If you're looking to quit smoking, and are sold on the idea of the nicotine patch, here's a quick guide for you. These are suggestions that have come up both by interviewing people who have quit using the nicotine patch, AND people who swear that it's the worst idea in the world.
As with all methods of quitting smoking,
it's up to you to decide what works best for you. What works for your friend won't necessarily work for you. If you've been trying one method for a while and it hasn't been working, try something else. In many cases, you're so used to whichever method you're using not working that you expect it to fail. Switch it up and you could get good results.
Guidelines for Quitting with the Nicotine Patch
1. Apply the nicotine patch immediately before going to bed, and right after taking a shower.
The shower washes some of the smoke smell away, and sleeping gives your body time to adjust to the new levels of nicotine. As you're quitting, changing nicotine levels are what will cause you to chemically want a cigarette.
2. Find something to placate your oral fixation.
Toothpicks, hard candy, whatever. Any of these things work. It's important that you have something to do with both your hands and your mouth, since missing this action is what causes many people to go back to smoking.
3. There's no such thing as 'Just One' cigarette.
That one cigarette leads to another, and another, and before you know it you're right back into the same deal all over again. It's not worth it. You'll notice after the first few days that your mood and alertness has improved drastically, which brings us to our final point:
4. If possible, give yourself three days away from stimuli that make you want to smoke.
This gives you time to readjust to not smoking. Right now, as a smoker, you're used to having the crutch of smoking available at all times. Distance yourself from situations that invoke that need, just for a few days, and you'll begin to realize just how much better life can be without cigarettes!
