People who are trying to quit smoking will agree with us when we say that it is not an easy thing to do. The quitting journey is full of different obstacles that involve cravings, emotional turmoil, psychological challenges, behavioral issues like managing triggers and more. On top of all this, nicotine addiction adds to the struggle, making the process even more difficult.
Having said that, it is also important to note that everyone’s quitting journey is unique. There is no ‘one and only’ way to do this. Different things work for different people. But as long as you stay resilient and have strong willpower, you can overcome this bad habit. While mental strength plays a vital role in quitting such an addictive habit, you can also take advantage of NRT products. They are specially designed to help with smoking cessation.
Today we will introduce you to one such product that has gained quite a popularity – Nicotine Gum.
But before we delve into what makes nicotine gums so popular, let’s take a step back and try to understand nicotine addiction. It is one of the many challenges that make quitting smoking difficult but quite a strong one.
When you smoke cigarettes, you consume tobacco. Tobacco contains more than 7000 harmful chemicals and one of these chemicals is nicotine. It is a highly addictive substance that when consumed tricks the brain into releasing neurochemicals like serotonin and dopamine. These chemicals make you feel relaxed or stress-free. But these feel-good feelings are only short-lived. Eventually, you start craving this ‘high’ and end up smoking more and more. This leads to nicotine addiction.
When you quit smoking, meaning that you stop putting any nicotine into your body, it starts experiencing nicotine withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms are quite unpleasant and include anxiety, moodiness, irritability, lack of concentration, depression and so on.
NRT products like nicotine gums help manage these symptoms!
Nicotine gums: a tasty way to manage nicotine withdrawal symptoms
As a type of NRt product, they come loaded with a certain amount of nicotine that you can put in your body. They work on the principle of gradual reduction. Meaning that you start with a dose that matches your needs and eventually reduce it.
This step down approach of nicotine gums helps with smoking cessation. Your body gets slower used to functioning properly without experiencing any nicotine withdrawal symptoms and you can focus on other aspects of quitting.
Additional benefits of chewing nicotine gum to quit smoking are:
1. Easy to use – As compared to other NRT products, nicotine gums are quite simple to consume. In the end they are just chewing gum (with a special way of use and usage). They take much less effort to consume and you can use them anywhere.
2. Portability – Compact in size and readily available, these gums can be carried around in your pocket or bag pack. They can be easily bought OTC or online. The 2mg gum does not even require any prescription.
3. Keeps you in charge – the fact that these gums are available in two different doses, means that you can decide how you want to start or manage your quitting journey. You can basically customize your plan according to your needs. You can talk to your doctor and even seek help in identifying what will work best for you.
4. They are safe – Cigarette smoke contains a lot many other toxins than nicotine. All these toxins are injurious for your health. Chewing nicotine gum to quit smoking eliminates the risk of these harmful toxins. As compared to cigarettes, they are a safer alternative to manage your nicotine cravings.
Note – they are not alternatives to smoking, they are a means to deal with nicotine addiction and eventually get off it completely.
5. Oral gratification and mouth freshness – Smoking is also a behavioral habit that involves a strong oral fixation. Chewing gum helps in dealing with the hand-to-mouth habit. When you chew on gums, your mouth remains busy and hence does not crave anything. Additionally, they are also available in multiple flavors that makes them a tasty treat for your mouth as well. The mouth freshening flavors are a good break from the constant cigarette smell.
In conclusion, nicotine gums do not only help with smoking cessation, you can also count on them for improving your bad breath and deal with the oral fixation of cigarettes. But there are a few things that you must keep in mind while consuming them:
- Do not swallow the gum. This will lead to severe stomach ache or worsen your withdrawal symptoms.
- Use the Park-Chew-Park method – nicotine gums are medicated products hence they need to be consumed in a certain way. You start chewing on these gums slowly and let them sit between your mouth and gums for some time. They will release the nicotine that will get absorbed into your body. After 5-7 mins, start chewing on the same gum again.
- Do not use nicotine gums if you are still smoking. This will lead to nicotine overdose.
- Do not use nicotine gums if you are pregnant or are a teenager. You must consult with your healthcare provider before starting on any NRT product.
- Do not abuse them – remember that these products are designed to help with smoking cessation. You must use them responsibly and as instructed.
In conclusion, you can count on nicotine gums to manage your withdrawal symptoms. In addition to NRT, you must also try to adopt some coping mechanisms that help manage the other factors that make quitting difficult. For example, learn how to manage stress, come up with distractions and so on! This comprehensive approach to smoking will increase your chances of succeeding at quitting.
