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.

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