Pilbara Health

If you smoke you can probably remember your first puff. You coughed and choked but were determined to make it through that inaugural ciggie.

Years later, you are still a slave to the fags and, although you want to stop, you do not know if you have the strength. You are not alone. Once a lot of us start smoking, we simply can not stop because the habit is so highly addictive.

Tobacco contains nicotine, which is the drug that keeps us coming back but it is the other 4,000 chemicals in cigarettes that can send you to an early grave. If that is not bad enough smoking is now severely restricted both socially and at work, and can cause resentment amongst your friends and colleagues.

So, how do you beat the nicotine beast?

If you have the strength, try fighting off the cravings by breathing deeply, drinking water or doing something else. Alternative treatments are varied ranging from hypnosis to acupuncture.

There are a number of physical aids that may improve your chances of quitting. Nicotine replacement products, like patches or gum, help to slowly reduce cravings. If you are a suitable candidate, your doctor may also recommend non-nicotine treatments, which work to calm the craving receptors in your brain, and which are subsidised by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

Remember, smoking is an addiction and people need all the support they can get.

For more good tips on quitting smoking, download this month's Pilbara Health calendar or contact your site health and safety advisor.