• Tobacco use can be stopped with the right treatment.smoking image by Alison Bowden from Fotolia.com
  
  Tobacco addiction is brought on by smoking for a prolonged period of time. The nicotine is found in tobacco actually stimulates receptors in the brain making a person dependent. Someone who smokes cigarettes is likely to have problems stopping due to the fact that the mere action of smoking has become a learned habit that has integrated itself into the smoker's life. Over time smoking causes many health complications such as congestive heart failure, lung cancer and emphysema. Trying to quit smoking is a big task, but there are treatments available to help eliminate the habit.
  
  

Behavioral Therapy

• Anyone who smokes has learned to pick up a cigarette after dinner or during the drive home. When faced with not smoking these people are lost for something to do. Behavioral therapy is needed in order to break this habit. The purpose of the therapy is to teach someone a new way of looking at things. Instead of smoking after a nice meal, take a walk around the neighborhood and enjoy some fresh air. In only a short time, a significant change is going to happen.
  
  

Nicotine Replacement Therapy

• The market is full of nicotine replacements that are very helpful in assisting people to stop smoking. These products contain a small amount of nicotine to help a smoker get through the day, but don't carry the health risks that are associated with smoking cigarettes. The replacements come in over-the-counter forms such as gum and patches. A stronger replacement, like nasal spray, can be obtained with a prescription. The benefit of nicotine replacement is that using one can increase the chances of quitting.
  
  

Medications

• There are medications that can help reduce the cravings that smokers get. Varenicline and bupropion work by blocking the neurons that are affected by nicotine. Over time the cravings will stop and life can get back to normal. The medications can only be obtained by a prescription and the benefits should be discussed with a physician.
  
  

Emotional Therapy

• There are people who have found that cigarettes fill an emotional void. Quitting can be hard for someone who turns to smoking as a source of comfort. Getting therapy is a good way of getting rid of the need for tobacco. A qualified therapist can get down to the true problem and help alleviate the feelings that facilitated the need to smoke. Over time a person can gain both emotional and physical well-being.