If you can't stop thinking about smoking,think about Champix.
For some, smoking is an addiction
For most people, smoking is not just a habit, but a physical and behavioural addiction. Smoking can be a physical addiction because your body begins to crave nicotine and you feel withdrawal symptoms when you stop smoking.
Smoking can also be a behavioural addiction because it becomes linked to particular things - perhaps a time of day, a certain activity or spending time with particular people.
In order to successfully quit smoking, both the physical and the behavioural parts of the addiction need to be managed.
While CHAMPIX® helps to reduce craving and withdrawal symptoms that happen while you give up smoking, you will have to change your behaviour and come up with strategies to help you quit smoking. Examples of strategies to help you quit include the following:
- Reduce your consumption of caffeine. Drinking coffee may be a smoking trigger for you and, without nicotine, your body will retain more caffeine, possibly making you restless, irritable or sleepless.
- Reduce your consumption of alcohol. Drinking alcohol may be a smoking trigger for you and it can also weaken your resolve to quit.
- Socialise with non-smoking friends in smoke-free venues.
- Do something else to take your mind off smoking; for example, drink water slowly, chew sugar-free gum, eat a healthy snack or exercise.
If your doctor prescribes CHAMPIX®; there is a web, text and email support tool called LIFEREWARDS™ (www.liferewards.co.nz), that is designed to help you deal with the behavioural aspects of addiction. Support from other sources such as Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists, Quitline, Smoking Cessation Specialists and your family is recommended to help you keep on track.
