Nicotine Addiction

This is a sad, stupid story...

I smoked for about 20 years. I got off the cigarettes successfully using nicotine gum, back when you had to have a prescription to get it. Then, in nursing school, the stress and the fact that so many of my fellow nursing students smoked (no, I'm not kidding) led me to start smoking again. When I finally got off the cigarettes, I used the nicotine gum again. That time, though, I couldn't get off the gum. The doctor prescribed nicotine patches, and I used them to get off of the gum. Sounds pathetic, right? Well, just hang on.

About 4 years ago, I started bumming cigarettes from a good friend, one at a time, and became aware that I was almost hooked again. So, what did I do? I bought nicotine gum to use when I was around him. It worked, and I didn't smoke. However, I started chewing the gum all the time. I tried several times to get off of it, but didn't succeed. I chewed the nicotine gum for 3 and a half years before finally switching to the patches again. I finally got off the gum again, only to start chewing it again a few months later. My poor husband has been so patient through all of this!

The best resource I know to help stop smoking (or chewing nicotine gum!) is Nicotine Anonymous. There are also some sites on the Internet that are a big source of support. Using the medication Zyban, with or without the nicotine patches has also proved very effective for some friends of mine (like the one who I used to bum cigarettes from!). They eventually started smoking again, though. At least I've never really started smoking again (good thing - my husband would divorce me!)

The Smoke Stops Here
Great ariticles every month to help YOU stop smoking!

Nicotine Anonymous Web Site
Information about the program, information about meeting locations, and some of their publications can all be found here.

PhilosophyInAction
Offers a 36-day online program that leads to a nicotine-free lifestyle. No tricks, miracle cures, or external substances such as nicotine patches, chewing gums or pills, just the power of your intellect to undo the conditioning.  

Online Nicotine Anonymous Group
These folks are great!!! Yahoo uses frames, and sometimes the links don't work so well. If there isn't a navigation bar on the left side of your screen, go to: http://clubs.yahoo.com/, type UNOFFICIAL NIC in the search box, and it will take you to a link to the complete page. The group has now received official sanctioning from the national organization, but the "unofficial" part of the name is still there!

Glaxo Wellcome's Zyban Site
Information and even a rebate for Zyban!

Quit Smoking
Huge site devoted to getting off the cigarettes.

Becoming Nicotine Free
Site devoted to getting nicotine free for gay, lesbian, transgendered and bisexual folks. Lots of information, motivation and support.

Quit Smoking Support
One of the most popular and useful sites on the Net for quitting and staying quit. You have to visit Blairsville!

Dr. Bob's Quit Smoking Page
Much more than a page! Great site to visit to prepare to quit.

Click HERE for ImmuneSupport.com