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" Addiction to tobacco is both physical and psychological. Every smoker knows how difficult it is to stop smoking or even cut down. Reducing the amount you smoke is a start &amp;amp;#8211; and better than nothing, but the ultimate goal should be to quit altogether. And, as many ex-smokers will tell you, it&amp;#039;s possible.  There are two parts to addiction.   Physical addiction occurs because you become addicted to the nicotine in the cigarette. Specialised nicotine receptors in the brain quickly become switched on when someone starts smoking (sometimes before the first ever packet of cigarettes is even empty) and these receptors then drive the smoker&amp;#039;s brain to crave more. This addiction causes real withdrawal symptoms if you cut down or quit.  Psychological addiction occurs because smoking becomes part of your daily routine. This means if you want to cut down or quit, you will have to change your habits.   Tackling physical addiction Research has shown that using nicotine replacement therapy, such as nicotine patches, chewing gum or electronic cigarettes (vaping devices) can reduce the number of cigarettes smoked and cut down the amount of dangerous smoke inhaled. However, there is a slight risk the body will get used to this new form of nicotine. And while cigarettes are full of far more harmful poisons, nicotine may still have some health effects such as contributing to cardiovascular disease, For this reason, it&amp;#039;s important to keep an eye on how much of the substitute you&amp;#039;re using.   Bupropion (Zyban) is an antidepressant medicine that is also effective in relieving the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. This can be prescribed by your GP for free on prescription, or through a stop-smoking clinic. It works in a different way to nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) by reducing the desire to smoke. It has a similar success rate to NRT. A more recently introduced drug, varenicline (Champix), mimics the effect of nicotine on receptors in the brain and so reduces nicotine craving and the urge to smoke, and relieves withdrawal symptoms.  If you give in to temptation and have a smoke while taking varenicline, the effect of nicotine is blunted, so you don&amp;#039;t enjoy the effect of the cigarette as much as you might hope to.  It takes about 12 weeks for the nicotine receptors in the brain to switch off (or &amp;#039;down-regulate&amp;#039;) when you give up, so varenicline is usually prescribed for 12 weeks. Varenicline can double your chances of successfully quitting. These drugs may sometimes be used in combination to increase the chances of successfully quitting.  You can get more help and advice for free, including details of your local Stop Smoking clinic from Smokefree NHS.   Tackling psychological addiction  Dealing with cravings Here are some ideas to help you cope with cravings for a cigarette:  call a friend chew some gum or eat something healthy take a walk brush your teeth take a shower take a deep breath write a letter occupy your hands by doing something such as sewing or knitting  a variety of electronic devices that mimic cigarettes and give you something to hold or draw on are available. Some deliver nicotine in an inhaled form.   There are several ways smokers can help break a psychological addiction.  Decide how you want to quit &amp;amp;#8211; either by cutting down gradually or, preferably, stopping completely on a pre-determined date. Make a list of reasons why you want to quit. Carry this with you at all times. When you have an urge for a cigarette, read your list and it will help strengthen your resolve.  Choose a date when you want to quit and stick to it. Tell your family and friends &amp;amp;#8211; that way you&amp;#039;ll have to keep to the date. Join a Stop Smoking group or online community (Smokefree NHS has details) for extra support. Find someone who can support you, for example a family member, friend or doctor. When the day arrives, do something active &amp;amp;#8211; throw out your cigarettes and remove all ashtrays, lighters and matches. And spoil yourself by doing something you enjoy, such as going to the cinema or shopping. Find something else to do for the times when you usually smoke a cigarette.   I&amp;#039;ve tried to give up before &amp;amp;#8211; it didn&amp;#039;t work!  You&amp;#039;re not the only one. The chances of success get better every time you try to quit.  Most people need four attempts or more before they finally succeed.  If you fail, just think of it as a rehearsal before you really quit.   How do I remain an ex-smoker?  Keep referring to your list of reasons to quit. Update your list with any new reasons. Tot up how much money you have saved since you stopped smoking.  Count up how much money you have saved since you stopped smoking.  Avoid spending too much time around smokers. Be proud of yourself &amp;amp;#8211; celebrate after each week, month and year that has passed since you quit. Avoid drinks that make you feel like smoking, such as alcohol and coffee. Don&amp;#039;t let one slip ruin your whole quit plan.   How long does it take before the cravings disappear? After just a few days the need for a cigarette should get less. And for some people, it may have completely vanished after just two to four weeks.  But it takes, on average, about 12 weeks for the nicotine receptors in the brain to calm right down or &amp;#039;switch off&amp;#039;, so you need to plan for at least three months of concerted efforts to avoid smoking.  For some people cravings die down sooner while for others they remain for much longer.    Will I gain weight? You may gain a little weight, but don&amp;#039;t let that put you off. A few extra pounds is nothing compared to the health advantages stopping smoking gives you. Avoid dieting unless your doctor tells you to do so, because this will increase your desire to smoke.  If you snack, choose something healthy and low fat. Be more active and work off the extra calories through exercise.   Isn&amp;#039;t it enough to switch to a &amp;#039;low tar&amp;#039; brand?  Good advice There is no safe number of cigarettes to smoke, other than zero.  Tar is just one of more than 4000 toxic substances contained in cigarettes.  Tar holds the other toxic substances together and is one of the biggest causes of lung cancer.  The risk of getting some diseases may be smaller the less tar you breathe in. However, since September 2003 terms such as &amp;#039;low-tar&amp;#039;, &amp;#039;light&amp;#039; and &amp;#039;ultra light&amp;#039; have been banned. This is because the difference between these brands and regular cigarettes is dependent on the filter alone, which uses microscopic air holes: the &amp;#039;lighter&amp;#039; the cigarette, the more holes it has for drawing in air that thins and cools the smoke. Research has shown that, contrary to the numbers on the packet, smokers of &amp;#039;mild&amp;#039; brands are likely to inhale as much tar and nicotine as smokers of regular cigarettes.  And because the same blend of tobacco is used, you can take in as many cancer-causing substances.   Other people also read: smoking &amp;amp;#8211; health risks: why quit smoking?  Medicines to help you quit: medicines can double your chances of quitting. Tips for quitting: check our your smoking habits.   References United States Department of Health and Human Services. The health benefits of smoking cessation - a report of the Surgeon General. US DHHS. Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control. Center for Chronic disease prevention and health promotion. Office on smoking and health. DHHS Publication number (CDC) 90-8416,1990. Silagy C, Mant D, Fowler G, Lancaster T. Nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation. The Cochrane Library, Issue 3, 1999.   Based on a text by Dr Carl Brandt  Last updated 09.03.2014 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/wellbeing/a5012/smoking-cutting-down-or-quitting/>