoking is so hard to quit is that nicotine is a very efficient drug and cigarettes are a very effective delivery system for that drug. Nicotine is a stimulant that binds aggressively with certain types of neurons. It does this so well, in fact, that it displaces some of the naturally occurring chemicals that ordinarily help to regulate mood and consciousness in the non-smoker. Part of the problem, then, is that it takes the body some time to start forming those natural bonds again, and while you are waiting for this process to get itself going, the quitting smoking side effects unpleasantly fill the void left by the lack of nicotine.

So what quitting smoking adverse reactions should you actually expect? It varies from person to person, but some are fairly common. Headaches are frequent, along with aches and pains in the stomach and, in fact, just about anywhere. Many people find that they cough more or that they are wheezy or short of breath after quitting. While this may seem like the complete opposite of what should be happening, it results from the body's attempts to clean out all those years of smoking-induced junk.

Insomnia is another possibility. This may seem paradoxical given nicotine's stimulant effect, but research has indicated that nicotine can actually deliver a mildly sedating effect and that the relative level of stimulation can be controlled, albeit subconsciously, by how the smoker inhales.

So far, those quitting smoking adverse reactions are the physical ones, seen more as part of nicotine withdrawal than as the result of psychological dependence. For the smoker, the difference is close to irrelevant. Both physical and psychological quitting smoking side effects are unpleasant experiences.

On the psychological side, quitting smoking side effects can include anxiety, irritability, fatigue and restlessness. It is not unusual for the ex-smoker to experience difficulty concentrating and to have trouble maintaining focus on the task at hand, especially for sustained periods. Many people find that they are more distractible and more vague and "spacey."

It pays to remember, though, that some of the side effects of quitting smoking are actually positive. The senses of taste and smell start to improve quickly. The coughing and wheezing clear up once the body gets a chance to clean house. The wallet starts to get a little fatter once the daily smoking outlay goes away. It pays to focus on some of these good "side effects" while getting prepared to deal with the bad ones.

Quitting cigarettes was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do in my life. I started smoking in my teens and quit a few times only to pick the habit back up eventually. It was not until my mid-thirties that I was finally able to quit for good. Perhaps my experience mirrors your own. By sharing some quit smoking tips that worked for me, my hope is that you will be able to quit cigarettes for good as well.

Set a quit date and commit to trying to kick cigarettes starting on that day. Giving up cigarettes was something I had in the back of my mind, but until I set a firm date it was nothing more than an occasional, passing thought.

Tell your doctor and get help from others. My doctor was very helpful in terms of recommendations and tips. My friends and family were very supportive and encouraging as well. My doctor gave me advice on different methods, medicines and replacement products as well as numbers to call for support. My health insurance provider sponsored a quit smoking workshop that I attended and met people from a local support group. Asking for help opens doors to a wealth of quit smoking resources.

To deal with cravings, try a nicotine replacement therapy or ask your doctor if medication would be right for you. Nicotine gum, patches or lozenges are sold over the counter and widely available for purchase online, at pharmacies and other stores. They work by supplying the nicotine your body craves without the harmful substances you also get from smoking. You slowly wean yourself off of the replacement. Prescription medicines that do not contain nicotine, are also available to help fight withdrawal symptoms and nicotine cravings. My doctor prescribed Zyban for me and I feel as though it helped a great deal. There are side effects and warnings associated with Zyban and other quit smoking pills so make sure you discuss them with your doctor.

If you slip, forgive yourself and try again. It took me several tries before I was able to quit smoking cigarettes. You can do it so do not give up. For a time, I felt powerless and destined to be a smoker forever. I felt terrible for not being able to quit. You have to keep trying, however. Understand that nicotine is highly addictive and smoking is one of the most difficult habits to break. Remind yourself of all of the benefits to quitting and keep on trying.

As a smoker it is critical that you stop listening to anyone who tells you how difficult it is. There is a myth that quitting cigarettes is harder than hereon. But we do not see rehabilitation clinics for smokers.

Smokers don't curl up in the foetal position on the floor, throwing themselves at the walls, screaming in pain, suffering vomiting or diarrhoea. No smokers might feel angry, or get headaches, they might feel cravings in their stomach.

There has been so much incorrectly said and believed about smoking that many smokers become convinced that it will be very difficult or that they may never succeed.

One of the most common comments that rapid change hypnosis ex smokers say is that they can't believe how easy it was, and that they wish they had done it years before. So why smoke for one day longer than you need to.

Giving up nicotine, whether its in the form of a cigarette, cigar, pipe or whatever else, is a challenge which many doctors and researchers believe is on a par with giving up Heroine. It really is such an addictive substance that the pain and suffering a smoker can go through when in the withdrawal phase is quite unbearable for most people. Anyone who has been a smoker and given up successfully will confirm this if you ask them, most people say it is the hardest thing they have ever done in their entire lives.

Part of the reason is the chemical dependence their body has on nicotine, but this is not the only reason. Another, often understated reason is that society still to this day views smoking as a very acceptable thing to do. Despite all the modern legislation, for example in Europe where it is illegal to smoke in a public place these days, it is still deemed "cool" or somewhat glamorous to smoke a cigarette. Past films like Die Hard still have a strong and lasting effect on the modern psyche, especially with the youth of today. Watching Bruce Willis flick open his Zippo lighter to light up a "cancer stick" while making some cool quip or amusing comment about his arch enemy, it still has a very impacting influence over anyone watching.

For anyone considering giving up smoking but wondering what method to use and how to go about those first few days, the hardest days of all, here are seven useful tips to help get you on the healthy path to being smoke-free at long last:

Change your social habits. Not enough is mentioned about this in stop smoking advice manuals and the like. Anyone who has smoked for a few years or more will know only too well that half of the reason behind most of the cigarettes they light up is socially motivated. You get to know other smokers, and you maybe have a routine of going out for a smoking break at work, or having a smoke after your meal at a restaurant. This is one hugely important thing you have to change before you quit smoking, or the same day at the very latest. You don't have to insult your friends so don't feel worried about it, just tell people you plan to quit smoking and you will be changing a few of your habits for a while to help you get away from a smoky environment. Any real friend will understand and support you.

Start chewing gum. It is a proven fact that chewing gum helps satisfy the same area of the brain which finds satisfaction from smoking. It is this repetitive type of action which will help keep the urges to a minimum when you are really struggling to stay clear of the tobacco for the first few days. Every time you have an urge, pop a piece of gum in your mouth and you will be surprised how much it will help you forget about the craving.

Use a patch. Nicotine patches are one of the most successful stop smoking aids. By having a constant drip feed of nicotine, you will certainly reduce your urges for nicotine, and in some cases people find the urges go away altogether. Patches can be obtained via your doctor in most countries, and often for free in Europe under government campaigns to reduce the number of smokers in society.

Get yourself a nicotine inhaler. Any device you can find which gives you nicotine but in a cleaner form than tobacco, is sure to help as these devices help people every single day. Nicotine inhalers are good not just for the nicotine they provide, but more importantly due to the means by which you are ingesting the nicotine, via your mouth. This really helps people with "twitchy" fingers who feel like they need something in their hand and in their mouth. A quick suck on an inhaler will instantly send nicotine to your brain, satisfying the urge immediately and also satisfying the subliminal desire to suck on something.

5. Try hypnosis. No don't be afraid of the unknown! In one survey conducted in London a few years ago, over 60% of people who quit smoking using hypnosis, did so when they expected it would not work. In other words, more than half of the people who became smoke free via this method, had no faith in it working whatsoever. So this clearly denies the argument of it being a "Placebo" method, it really can and does work for many people. It doesn't work for everyone, but that is due to the mind being different in all people. The best thing to do is find a hypnotherapist who offers a money back guarantee, and then you have nothing to lose but everything to gain.

Set yourself a date to give up smoking. This may sound obvious, but its so commonly omitted by quitters. The reason is clear, avoiding the day they fear will be the hardest of their lives, and in many cases this is true, but if you seriously want to quit, you should be able to force yourself to pick up a calendar, and set a date. Give yourself around a month before giving up, this enables you plenty of time to arm yourself with all the devices you can think of, tell your friends you are giving up, and tidy up your house of all those ash trays and remnants of your past history of smoking!

Exercise. I saved the best for last. Exercising even just a little each day, is one of the true secret keys to helping you stay clear of tobacco after your finally give it up for good. Depending on your fitness level, any light exercise for thirty minutes per day which causes you to breathe about twice as fast as normal, will do wonders for your feelings of good health and happiness within your own mind. This really can be a superbly powerful technique to help you not just stay off the smokes, but to actually enjoy doing so. When you have been for a light jog, a ride on your bike, a brisk walk with your dog, a half hour swim or whatever else, you will feel the wonderful feeling of your lungs working cleaner and more efficiently every single day.